WWW vs. LLC

Almost all the people in the modern world know what and where World Wide Web is. People can make use of it to learn languages anytime anywhere. For students, Language Learning Center probably is the place they can go and learn whatever they choose. The learning materials both in the web and in the center include videos, audios, and written texts and can engage learners to do listening, speaking, reading and writing in some way. I wonder if the application of web 2.0 for learning will replace the set-up of Language Learning Center in the future. Is it just like a worry that computers will replace teachers? What will teachers answer to this question? What about students’ opinions? Can anyone in the world wide web give a response to this issue?

CMC vs. CBL

What is the main difference between Web 2.0 and Web 1.0 in terms of language learning? In my opinion, web 2.0 emphasizes more on computer-mediated communication (CMC). The application has social functions to connect people in the web, i.e. more human to human communication through the Internet. On the other hand, Web 1.0 is more about pre-programmed software for specific aspects of leaning. It is supported to be well-organized according to particular designed purposes. It may be interactive but the kind of computer-based learning (CBL) is more communication of human to computer. Am I right about the terms and the differences I define? I would like to know more ideas on this issue and I am calling out through CMC.

Slideshare

Do you know SlideShare? It is the world biggest community of sharing Powerpoint presentations. It can become a data bank for you to learn things. I searched Web 2.0 and got 12504 slideshows. And the next day I checked again, the results became 12535 slideshows. Are you still puzzled by web 2.0? Just search, click on the slideshows, and enjoy the learning. Like students in a classroom or participants in a conference, people can learn things in Slideshare.

YouTube

Still can't get an idea of Web 2.0? Let's watch some clips about Web 2.0 from Youtube! You know people update things everyday and it's full of rich resources. Enjoy the media and sound as well as the feedback from users all over the world!

Localized or Globalized

If you are a language teacher, what will you choose to use for teaching and students' learning an ESL/CSL learning context? The familiar Taiwanese tools or English-medium tools for students to expose to English world? If you are an ESL/CSL language learner, what types of tools do you prefer and will you keep using? Please share your ideas!

*ESL: English as a Second Language ; CSL: Chinese as a Second Language

Tools at Micro Scope

Wretch and Xuite, the online web tools for young people in Taiwan, has been prevailing for years. A multi-functional interface with blog, forum, video, photo, and homepage makes Wretch stand out. Wann try it? Just go and don't be hesitant!

To Connect and share everywhere is no longer a dream. Windows Live makes your dream come true. As said, Windows Live makes your PC and the Web much more amazing. Imagine that the power of Windows combined with the limitless possibility of the Internet. It's all about new ways to connect and share—and how to be safer when you're doing it. Action!

Feel bored of your life. Get some Craze for fun clips on I'mtv! This community enables Internet users to share their videos, discuss and rate the content with people all over the world. Isn't it fascinating?

SL and QA

Second Life (SL) and Quest Atlantis (QA) are two innovative online environments. SL is a 3-D virtual world entirely created by its residents and it has grown exponentially. Today is inhabited by millions of Residents from around the globe since its opening in 2003. Question Atlantis provides users with traveling to virtual places to perform educational activities , talk with other users and mentors, and build virtual personae. As language teachers and learners, what are your opinions about the online virtual world? Can we possibly incorporate SL/QA as a tool for language education?

Mashups

Mashups, a web application that combines data and/or functionality from more than one source has gradually impacted teaching and learning. Developers are getting creative, taking APIs from multiple Websites and merging them to form new, innovative applications. A good example of mashups is as follows. Mashup Directory Given the innovative feature of mashups, let's brain we can incorporate them in language teaching and learning!

Concept Mapping

MindMesister , MindOmo, Freemind Share and Bubbl.us, four online collaborative mapping tools, enable learning to occur both individually and collectively. A mind map is a presentation of words, ideas, tasks linked to and arranged radially around a central key word or theme. It can be used to generate, visualize, structure and cluster ideas for an essay and project writing. Please share what you think of the these tools and how they benefit your language teaching and learning.

Podcasting and Vodcasting

Podcasting and vodcasting technology enables the teachers/learners to create presentations as well as share findings with each other. This can be beneficial for students who are in need of reviewing the materials again after class. Say, a CFL (Chinese as a Foreign Language) student learning the Chinese language tomes or an ESL student who want to access information to prepare for a listening comprehension test. Language teachers and learners are beginning to embrace this new technology for educational purposes, yet these two tools are still new to language teaching and learning. Please share your experience or your ideas of implementing podcasting and vodcasting into language classrooms.

MySpace and Facebook

MySpace and FaceBook the two well-know social network tools have attractede many students to join in their online communities. As social learning theorists advocate, learning occurs within a social context and people learn from one another, including such concepts as observational learning, imitation, and modeling. Yet, we don't know much about how language teachers and learners can connect the online tools as the spring boards to the ultimate learning goal. Let's brainstorm together and shed light on this issue!

Blogs and wikis

Blogs and wikis are gradually beening introduced to ESL/EFL language classrooms. A blog is a website for which an individual or a group frequently generates text, photographs, video or audio files, and/or links, typically (but not always) on a daily basis. A wiki is a kind of website that allows users easily to add, remove, or otherwise edit and change most available content. As a language teacher, do you see the advantages of the two free tools? Are they helpful for building a learning community and fostering collaborative learning? Please share your experience and how blogs and wikis were used!

My Interview with language teachers and learners

The three interviews are related to Chinese and English language teaching and learning.

1. Ms. Kelton at Texas Language Technology Center (clip1)
2. Mr. Villarreal, FLE PhD student, Chinese leaner (clip2) (clip3)
3. Mr. Ball, ESL Service Center (clip4)

Web 2.0 and IT support

What kind of IT (information technology or instructional technology) support do you think language teachers and students may need if they are going to use Web 2.0 in the classes?

Web 2.0 and tools

What Web 2.0 tools have you heard of or used before? What are the advantages and disadvantages to teachers and learners? Are there any improvements that can be made?

Web 2.0, 4 skills and 5 Cs

Web 2.0!? What's that? Is it your first time to hear about this topic, if so, please check the resource area for some useful information (articles, slide shows, video clips). I am sure you will enjoy the journey of web 2.0, hopefully a fruitful one. In this blog, we will first discuss three major questions about Web 2.0 and language teaching and learning. Followed by that, we will investigate relevant tools that could be applied in English and Chines language settings! Are you excited? Say, yes!

As an *ESL/CSL language teacher or learner, what's your perspective of Web 2.0? Do you think it's just a fashionable trend or business hype or can it be applied to language teaching and learning? In terms of the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) or 5Cs(communication, culture, connections, comparisons, communities ), what may be most useful about it?

*ESL: English as a Second Language ; CSL: Chinese as a Second Language