VIRTUAL WORLDS: "SECOND LIFE"

Today I will write about virtual worlds and their implications in teaching English. 

Before writing this blog post and reading some articles and research on virtual worlds, I tried to explore "Second Life" - probably the most famous virtual world application - as a user. My task was not evaluating its usefulness as an entertainment tool but trying to find out whether we can use it in English language teaching. Second Life is the only 3D virtual world that I 'tested' and, so, my observations might not be generalizable for other applications.  

Well, after selecting my avatar and creating the account, I tried to do some basic activities to find out what is out there. At first it seemed very promising as there were a lot of instructions, destinations described in a detailed manner - a lot of language that learners can be exposed to. So, I started my tour - walking, running, flying, teleporting to different destinations. I was also happy to find the chat button which actually gives your avatar the opportunity to approach any other avatar (resident of the virtual world) and start a chat with him/her. However, I was disappointed from the first try. The other avatar asked me if I knew Spanish and we quickly switched to Spanish language. Besides, I quickly got bored after going to several destinations. To be fair, I should mention that maybe the problem was that it was the first time I entered the virtual world. Besides, I am a fan of real-life feelings and experience. 

I understood the partial reason of my frustration after reading the article "Educational Frontiers: Learning in a Virtual World" by Cynthia M. Cologne. M. Calogne mentions that before immersing our students into the virtual world, we should highlight some accomplishments by other students, the benefits of virtual world courses. Anyway, the article is very general and did not convince me that it's effective to create a virtual world class setting. Of course virtual worlds have their benefits like opportunity for communication, exploration, navigation but I feel this field is still underdeveloped and needs further research and advancement. 

I also read Donald J. Welch's interview on virtual worlds. According to Welch, and I agree with him, the virtual world where an institution would allow only student and faculty access and could control behaviors and things that go on in that world, has much more potential to be used in classrooms than Second Life which is more general purpose. 

As for language learning, the challenge in these environments is to create tasks which require learners and native speakers to interact and where a condition of success in the task is the meaningful use of language, a thing that I didn't see in Second Life. 

Given the above-mentioned circumstances, I will most likely refrain from using virtual worlds in my classroom until more research has been done on its effectiveness in language teaching. 

Anyway, I should confess that virtual worlds have potential of becoming language learning tools in the future. 

One thing to keep in mind - virtual world classes cannot replace campus-based classes. They can supplement them if designed and used properly. Let us wait and see!

Computer and Video Gaming

Should we use computer and video games for pedagogical purposes? Well, if someone had asked me this question two months ago, I would have probably given a negative answer. The main reason is that I used to be very skeptical about games and their implications for teaching. Maybe this is also because I barely ever play any games at least because of lack of time. But my views changed after I began to take the course on the use of technologies in TEFL. It opened my eyes and my mind to many wonderful technological tools like, for instance, gaming. 

As Marc Prensky mentions rightfully, (http://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-%20Ch2-Digital%20Game-Based%20Learning.pdf ), "new generation has a different mix of cognitive skills". It is no longer a secret that our brain reorganizes itself according to input it gets. It means that games somehow shape our brain. The "game generation" processes information more quickly, "gamers" use parallel processing, they have sharpened visual sensitivity, they are used to active learning. These are important factors that educators have to consider in adjusting the curriculum. If we do not do this, we will lose our learners. 

Let us see what advantages and disadvantages games have and how we can effectively integrate them in teaching. Through games learners experience things they have to learn. They become active learners. The greatest merit of games is that they develop problem-solving skills. As Professor Paul Gee states in one of his interviews, "we think critically when playing because there is always a mission we have to accomplish". As mentioned in the article "Digital Game-Based Learning by Richard Van Eck, there are three ways in which we can integrate gaming into education. The first one is having students build games, the second one is having educators or developers build educational games. In case of these two, the problem is that they are costly and time consuming. In this respect, the best solution would be taking existing games and using them in classroom. But here we have to be very careful to select games that will be in accordance with the curriculum and course content. As an English language teacher, I have to make sure learners develop language skills while playing. 

Today I played the game called "Darfur is Dying"http://www.darfurisdying.com/. From teacher's perspective, I can say that it could be used in an EFL class to teach related vocabulary, develop reading skills by means of the detailed instructions of the game. Besides, this game made me go to Wikipedia and learn more about the Darfur Crisis. It was driven by a real meaningful interest, rather than being forced to read because of an assignment. 

I would also like to address the issue of violent games. What should we do with games that contain violent content? There is a lot of research on this topic (http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Mental_Health_Letter/2010/October/violent-video-games-and-young-people).

Some researchers claim that exposure to violent media can contribute to real-life violent behavior. Others claim they haven't been able to find any direct connection between them. I think such video games won't hurt our children (irrespective of research results) if parents take appropriate action. First, they can censor what video games their children should play, they can also set time limits on playing games.

VIDEO PRODUCTION

When I first heard I was going to produce a video, I thought it was almost an impossible and unrealizable task. This is partly because I had always considered myself a person who could at best shoot a video. But editing? No, never.... Well, that is what I used to think. Yesterday I was happy that I found that I had been wrong. I am happy I worked in a group because we helped each other a lot.

In general, video production includes a series of stages. The video I watched on video production process  ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rWcQdH7-wE ) revealed that it is really a labor intensive process. It includes creating an outline of the film with key scenes, structure and characters, writing the screenplay, storyboarding in which you have to consider camera angles, how you are going to put scenes together, in which direction the characters have to move, and etc. Sometimes you need to think of financial issues. You might need to turn to fundraising to be able to realize your project. The film production process is really time consuming. You have to think of camera angles, proper framing and any other seemingly unimportant things. By the way, I learned a lot of interesting stuff from some videos I watched on proper framing and using different camera angles and movements for achieving different effects ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbeVSx1Gf4k and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYVV6hKtuNk ). Well, after the film shooting there comes probably one of the most labor-intensive processes - the editing process. The book I scanned on this topic ("Digital Video Essentials: Shoot, Transfer, Edit, Share" by Sadun, Erica) was somehow useful for getting a general idea on preparation, video production and editing techniques. But one drawback it had is that it is just a book. There is no reinforcement of the information we read there in form of video illustrations. So, it was somehow difficult for me to imagine some of the stuff described there. In our video editing process we used the principle of playing with different options in Windows Movie Maker ( a very user-friendly tool) and finally finding a proper solution.  

It goes without saying that the pre-production, video production and editing processes are really creative ones. Besides, it is really engaging creating a video in the topic of which you are genuinely interested. In our group, we had a lot of fun while creating our video. We were so motivated. 

Now let's turn to the implications video production has for teaching English. Here I would like to mention both the advantages and disadvantages of video production. The greatest advantage is that it is really a creative process at the end of which learners get a tangible product. Besides, the 21st century learners like to use technology everywhere. The greatest drawback of video production is that it is really a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. Our learners, be they schoolchildren, university children or adult learners, are generally busy people. We should consider this factor when including video production in our assignments. If we do not give really clear instructions, the video production, however creative it might be, may not lead to the development of language skills. However, this does not imply that we should not use video production in ELT. We should just keep an eye on time available and the given context. We should also take care that our instructions state clearly that the target language has to be somehow used in the video. 

In general, introducing different types of technological tools in ELT is really a fantastic idea as far as we remember that these are only TOOLS and that our principal aim is helping learners develop second or foreign language SKILLS. I love these tools and I am going to use them in appropriate contexts after careful consideration of their implications for teaching English:)

 

DIGITAL STORYTELLING

It is an indisputable fact that storytelling plays an important role in learners' language development. But learning from storytelling is more effective when the storytelling is done with the help of digital technologies.

Digital media tools give us the opportunity to present more than simple text. As Tony Witherspoon mentions in her speech about digital storytelling, "music, pictures that complement our story help our words become better and more impressive". Nowadays, many schools incorporate digital storytelling projects into learning. In this way, they reach today's students, help them do what is pleasant and engaging for them. At the same time, students develop the skills they need. Research also reveals that projects that use digital storytelling as their core component have proved to be successful and motivating from the perspective of the learners. 

But I would like to concentrate more on the use of digital storytelling to assist language learning. It is worth mentioning here that learners should not be supposed to be only absorbers of the information included in the digital stories. Digital stories can develop receptive (listening and reading) and productive (writing and speaking) skills. Learners can also act as creators of digital stories. Today I created my first digital story, and words do not suffice to describe the degree of involvement and motivation that I had completing the task. By making learners create digital stories we can get so many ideas out of learners' heads. 

There are so many ways in which digital storytelling can be used. For instance, Tonya Witherspoon mentions about interactive stories when students can decide how to continue by following different hyperlinks. Students can also collaborate in making a digital story. It is important that we let students create digital stories on topics in which they are interested. To illustrate this point, it is worth mentioning the semester-long Bay Area digital writing project in the US (http://www.nwp.org/cs/public/print/resource/2790). It was called the American Immigration Digital Story Project. The aim of the project was making a modern-day connection to history, as well as development of literacy, writing and 21st century skills. Students were supposed to select close family members or relatives, interview them on their immigration experiences, take a transcript and share with audience in the form of a digital story. 

The only drawback of creating digital stories by learners is that it takes quite a lot of time. So, the teacher should try to analyze and decide in which situations it would be a good idea to engage students in creating digital stories. The age of the learners should also be taken into account. If we decide to try digital storytelling with young learners, we should be prepared to provide them intensive guidance during the whole process. What refers to using ready-made digital stories, they are really beneficial. 

Well, I am happy to conclude that so far I have learnt about amazing technological tools that greatly assist language learning and increase learner motivation. One important factor to consider is choosing appropriate tools for a particular purpose and at a particular point in time. 

USING WIKIS AND GOOGLE DOCS IN EFL CLASSROOMS

Today I would like to write about educational uses of wikis and google docs. 

Wikis provide a comfortable space for learners to work and solve problems in collaboration sitting at home in front of their computers. Wikis can have multiple uses in EFL classrooms. They are perfect for story creation activities when each student contributes to the creation of a story. This is also an invaluable activity in terms of developing students' creative thinking skills. In a university setting, wikis can be used in building information about different topics. It is really very interactive and motivating not only for teenagers but also adults. 

However, one thing to keep in mind is that research shows that very often the instructor should provide instructions or collaboration scripts to learners who are going to work in the wiki space. It will ensure proper distribution of roles, workload, sequencing of steps if there are any. We as teachers should also think of ensuring that students have a discussion board where they will have the opportunity to discuss and negotiate ideas before editing the text. 

One disadvantage of wikis that I can think about is that it is impossible to edit the text when another person is making changes in it. Besides, wikis might be a bit confusing for younger learners. In this respect, google docs are simpler and more user-friendly though they don't provide all the opportunities that wikis do. 

One important difference between wikis and google docs is that google docs have the real-time editing possibility. It means that learners can make changes in the document without waiting for somebody to finish editing. This is really great for some in-class activities where students can work on a shared document at the same time. 

Wikis and google docs are powerful tools that teachers should make use of. I loved them!

Podcasting

When I go back in time and remember my language learning, I realize it was quite a boring experience. It entailed doing the same thing all the time - reading, retelling, memorizing words and grammar rules, practicing by means of non-meaningful exercises. We did not do any listening activities, little speaking was involved in classroom activities. Now, with this in mind, I look at the present opportunities that the learners have and I am happy that I will at least be able to use the actual technological tools as an EFL teacher.

Today I will write about podcasting and its effectiveness.As Christopher Shamburg states in his interview, podcasting helps to repackage boring classes. It really does... Podcasts are so so great! Why? Well, first because podcasting provides students access to authentic listening materials. It is like a radio broadcast. The difference is that you can pause and replay the recording any time and you can find a recording on any topic you want thanks to RSS feeds. Besides, now it has become very easy to create your own podcast by recording yourself. Sometimes you need to have some specific content for your students and creating your own podcast can save you in that situation. We should not forget as well that students can also create their own podcasts. Jeff Mehring used this tool very effectively in his integrative course (http://moodle.aua.am/file.php/28/Course_Materials/Podcasting/ESLEFLpodcastingActivities_Mehring.pdf). One of the activities created by him asked students to create a recipe via podcasts and then other students would critique the recipe in the same manner. Well, this is such a good idea! It is so authentic, so meaningful, so much more motivating for students. It develops students' listening and speaking skills in a very natural way.

 As an EFL teacher, I am certainly going to use podcasts in different ways and for different topics. For instance, students could listen to one or more podcasts and reflect on what they heard by recording themselves. I would assign students roles and ask them to interview each other via podcast. There are so many activities that we can do using this tool. There are so many topics that we can address, like legal and ethical questions of intellectual property as Shamburg did, or the life of koalas in Australian forests, and so on and so forth. Actually, podcasts could help learners to be multidisciplinary.

Another trend that makes me very happy is that, with these digital media tools, we can finally pay attention to developing all the four skills equally without any discrimination. One important thing to keep in mind is that the teacher should not forget about pedagogical objectives when using podcasts. He/she should clearly imagine what it is going to teach his/her students and how. 

I consider myself a teacher who is always open for new ideas from which, as I believe, my students will benefit.

Using Blogging and Microblogging in EFL Classrooms

It goes without saying that using technologies in EFL/ESL classrooms is indispensable today if we want to keep up with current trends in teaching and students' interests.

Today I would like to write about blogging and microblogging, and what implications they might have for teaching English as a second or foreign language.

Blogs are really a fantastic way of sharing resources and ideas, learning through interaction with others. I fell more in love with the practice of blogging after reading the chapter on Weblogs from the book "Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms" by Will Richardson. I like how Richardson makes a distinction between blogging and 'journaling'. Journaling is just the accounting of the events of the day or one's feelings. Blogging engages thinking. Blogs give us the opportunity to follow various weblogs and websites that contain information we are interested in by the help of the so-called RSS feeds. It is just so much easier to collect all the information you need on your aggregator rather than visiting websites or blogs separately in a desperate search for what you need. Real blogging entails a comprehensive process of reading different sources, synthesizing the information and writing a reflection on what has been read. So, if we look at this process from the perspective of an EFL teacher, it is difficult to think of a better and more authentic way of teaching students to scan, analyze, synthesize information. Is there a better way of developing students' critical and analytic thinking skills?

As mentioned by Richardson, there are a number of ways in which blogs can be used in the classroom. They can serve as filing cabinets, e-portfolios and simply as a collaborative space for the instructor and for the students. Blogs are also useful in terms of ensuring transparency and accountability. The school administration, the students' parents will be able to keep record of the learning process. Blogging is much more interactive than writing on paper. It is in fact a conversation, rather than a monologue. When writing a blog post the learners know that they have a much larger audience. I think this might motivate them to approach the writing process with more care and more responsibility.

EFL teachers should clearly realize that students do not have to learn only in the classroom. The technology allows them to be self-learners, and blogs could allow teachers to guide the learning process. For instance, we as teachers can connect students to resources that we believe can teach them. We can suggest RSS feeds to which students can connect and withdraw necessary information. One of the most important ways in which blogs differ from writing on paper is that you have the option of adding links, pictures, videos. Students can read, listen, reflect in written form or orally (for instance, recording themselves speaking).
It is also important to determine the age and level of students with whom I would use blogs. I wouldn't introduce blogs to young learners as it is unreasonable to demand deep reflections from young learners who haven't developed critical and analytic thinking skills yet. Besides, they might not have necessary computer literacy yet to be able to handle it. It could be a stressful experience for young learners who are accustomed to routine activities. As for the level, i believe it is possible to introduce blogging at all levels of language proficiency as far as the learners are old enough to be able to reflect on what they hear or read. However, the optimal level for introducing blogging would be at least the pre-intermediate level. At this level of language proficiency students already have enough linguistic knowledge to be able to express themselves more or less freely. Of course, only short simple reflections would work in this case. What refers to evaluation, I consider that the teacher should make comments on content only. In this case there might be an issue connected with disregarding accuracy. To solve this problem, the teacher can comment on the most salient grammar errors by sending a private message to the student or during the individual conference with the student. otherwise, the teacher can point out the most common errors in the classroom without mentioning any names.

Microblogging tools, like Facebook and Twitter, can also be effective. However, I think they are more efficient for developing the learners' sociocultural competence, as the research also shows. I don't think that I would use Twitter or Facebook in my teaching as I don't see a clear link between using these tools and developing the students' linguistic competence.

So, I am definitely ready to introduce blogging to my own EFL class. In fact, me and my partner for the internship class are going to introduce blogging in our pre-intermediate EFL classroom right during the next class. Later, we are going to interview students to see their attitudes towards blogging. Those students who are not enthusiastic about keeping blgos will be allowed to write on paper. Anyway, they will be reminded about the advantages of blogging that writing on paper lacks. Let us see what happens.