Social Networking---EFL Classroom 2.0

    As a future TESOL teacher, I found  EFL Classroom 2.0 quite useful as it not only has a lot of information on teaching and learning English, but provides a platform for learners to socialize and interact with others who are also interested in learning English.  One can find many valuable resources on this site: video, forum, Blog posts etc.. 
    What draws my attention the most is the different sections which provide a diversity of means for learners to learn English depending on personal reference. For example, in the Classrooms section, learners or teachers from different regions can form their own country's classroom. Through this means, learners and teachers can exchange information and ideas privately, and also it helps learners of different English levels communicate in their native language to better English studies and learning strategies from English as a foreign language perspective.

BUSY 'BEEING' A WORKER BEE

  

  To me, a learner is like a worker bee. A worker bee is always busy cleaning cells, nursing baby bees, feeding the queen, and making honey. It works and works till the end of its life. Learners nowadays are like worker bees, who must keep learning knowledge since it updates frequently. The knowledge people used to learn was measured in decades, but now even in months and years. In the article Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age, George Siemens points out that

“Learners as little as forty years ago would complete the required schooling and enter a career that would often last a lifetime. Information development was slow. The life of knowledge was measured in decades. Today, these foundational principles have been altered. Knowledge is growing exponentially. In many fields the life of knowledge is now measured in months and years.”.

    In the article, George Siemens also quoted from Gonzalez (2004) who describes the challenges of rapidly diminishing knowledge life:
“One of the most persuasive factors is the shrinking half-life of knowledge. The “half-life of knowledge” is the time span from when knowledge is gained to when it becomes obsolete. Half of what is known today was not known 10 years ago. The amount of knowledge in the world has doubled in the past 10 years and is doubling every 18 months according to the American Society of Training and Documentation (ASTD). To combat the shrinking half-life of knowledge, organizations have been forced to develop new methods of deploying instruction.”

    In the video, the Changing Nature of Knowledge, George Siemens also stressed how dramatically different the knowledge he used to learn when he was in school comparing to the knowledge students encounter today.

     After all, living in such a fast-paced society, learners have to learn consecutively just like how continuous worker bees do their jobs.

"Pay Attention"

After watching the video "Pay Attention", I realized the students we have nowadays are digital learners who have spent 10,000 hours playing video games, over 10,000 hours talking on cellphones, and roughly 20,000 hours watching TV. Today's children and teens spend 2.75 hours a week using home computers. 70% of American 4-6 year olds have used a computer. After reading these surprising facts about children today, I have to say I definitely feel the challenge of teaching in the future. Will I be able to give what they need? How can I engage them and get them involved in class? In what way are they interested in learning? etc.

As I continued watching the video, I found the answer to my questions--- using technology that our students love to reach and teach more effectively. It was pointed out in the video that teachers could also use cellphones to teach, such as literature, storytelling, spelling bees, class presentations etc.

After all, try to engage them, rather than enrage them.

Safe blogging! I’m watching you! :3

1. “Don’t give out personal information about yourself, your family situation, your school, your telephone number, or your address.”

    Also it helps if you don't put your real full name and birthday on blog just in case someone would like to pretend to be you and do harms to people.



2. “A friend you meet online may not be the best person to talk to if you are having problems at home, with your friends, or at school.”

    Internet is not a real world. People you are talking to may not be who they are in real life unless you really know them. Don’t share personal information with people you meet online. You never know what terrible things could happen.


3. “Know that there are rules many Internet Service Providers (ISP) have about online behavior. If you disobey an ISP's rules, your ISP may penalize you by disabling your account, and sometimes every account in a household, either temporarily or permanently.”

    Probably after reading the above two bullets you are thinking “hmm, so I could do whatever I want on internet and nobody would know who I am”. Nah-uh, WRONG! If you do anything against the rules mentioned above, you would get in BIG trouble. So, don’t even think about doing harms on internet.




Reference :
http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=207

To Blog or not to Blog, THAT IS THE QUESTION

    As a future teacher, I do see the challenge and requirement for teachers of using up-to-date technologies. Blogging, compared to other technologies like Ipad, Macintosh, and Mobi etc., is fairly easy to learn how to use. Therefore, I would love to start my technology journey with blogging. I would use blogging in various ways to help with my teaching.

    First, in order to build a more student-centric class, I would love to share my blog with students, providing a platform to communicate after class. In this way, I may build a more intimate friendship with my students, and through the comments and messages they leave, I would know what encourages them study better and then adjust my teaching instructions.

    Second, we know most learning occurs outside classrooms, so I may post interesting readings regarding to my class or useful tips for learning language on my blog to share with students. So they could do self-learning or peer-to-peer teaching even at home. At the same time I also save resources for later teaching.

    Third, blogging is not only a communicative way between me and my students but also a door to the outside world. People could exchange ideas on my blog sharing new ideas and different perspectives. I believe it’s an effective and educating means to learn from people and discuss about language and teaching methods.

    In conclusion, blogging improves communication, collaboration, and efficiency.