Coming back to Amazonas - A new tech experience!!!

Hi dear all:

I'm so happy to share with you my new tech experience. As some of you might know, the UCV (Universidad Central de Venezuela) has a Distance Education Program called EUS. EUS stands for Estudios Universitarios Supervisados. It is a program offered for about 35 years and it is delivered in five regions of our country: Barcelona, Barquisimeto, Ciudad Bolívar, Puerto Ayacucho and Caracas. This semester I have the great fortune to run 3 English courses in Puerto Ayacucho - Amazonas State. It will be the first time that I use the new technologies with my students. Let's see how this new adventure will work. Meanwhile, I invite you to see some pictures taken during my first visit to Amazonas after 5 long years. Enjoy them!!!

My snapshots in Second Life

Dear friends:

Yesterday, something funny happened to my avatar. I was trying new clothing and suddenly I became a man. How come!!!! I cried. But later, I found a place where I could buy another avatar appearance. Well, look at me now. How do you like it? I'm really happy with my new look.

Here are some snapshots of my new SL and the teacher training in Language Lab.

BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.

Do you have a Second Life?

Hi dear friends:

Have you ever heard about Second Life?

I'm not referring to any religious term. I refer to the Web 3.0
Second Life is an amazing 3D virtual space where teachers and students have great opportunities to be creative. In Second Life teachers have the chance to design and create their own teaching materials with just a click. It's really fun! Below you will find some pictures of a Spanish teacher training.

Here is a class with Nelba Quintana, an English teacher from Universidad de la Plata-Argentine. She is developing a game with cubes of different colors.

This is a class with Jennifer Verschoor, a Business English teacher from Buenos Aires -Argentine. She is presenting different kinds of shapes.

Here we are carefully paying attention to teacher Mariale who explains the use of subject pronouns in Spanish.

Here, teacher Dafne González, from Universidad Simón Bolívar, explains how to teach nationalities in Second Life.

Below you see my first mini class in SL. I taught genre and some adjectives. I uploaded images in two TV screens. Teachers Mariale, Magaly and Dafne pretend to be my Spanish students.

Snapshot taken by Dafne González

Here you will see more snapshots taken by Prof. Dafne González (USB), our Spanish teacher trainer.

How to enter Second Life? To join Second Life you just need to download the program and install it in your computer. It is totally free. Then, you have to create your avatar and name it. As soon as your avatar is ready you can start discovering this fantastic 3D-virtual world.

Further info: http://www.secondlife.com/

Evelyn

Japan and the WorldCALL 2008

Hi dear all:
Here is a photostream that summarizes my trip to Japan and my participation in the WorldCALL 2008. And if you want further details go to: http://worldcall2008japan.blogspot.com
Evelyn

Our 2007-2008 e-portfolio Wiki Project

Class 2007-2008

Hi everyone!

One of the best Web 2.0 tools I have ever used as a teacher is the Wiki. It is a wonderful tool for collaborative work. Do you know what a Wiki is? If you don't, I invite you to visit our Text Typology e-Portfolio Wiki Project. It's been a great teaching-learning experience. I'm sure my students will be happy to read your comments either here or there.

Comments, suggestions and ideas will be very well appreciated.

Thanks!
Evelyn

Why do we have to teach technology in schools?

English teachers have always characterized for being innovators. For many decades, perhaps centuries, we've been changing, transforming, adapting and creating new ways of improving our teaching practice, including the use of different types of technologies in our language classrooms. In the 21st century, things wouldn't have to be different. In fact, the use of new technologies such as Web 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0 have revolutionated the language teaching world thanks to the multiple possibilities for language learning, language exchange and collaborative work.

If you are a language learner, you might be thinking why you have to learn by using tech tools. If you are a language teacher, not very familiar with technology, you may be probably wondering why we have to incorporate technologies in the classroom and what their benefits are. And, if you are a technogeek there is a lot you can say about. In any case, you are cordially invited to watch the following video, make your reflections and write your comments below.
Thanks,
Eve :-)

I've won a scholarship to attend the WorldCall 2008 Conference in Japan!!!!!!!

GREAT NEWS!!!!!!

The WorldCALL 2008 Scholarship Committe has announced today its final decision.

Read what was published on their official site:

'We had an extremely difficult time deciding the awardees. Many highly qualified applicants had to be turned down purely because of budgetary constraints. Our goal was to decide on individuals who met these criteria:

• People who have been active in CALL (not just language pedagogy or administration) as evidenced by recent publications, presentations or on-going projects.


• People who exhibited in their "Statements of Purpose" a clear goal for their attendance at WorldCALL 2008 and a plan to disseminate the knowledge so gained upon their return home.


• People who represent a wide spectrum of geographical areas, balanced by gender and years of experience.


• Geographical selection was also, to some extent, determined in proportion to the number of applications from that area of the world.

Congratulations to those who have been selected. At the same time, we thank those who applied and sincerely regret that they, too, could not be included.

Thomas Robb, Ph.D., Chair, WorldCALL 2008 Scholarship Committee

The Awardees

Cruvinel Teixeira Alves, Erika Brazil (Webhead)
Elramady, Asem Aly Elsaid Egypt
Fang, Ying China
Fawzi, Hala Sudan (Webhead)
Isharyanti, Neny Indonesia
Izquierdo, Evelyn Venezuela (Webhead)
Kilickaya, Ferit Turkey
Lyulkun, Nina Russia (Webhead)
Marandi, Susan Iran (Webhead)
Mo, Jinguo China
Quintana, Nelba Argentina (Webhead)
Verschoor, Jennifer Argentina (Webhead)
Viswanathan, Revathi India

The WorldCALL 2008 Conference will bring together experts and practitioners in Computer-Assisted Language Learning from around the world.'

If you want to read more, please go to http://wc3scholar.info/ and http://www.j-let.org/~wcf/modules/tinyd0/

I want to share this award with all of you. You've been my inspiration.

Thanks my Lord, thank you!!!!!!

Special thanks to: Webheads in Action; Dr. Dafne González (Webhead-USB professor); Professor Rebecca Beke (EFL Master's program UCV); Dr. Ruth Díaz (School of Education-UCV); Professor Teadira Pérez (Language School, ULA-Merida); the British Council in Venezuela; UCV colleagues; Avealmec members; and, of course, all my students who have kindly joined me in exploring the Wonderful Web World (WWW).

Evelyn

Another ESP graduate course is over

My dearest graduate students:

Another English teaching/learning experience has come to the end. It is the proper time to evaluate it and share our opinions about it. To have students from different fields working together is always fascinating. Every student usually gives a special flavor to the course, and so did you. How wonderful this experience has been! I really enjoyed it. It would be great to keep our memories here, don't you think? Well, this space was been created with that purpose in mind.

If you've taken any of the English Academic Reading courses at the Graduate School of the FHE-UCV, please feel free to share your English learning experience, reflect about your language learning process and let us know how you felt working with other graduate students who belonged to many different areas. You may give some suggestions to future students.

Thanks God for giving me the chance to meet you all!

Evelyn

Picture by Andreinatje -Flickr.com

Are you an EUS student? Would you share your Moodle experience with us?

Moodle, Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment, is a free software e-learning platform. It is also known as a Course Management System (CMS), Learning Management System (LMS), or Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Due to its enourmous potentiality for interaction and easy-to-manage modular organizational design, Moodle has become one of the most used teaching resources all over the world, especially by educators and universities that offer totally online or blended courses.
During the last three semesters, we've been using Moodle to offer the English III course within the EUS program of the School of Education; time enough to hear the students' voices about Moodle advantages and constraints, if any.

Would you kindly share you experience with us?

You may either post your comment or record it in the Voicethread. If you choose the second option you will need a microphone and a headset. Feel free to use English or Spanish!

My annual courses 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 at the Education School

Dear students from the annual courses 2004-2005 and 2005-2006:

Here is a space to keep our class memories. You are invited to leave your comments and opinions about our English class. What do you remember? What was the best moment? Any recommendations to those who study English by using the Web tools? You may write either in English or Spanish, as you feel more comfortable.

Course 2004-2005

Course 2005-2006

What is there beyond the English classroom walls?

Dear UCV students:

Those of you, who have been in my classes during the last three years, may have lived the experience of learning English by using different Web tools or virtual learning environments. You know very well that, besides teaching, exploring the Web is one of my passions. Some of you must have experienced the use of Yahoo Groups, Moodle, Wikis, Web browsers, forums, voice and text Chats, videos and other tools. However, we've never had a space to share those experiences together: undergraduate and graduate students, those who major in Education and those who take a master or doctorate program in the Humanities and Education Faculty, those who take or have taken a master program in English as a Foreign Language and those who study the language for the first time, those who have face-to-face classes and those who take distance programs, adolescents and adults, all, as a large family. That's the reason why I created this blog. You've been my inspiration.

If you have not been my student, you might be asking why this is so. Perhaps, you've seen my students enthusiastically or desperate trying to find a lab or a cyber to join a Chat or upload their homeworks. Why? Is there much more after the English class? What is there beyond the English classroom walls? As a language teacher and a WWW user, I can provide you with many answers; but only you, as a student, by living your own experience, can tell me in your own words all marvelous things that can be discovered behind the English classroom walls and much further. It is not only learning the language, it is exploring what is beyond, what you can use when the English class or course is over.

Learning how to use Web tools is one of those discoveries. From one side of the classroom, it can be seen as a mysterious and complicated world; but, from the other side, it can be seen as a fascinating world to deepen what has been studied in class, communicate with other classmates, exchange information, explore tech tools, and being creative.

This blog offers you a window to the WWW, which I call 'Wonderful Web World'. I hope it becomes your favorite space to communicate your ideas and thoughts on how learning English by using Web tools is. You are invited to share with the whole world what you´ve found interesting or exciting within and beyond the English classroom walls.

Since it is my first blogging experience and perhaps yours, please let's be considerate and patience if some things are out of place.

Time has come! Welcome to this wonderful blogging experience!!!

Your teacher,

Evelyn

P.S. The students in the photo belonged to my Inglés Instrumental II course in 2007-01