WEEK TEN

So here we are in the middle of week ten our final week in this gorgeous course .This week is like a review of the whole integration of technology in class.What works and what hasn't been tried yet .The course has empowered me with great tool s and resources regarding CALL .Although my real practice of what I have learned is just in its early stage I find it encouraging .Finally I got the feeling that my students and I share the same world .In the past during my speaking lessons it was like we come from different worlds .Now my students are interested and motivated to take part of the class .i cant wait to practice other technology tools I haven't yet used .

I think  I'm going to suggest a similar course or at least workshop for my faculty ,to enable my mates get advantage of technology .I'm already sharing what Ive learned and trying to establish a wide understanding for the importance of CALL .

I hope that I continue contacting with those Ive met through the course ,it has been a great opportunity to participate in such a fruitful learning experience .

Best wishes

Batool

WEEK 9 !!!!!!!!!!

Week 9 has begun what a course !!!!!So fast ,so many touching topics ,such interesting issues and days run !!!!!
Learning styles ,I thought they were only three !!!Now I know they're nine !!!!Thanks to technology all different individuals may engage in my English class .

I'm thinking about Janines question is it possible to encourage students to adopt other learning styles?How?
Well I believe it is possible the question is How !Probably changing strategies ,developing learner autonomy and doing much group work .
I myself find group work a way to discover other MI and different learning styles .?Getting to know which learning style one has tells you how you best learn .Which reduces time and effort .
Looking forward to see how the course ends I cant imagine ,they have been almost 9 great weeks every time I enter nicenet I learn something new .

Batool 

Another Great Week Coming

So sad time is running fast !The topics  in this course are so interesting one hardly catches up !I  always feel I need more time for more practice every time I'm exposed to a new web tool .
This week was the first time Ive heard of ANVILL ,I didn't know a virtual lab even exists !
Its wonderful to apply such technology in our classes where not much equipment is available .Developing listening and speaking has always been at the top of my concerns ,I thought about using Skype to connect my students with others from different parts of the world ,I never thought there was another option .
Although I feel ignorant ,but I'm willing to learn from Jeff and surfing the web more about creating a virtual lab .
I feel so surprised I need some time to react again .

This technology is changing not just the way we teach but even the way we learn !
Batool

Autonomous Learning,
I was just talking to a friend of mine the other day when we discussed student centered learning .I said we should keep on the old suit ,this generation is DIFFERENT ,we should teach differently .
Its just that one hesitates when exposed to a new experience .Teacher autonomy as Samuel states is a challenge .I myself cant remember I witnessed a learner who is autonomous .But autonomous learning seems like the place where we are going .Frankly speaking I don't mind giving up some teaching responsibility .
CHEERS
Batool  

MY PROJECT !
Well as for my project I'm willing to engage my students in speaking activities to :
1-encourage them to speak .
2-improve their accuracy .
3-improve their fluency .
4-create a social communication forum where students exchange ideas express them selves in a free environment to encourage them to use English to communicate outside the class .
I'm planning to use the PPT Ive designed after updating it by adding sound clips + a suitable webquest + a blog and a Facebook group that exits already .
I'm looking forward to harvest the fruit of technology in my class ,wish me the best !
Batool

PPT !
Week 6 ,is already here .
What interesting topics for this week !
LARGE CLASSES !The issue we always complain about over here .Now there are many ideas to get those dozens of students into real learning thanks to interactive PPT !
This course is really beneficial for me .I'm learning how to be a better teacher with not a lot of technology .
I appreciated the essays about large classes so much Ive printed them out for my colleagues to read and benefit as well .
I also liked the idea of out of class activities ,as sometimes the class time is not enough to achieve most tasks ,so office hours and pre-session assignments would both get students involved and reduce time .
I'm looking forward to complete my project although I'm not teaching now but I'm willing to use PPT and TPS techniques to reach a more interactive learning .I'm also planning to use webquest though not the one I first designed !As Ive mentioned earlier on Nicene  my students are university first year English students of elementary level.I'm planning to teach speaking using technology .
Ive seen some of my course mates interested in teaching speaking as well I'm looking forward to cooperate share and learn from them .
Batool
 

Here we are week 5 !
I find this week the most exciting.Ive created my first rubric ,though not perfect but a hundred miles walk begins with a step.Ive also created my webquest .Webquest is such an interesting way to create technology enhanced lessons I'm glad I learned about !
The textbook doesn't always match the students needs and interest ,here comes the contribution of good webquests ,it gives designed lessons that match the needs of the students ,with a variety of technical features .
My favorite part is that you can add any needed material weather audio or video ,images or even rubrics.
The most important issue though is planning .PBL requires a great deal of planning and effort .The students them selves can participate in designing a PBL ,which means they begin the learning process even before the traditional class starts ,which is helpful for the teacher and encouraging for the students . 

Finished my lesson plan

Ive finally finished my lesson plan .Now I feel things are beginning to clear .Inspite of the use of technology in lesson plan ,now I realize the importance of authentic material and clear objectives .
The thing I'm thinking about now is integrating skills in one lesson ,do the objectives overlap in that case ?
The other issue the lesson plan raised  in my mind is considering the students learning styles when planning a lesson  .Its so often one tents to teach the way one likes or even the way one was taught .How unfair it is to set a lesson that meets one of the learning styles neglecting the others just because its easy !
Teaching is not an easy task as some may think ,definitely a good plan is behind a good lesson!
 

WEEK 3 OVER?!WEEK 4 ALREADY!

The third week sure ended quickly though I began to realize how pedagogical the internet can be !
Lesson plan again this time its a technology based plan .To tell you the truth ,I have never planned such a lesson inspite the fact that I have used technology in class .Frankly speaking I always hated lesson plans !I used to think they are all one form , now I realise how wrong I was !A good lesson has a good plan behind !I still didn't post my plan on nicenet ,I think it deserves more reading and thinking .A technology based lesson plan should be more real .I m thinking about what I have in hand ?What type of technology I want to use ?The degree of authenticy available .How practical is the plan .Hope to reach satisfaction before the week ends.

WEEK 3

Well a beginning of a new week in the online course ,so far I'm really enjoying the course.I find this weeks tasks more oriented to real CALL .I'm benefiting from this weeks tasks although I didn't finish them yet.Thanks to all those who visited this blog ,that really gave a big push!

WEEK 2 USEFUL

Well ,here I am at the end of week 2 in the online course .This week was of great advantage for me.First I learned a lot about searching engines for specific search ,as in the past I only used Google believing it was the best engine ,now thanks to Janinie I have a list of certain search engine according to the type of search require.
The other great thing that happened to me this week is how the ABCD model helped me adopt logic thinking in my work .My thoughts,plans and even general view is more organized I really needed that skill to give me a go in my PHD initial .
I also find myself very lucky this week ,given the opportunity to attend an assessment workshop through TESOL Sudan ,facilitated by great presenter ,on the top is Dr.Christine Coombe ,which is a scholar in English Language assessment .The workshop opened my eyes to many important areas of testing that I never bothered about .It also directed my interests to online assessment ,an issue I hope may be discussed in this online course . . 

week 2

Here I am at the middle of week 2 ,things are beginning to show .
I really found it beneficial  from the ABCD task ,it makes teaching organized as thoughts are , lessons clear ,useful and at the point!
I am  a graduate of education ,I have studied lesson plans .but in university level where I teach I never made a plan ,I thought its already there in the textbook so why bother?
After my experience this week I find it helping ,it gives the teacher an opportunity to evaluate work ,even if the results aren't satisfying one can always trace back and check where the error is .  
Search engines is also an important issue ,imagine all this time I thought Google was the best ,well there are a number of search engines that may fit the searching purpose.
 Its awesome what the internet provides we just need the right tools.

Week One Over!

Well here we are as the first week in our course Building teaching skills through the web.
So far ,Ive learned how to activate my blog,what is an online class,though I'm still not sure how it distinguishes from forums or blogs , though I accept to learn that and much more in the coming weeks.
I'm also thinking about how I will apply all this in our traditional lecture rooms where its rare to find a digital equipped class in a country like Sudan .
Nevertheless I'm optimistic and willing to both learn and work hard!!!!!!!!!
SO LETS LEARN

online course JUST WHAT I REALY NEAD

It has bean a long time since I visited this blog and posted ,well I actually wasn't sure how to benefit from it .
Now ,things have changed ,I feel lucky as I joined the UO online course that is very relevant to my interests and studies !I'm very exited ,happy and grateful!
The course has just started two days ago ,I joined the nicenet class which is AWESOME!
I'm looking forward to create fruitful relations with all ,achieve the best from the course and add a spark-light in the road of English language learning and teaching in my country.