To Chat or Not to Chat . . .

Face-to-face, Synchronous CMC & Asynchronous CMS: All three methods of communication have their merits for language learners. Face-to-face small-group discussions give learners a chance to work on oral communication skills and to understand visual cues they receive through body language. No technology can replace live face-to-face interaction. Students learn how to work together to negotiate tasks which gives the an opportunity to use language skills they will need outside the classroom. Students are also much more likely to make friends in a face-to-face setting that is non-scripted and spontaneous. For shy students or for those whose language skills are low, however, face-to-face interaction can be intimidating. Synchronous CMC is useful in the classroom if students are working on projects together across the room or in environments that need to stay quiet. Chatting online is fun and non-threatening. Students who are more skilled with written language will have a chance to interact without worrying about their accents, and they will have more time to formulate responses. Chats can create problems, though. Students might assume a familiarity that does not exist offline and begin chatting off-topic or about inappropriate subjects. Synchronous chat can be a fast-paced environment. Asynchronous CMC is great for doing group projects when students can't get together face-to-face. This environment is good in that there is a record of all correspondence. Students can work together to create documents even though they can't be online at the same time. This allows students who need more time to process before writing the opportunity to succeed. Students can also share more than words here - they can share pictures, videos, web pages, etc. Students are less likely to waste time in this environment and to create work of a higher quality because they know their professor can easily check on their work.

Critical Thinking & CALL

Today I reviewed websites promoting the Critical Thinking skills building programs Rationale and Inspirations. My reaction in one word -- Borrrrring! Both programs have their uses, but I was bored almost to the point of profanity by both of these sites. The Rationale video is a huge snooze fest. And the thought of using either of these programs with students dulls my dreary brain. I much prefer to teach critical thinking skills with hands-on, interactive, face-to-face activities that challenge students to think creatively. I can imagine using sites like these if there is absolutely no other alternative or for limited use as tools in an otherwise dynamic classroom. I could imagine using these programs to help more advanced students construct complex arguments, etc. Both programs could be useful for teaching students how to organize their thoughts for writing essays, arguments and other scholarly papers. If they were used as part of a group project learning experience, they would be more interactive. However, kinesthetic learners of all ages will be crying on the inside. I was especially sad to see that the Inspirations program teaches math skills with computerized versions of manipulatives. Boo hoo. I do not think these products are necessary in the average classroom. I don't think the potential for improved learning is very high. Powerpoint has most of the same capabilities. I am definitely not sold.

Wiki Mania

I tried to create Wikis using Google Sites and Wikispaces. Both sites gave me problems for different reasons. It was easy to create a basic Wiki with a link to my blog on Google Sites with the instructions we were provided. It was also easy to create a basic Wiki on Wikispaces by following their instructions. I had problems with the themes in Google. I ended up with a mixture of two themes and can't figure out how to correct it to one theme. So what I have is an ugly amalgam. Wikispaces walked me through up to a point. But I don't like the looks of the page I created, and the options are very limited. Wikispaces gives me a better idea about how to use a Wiki for educational purposes, and I really like the dashboard. Google had more options for themes, but, as I said, they don't always work well. I tried to use History to revert to my first theme, but it didn't work. Overall, I think Wikispaces would work best because it has more help features than does Google Sites, and seems to be geared toward educational use. I don't feel confident in my ability to create a working wiki for educational purposes yet. I need to explore further, click through some of the sites Wikispaces recommends and try to understand how the links work, and how to layer a wiki so that it works logically and for a single purpose. Right now, I have a very basic understanding of how to create a wiki with links to outside web pages. But I don't know how to link to documents or files. However, it seems fairly easy to do these things on Wikispaces. I would probably stick with one of their basic themes. I might try using Google Sites for a private Wiki. Although I'm not sure how useful it would be for personal use. I want to create a blog to track my efforts to publish my poetry. I don't yet understand how why a Wiki would help with that. If I had been in class last Tuesday, I'm sure I would be less confused! I don't think it would take much time to create a functional educational Wiki in Wikispaces or to help students create their own Wikis on either site. Creating a functional and meaningful site would, however, require some real work!

Needs Analysis (This is not about my need for analysis - this time)

The assignment seems clearly laid out, so no questions are popping up at the moment. I plan to re-visit the ELS classroom I observed for 110P in September - Mr. Oleg Petrik's class at Mira Loma High School. Mr. Petrik was just getting settled into a routine with his students, and he was having to do a lot of classroom management. I look forward to observing the same teacher and classroom again so that I can compare notes and see how the class has evolved. Mr. Petrik is a very energetic and caring teacher who has a huge task. His class is mixed with students of varying abilities who speak at least four different languages. Mr. Petrik's management skills are excellent. I could not believe how much he accomplished in such a diverse and rowdy class. I am very interested to see what he is doing now and what his lessons are like now that his class has been together for over one semester. I contacted Mr. Petrik by e-mail today, and he has already agreed to allow me to observe his class in March. I still need to contact the school to arrange a visit to the computer lab. I plan to arrange the dates for both of these visits by the end of next week. I'm excited about this opportunity to observe this class for the second time. Besides, my children all attended Mira Loma, so it is fun for me to visit the campus and see how it has and has not changed over time.