Dear All.
When something you enjoy very much finishes, there is a sensation that you need more and more of that. This is happening with me tonight. I have a sensation that I need more. More because I learned so many things that I want to have more classes and discussions. I need to read more, because every article here is so useful that I have created a necessity to open this course and read the articles, browsing the URL that were presented. And of course I really need more of writing in this space.
Of course, this Webskills course has to finish, but the way to get more of this is to apply all the new concepts that I acquired in practice with my students. To have more of this I have to share with my colleagues and co - workers at the university all the things I can do now using technology and I get more of this course when I keep in touch with all of you.
That is what I want. I want to now about you, what are you doing, where are you working, if you have applied your project or how was your plan. This is the way this course will not finish tonight, but it will stat again in each one of us.
Donna my endless gratitude for your effort, guidance and example of how to be a good teacher.
William Arthur Ward said "the great teacher inspires". All of you, dear teachers inspire.
Gabriela
viernes, 26 de agosto de 2011
sábado, 20 de agosto de 2011
WEEK 9 REFLECTIONS
We are almost finishing our course and I cannot explain how I feel.
I feel happy and quite sad. I feel so enthusiastic and I look forward the things I want to do in my classroom after all of the new concepts I learned.
I feel quite sad because I am sure I am going to miss this. The oportunity to share experiences with all of you wonderful people from whom I learned a lot.
During this week we have discussed about how technology can enhance different students' learning styles and I cannot see a better way to do this task. However the importance using technology for our students styles, the first step that we have to take into account is the recognition of the learning styles. In the past I was just focused in three styles: visual, auditive and kinesthetic; what a misconception!!!. We have to think about social relationships, environment, colors and sounds, global o particular facts, and more to determine in what way our students learn better. Then we have to determine what is the learning style of the majority students and with this we can apply different strategies and techniques to create and environment in class where everybody has the same opportunity to learn.
I cannot wait for the beginning of the new semester in my university to apply the project I elaborated here. I plan a completely new way to practice English outside classroom using technology for my students. In my class, because of its size, one of the problems I face with is the lack of opportunities for oral practice, for this reason I developed a project where my students can interact with other English students using Skype as a tool of learning. I think my students will love it, they really like technology, they have good Internet and especially they really want to improve their oral skills as prove of their progress.
In conclusion this was very productive week, the next one, I really believe, is going to be even better.
I feel happy and quite sad. I feel so enthusiastic and I look forward the things I want to do in my classroom after all of the new concepts I learned.
I feel quite sad because I am sure I am going to miss this. The oportunity to share experiences with all of you wonderful people from whom I learned a lot.
During this week we have discussed about how technology can enhance different students' learning styles and I cannot see a better way to do this task. However the importance using technology for our students styles, the first step that we have to take into account is the recognition of the learning styles. In the past I was just focused in three styles: visual, auditive and kinesthetic; what a misconception!!!. We have to think about social relationships, environment, colors and sounds, global o particular facts, and more to determine in what way our students learn better. Then we have to determine what is the learning style of the majority students and with this we can apply different strategies and techniques to create and environment in class where everybody has the same opportunity to learn.
I cannot wait for the beginning of the new semester in my university to apply the project I elaborated here. I plan a completely new way to practice English outside classroom using technology for my students. In my class, because of its size, one of the problems I face with is the lack of opportunities for oral practice, for this reason I developed a project where my students can interact with other English students using Skype as a tool of learning. I think my students will love it, they really like technology, they have good Internet and especially they really want to improve their oral skills as prove of their progress.
In conclusion this was very productive week, the next one, I really believe, is going to be even better.
domingo, 14 de agosto de 2011
WEEK 8 REFLECTIONS
Dear Webmates
Week 8 is over and I start feeling homesick. Each day I am totally surprised even I do not see you I really feel that we more than just classmate are becoming friends for this reason, the end of this course, which is getting closer make me feel little sad.
During this week I learned a lot about ANVILL that is one of the most complete web English lab that I have ever seen. The versatility of this tool engages inmediately both teachers and students and permits that students have the interaction they need to build up their confidence at using their English. A great development of the Yamada Language Center of the University of Oregon that is being used by many TEFL centers all over the world.
In this sense, the use of Internet educational tools was the purpose of this week. From Nicenet to Hot Potatoes, and www.wizard.4 teachers.org. Internet offers great learning oportunities, but the idea is the change of teacher's attitude towards his own way of teaching. The tools are ready to be used, the teacher have the responsibility to take them to enhance their teaching practice.
Finally this week, we have to present the first draft of the final project plan and even more complicate we have to give to our peers the feedback they deserve to work on their own project. This is complicate when we have to check other's works and we are not very sure what it expected for this works. Even there were very clear parameters to be focused on sometimes we could make mistakes in this kind of assignments. I hope my peer evaluation was useful enough to provoke the change my peer needed to have a better job.
Gabriela
Week 8 is over and I start feeling homesick. Each day I am totally surprised even I do not see you I really feel that we more than just classmate are becoming friends for this reason, the end of this course, which is getting closer make me feel little sad.
During this week I learned a lot about ANVILL that is one of the most complete web English lab that I have ever seen. The versatility of this tool engages inmediately both teachers and students and permits that students have the interaction they need to build up their confidence at using their English. A great development of the Yamada Language Center of the University of Oregon that is being used by many TEFL centers all over the world.
In this sense, the use of Internet educational tools was the purpose of this week. From Nicenet to Hot Potatoes, and www.wizard.4 teachers.org. Internet offers great learning oportunities, but the idea is the change of teacher's attitude towards his own way of teaching. The tools are ready to be used, the teacher have the responsibility to take them to enhance their teaching practice.
Finally this week, we have to present the first draft of the final project plan and even more complicate we have to give to our peers the feedback they deserve to work on their own project. This is complicate when we have to check other's works and we are not very sure what it expected for this works. Even there were very clear parameters to be focused on sometimes we could make mistakes in this kind of assignments. I hope my peer evaluation was useful enough to provoke the change my peer needed to have a better job.
Gabriela
viernes, 5 de agosto de 2011
WEEK 7 REFLECTIONS
Dear All
Time flies!!!! we are just finishing week 7. I have learned a lot and I think I will continue learning.
During this week I have been thinking about how I could make my students more autonomous learners.
After reading the articles proposed for this topic I truly believe that the best way to create autonomous learners is by being autonomous teachers. If it is my way of thinking in autonomous learning how can I be an autonomous teacher????.
The answer is not simple, it is much more complicate because it is not always simple to be autonomous as teachers. Some of us (if not most of us) have to complete objectives, lesson plans, a class book, a certain of number of hours for teaching. These institution's requirements are generally developed by the authorities and the "group of experts", the ones who master the curriculum and syllabus design, but who generally ore far from the real situation of the classroom.
Time flies!!!! we are just finishing week 7. I have learned a lot and I think I will continue learning.
During this week I have been thinking about how I could make my students more autonomous learners.
After reading the articles proposed for this topic I truly believe that the best way to create autonomous learners is by being autonomous teachers. If it is my way of thinking in autonomous learning how can I be an autonomous teacher????.
The answer is not simple, it is much more complicate because it is not always simple to be autonomous as teachers. Some of us (if not most of us) have to complete objectives, lesson plans, a class book, a certain of number of hours for teaching. These institution's requirements are generally developed by the authorities and the "group of experts", the ones who master the curriculum and syllabus design, but who generally ore far from the real situation of the classroom.
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