blogs as an exploration
DESCRIPTION
Presentation given on February 26th 2009 to Brazilian EFL teachers in the Northeast of Brazil.TRANSCRIPT
Blogging as an exploration
Barbara (Bee) DieuFebruary 26th 2009
3 questions
What
Why
How totechnical
pedagogical
Barbara Dieu
What is a blog?
a personal journal online
a powerful personal publishing tool
Barbara Dieu
What do they look like?
http://beespace.net
http://tawawa.org/miejournal/
http://6eme05.blogspot.com
http://lycee.wordpress.com
Barbara Dieu
What are the common features? a title and an aim
dated posts in reverse chronological order
permalink
automatic archiving of past posts
a comment and favourite link area
possibility to personalise layout
syndication of content
Barbara Dieu
RSS
Rich Site Summaryor
Real Simple Syndication
Courtesy Will Richardsonhttp://wwww.weblogg-ed.com
RSS
Brings content to the reader
Courtesy Will Richardsonhttp://wwww.weblogg-ed.com
RSS
Two Parts to RSS:
Feeds
Aggregator
Courtesy Will Richardsonhttp://wwww.weblogg-ed.com
RSS
Feed = URL
i.e.
http://summerschool.wordpress.com/feed/
Courtesy Will Richardsonhttp://wwww.weblogg-ed.com
RSS
An “Aggregator”collects the RSS feeds
you subscribe to.
Courtesy Will Richardsonhttp://wwww.weblogg-ed.com
RSS
10, 20, even 158 feeds or more
to 1 aggregated space
Courtesy Will Richardsonhttp://wwww.weblogg-ed.com
RSS
Web-based aggregator
Google ReaderNetvibes
Pageflakes
Courtesy Will Richardsonhttp://wwww.weblogg-ed.com
RSS
Click and copy address of feed
Paste in subscribe line
Courtesy Will Richardsonhttp://wwww.weblogg-ed.com
What makes blogs attractive?access and accessibilitycostpersonal publishing space immediacysimplicity interactivity
Barbara Dieu
Learning is essentially about change
It involves changes in attitudes, beliefs, capabilitiesknowledge structures, skills
What is learning?
Barbara Dieu
Still use the web as a book?
Barbara Dieu
The shift in paradigm
static x dynamic
passive x active
centralized x distributed
closed x open
Barbara Dieu
Why are blogs pedagogical tools? create a digital identity
help learners develop own voice
help learners reflect on learning process
develop autonomy /self-directed learning
allow for collaboration and sharing of ideas
create a portfolio to store workBarbara Dieu
Why use blogs in ESL/EFL? create extra opportunity for reading and writing
promote personal expression and interaction
encourage research and student autonomy
facilitate sharing and exchanging information
individualize language and content learning
motivate students
Barbara Dieu
Key concepts
ownership, opennesssyndication, aggregationsubscription, interaction
use the right tool for the trade
How to get one?
blogger.com
wordpress.com
edublogs.org
learnerblogs.orgBarbara Dieu
How to use blogs?
to evoke moments of your daily life
to comment on a trip, book, film, song, a piece of news
to share links, interesting material
to invite people to react to topical issues
to reflect on teaching/learning process
to create an academic/ professional portfolio
Barbara Dieu
How to use class blogs?
as a meeting place to interact with others after class
as an exchange plaza during interclass intercultural projects
for mystery guests/content-area experts to interact with the students
as an online community of practice with diverse teachers and students helping and learning from each other
Barbara Dieu
“The final lesson a writer learns is that everything can nourish the writer. The dictionary, a new word, a voyage, a book, a talk on the street, an encounter, a phrase learned” (Anais Nin)
Barbara Dieu
“It is an exploration.You start from nothing and learn as you go”
* Adapted from E.L. Doctorow
What is blogging?