WIKIS

                                                        WIKIS

         

                                                                          What is a wiki?                        

   A wiki is a space on the Web where you can share work and ideas, pictures and links, videos and media — and anything else that comes to your mind. It can be reduced or edited by anyone with access to the page without any special technical knowledge or tools. Students and teachers can utilize it easily as there is a visual editor and a bunch of other tools that makes its handling simple. As a result the tool could be useful for collaborative and interactive writing. When we compare wikis and blogs we see that a wiki can be used in many of the same ways as blogs but wiki is more appropriate for use by a group for collaborative projects. A wiki has a far more open structure and allows others to modify  what one person has written.

        When we were given  homework where we were expected to work on the same task by continuing  the story I worked with great enthusiasm. It was very compelling and motivating for me. Wiki  was  new for me and it  gave me an opportunity to go beyond my imagination. I think that it is helpful to use a wiki for educational purposes since it  makes greater connections between old and new knowledge by permitting student-created structure for information and ideas. Moreover it increases engagement of all students.  Thus this tool allows learners to express their own ideas and develops their creative skills.

Podcasts for EFL learners

        Podcasts offer flexibility and mobility since they can be used at any place and at any time. Then besides  listening to podcasts students can also create them. Students can do it both individually and collaboratively.It is essential to utilize podcasts as an instructional tool both on campus and in distance learning courses. It would be great if podcasts were widely used in the Armenian setting.

    I think that podcasts work well especially with those students whose audio memory is more developed than visual memory. With students whose visual memory is more developed reading materials work better.

      Podcasts enhance independent learning and consequently learner’s autonomy. Podcasts could be best described as a unique blend of entertainment, relaxation and learning. The learner can adjust the volume of the podcast, can choose the place and the time of listening to it, and can revisit passages for as many times as needed. In the article " Recipe Exchange Podcasts for  EFL/ESL" there are lots of interesting activities which focused on the use of podcasts in language instruction. I would use some of them in my class as it would bring a refreshing air to the class. Secondly, it proved that one does not have to be static while listening to podcasts. One of the most essential advantages of podcasts is that  you can listen and simultaneously engage yourself in other occupations. However I am still uncertain as to how I would use the activities discussed in the article in my own class as it would depend on the level, age and number of my students.

The use of Technology in Education

      A Weblog is an easily created, easily updateable Website that permits an author to publish immediately to the Internet from any Internet connection. You can easily share your ideas and resources with a Web audience and people will  express their opinions about those ideas. It demands an interaction.  Blogs consist of reflections and conversations that are renewed almost every day. Research shows that blogging has a positive impact on students since it promotes analytical and creative thinking.  According to W. Richardson weblogs should be in an educational system. The early adopters of Weblogs in the classroom have demonstrated that blogs can strengthen and intensify learning. There exist various ways of using Weblogs which have many advantages for teaching and learning. One of them is a class portal Weblog, where the course curriculum, syllabus, class rules, homework assignments, etc. are distributed. It saves time and makes learning process easy. Another ones are E-Portfolio, Collaborative Space, School Website and so on.
        As for me I am not ready to introduce blogging to my own EFL class. In my country it is not a common tool being utilized in an educational system and I am not so proficient in using it either. Thus it will be threatening for me to use it without being able to run it appropriately. However it has many advantages for both teachers and students and I suppose that it's worth making it a part of an EFL  class. I would like to use  a class portal learning as it will give me a chance to control my class without trouble and I can create  a learning environment  for my students where all materials connected with our lesson will be available and they can simply find them whenever they want. It is also very helpful for parents as they can access class materials and can be informed when  new information about the class is posted.

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Digital Generation

   Today's generation of kids is raised in a media rich network world of infinite possibilities. Technology is with them everywhere. It is an aid for children to become literate by themselves.  It  can teach children almost everything. Parents and teachers play a great role in guiding  and showing their children  how to choose appropriate stuff  from the internet and to throw out garbage. They should be able to keep up with the pace. It means that they shouldn't not only be aware of  current things, but  they also should be able to use all that is going to be. Children learn from the Internet things that they can do in real life. They are learning, communicating, composing, exploring , socializing and expressing themselves  in a new and exciting way. Children want to be creative and technologies give them that chance. They want to use what they search and do great things with it, they don't want just to search.Children make a lot of movies with special effects, play various video games which helps to develop their creativity, conference by the Internet, work on a website trying to make people aware of  some dangerous or essential things and so on. These stories teach me that for children technology is more than a tool, it is a vital component of everyday life that frames their worldview.  The videos highlight the fact that it is necessary to integrate IT into education. As a TEFL professional in Armenia we have to admit  technology integration, hold it and take up the role of a facilitator. 

    Engaging students in the process of technology integration is very significant. This is the new language of the generation. It is impressive that some children possess such technology skills that they can   support  their teachers and others with technology problems. 

     People have various ways of getting knowledge. Those who are visual learners prefer to see after their teachers' explanation. Thus they go home and search for it in the Internet and it becomes more comprehensible  for them. 

    So the world is now "flat," according to New York Times columnist and author Thomas Friedman.

The world Is flat is a brief history of the twenty-first century that analyzes globalization. The title is a metaphor for viewing the world as a level playing field in terms of commerce, where all competitors have an equal opportunity. Employees from one organization are no longer working side-by-side inside the same building. Individuals from anywhere can compete with others from around the world.

     What does this mean for education? He refers to ten "flatteners": things that have enabled us to connect with the rest of the world much more easily than ever before. Events such as the fall of the Berlin wall, Netscape going public, and the new world of "technologies on steroids" -- cell phones, wireless devices, always being connected, and so on -- have made our world a new place.

     He warns that "what we learn today in school will be outdated by tomorrow” and therefore, the most successful people in the 'flat world' will be those who can adapt and learn quickly. The greater our curiosity and passion for learning, the greater chances we will have for success later in life."

    We have the power to make great steps with what we're given. The challenge will be how to take advantage of all this in the educational system, and try to make sure our classrooms are flat.