Form 2
Level: Advance
Time: 1 period
Aims: To enhance listening skills among students
Technical requirements: Computer (with flash player installed), Internet connection, Web browser (Mozilla Firefox, IE, Google Chrome, Opera)
Website: YouTube
URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9w-gQAwS2uc
Preparation:
1. Get a video from YouTube, with clear voice, good and straight explanation
2. Listen clearly to the explanation and prepare a worksheet, mainly on sequence connectors and properties of the video
Procedure:
1. Teacher talks about technology ( How technology can help students in learning)
2. Teacher distributes the worksheet to students
3. Teacher inquires the students to head off to the URL given
4. Teacher asks the students to listen carefully to the video’s explanation
5. The maximum view for each students is 2 views ( this is to ensure that they are focus on the video’s explanation and to finish the worksheet)
6. Teacher discusses the answers with students


Follow-up activity
Teacher asks student to find video to help them in learning English and copy the URL. ( teacher will collect the URL in the next class and share it with all students)

The Process Of Snowing

Snow is a type of precipitation within the Earth's atmosphere in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure. Snowflakes come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Types which fall in the form of a ball due to melting and refreezing, rather than a flake, are known as graupel, with ice pellets and snow grains as examples of graupel. Snowfall amount and its related liquid equivalent precipitation amount are determined using a variety of different rain gauges.

The process of precipitating snow is called snowfall. Snowfall tends to form within regions of upward motion of air around a type of low-pressure system known as an extratropical cyclone. Snow can fall poleward of their associated warm fronts and within their comma head precipitation patterns, which is called such due to its comma-like shape of the cloud and precipitation pattern around the poleward and west sides of extratropical cyclones. Where relatively warm water bodies are present, for example due to water evaporation from lakes, lake-effect snowfall becomes a concern downwind of the warm lakes within the cold cyclonic flow around the backside of extratropical cyclones. Lake-effect snowfall can be locally heavy.

Thundersnow is possible within a cyclone's comma head and within lake effect precipitation bands. In mountainous areas, heavy snow is possible where upslope flow is maximized within windward sides of the terrain at elevation, if the atmosphere is cold enough.

Topic: The use of Technology in second or foreign language teaching and learning.

URL: http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Franco-Google/

Title: Teaching Using Google

Journal: The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XVI, No. 2, February 2010

Author's name: Claudio de Paiva Franco, University Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Journal.

The article talks about using application and resource provided Google can be incorporated into teaching. Basically, many people are not aware of how big the Google thing is, but this article describe all of the significant aspect in Google including Google Custom Search, Google Scholar, Google Docs, Google Groups, Google News, Google Reader, Google Translate, and Google Buzz. For Google Custom Search, we can actually search for our own intended needs in specific for example, if we use custom search to find information only about education, the search engine will only display the high ranked website of education. The Google Scholar(http://scholar.google.com), and Google Docs also have the similar function but it specifically to help students and teachers to find documents which are in PDF and .doc type that can be easily printed. Google Groups functioned as a platform for interaction between people in all over the world and discussed about the issues regarding education and so on. We can customize the news we like in Google News. For Google Reader, teachers and students can actually follow and will be notify any updates of their favorite website. The Google Translate is a nice application which includes almost every language in the world, so we can actually learn anything including information we never knew before because of the language differences.

In my humble opinion, I do think that this article is very interesting, which is the reason for why I chose it at the first place. In addition, I’m a big fan of Google and always wonder how Google can be the number 1 site of the entire site. After reading this article, I finally figured out that Google is not only an ordinary search engine; it has a lot of other critical business on the net. It is like it controls the net (it owns the blogger.com, youtube.com). The article provides the essential information about how we can actually use Google as a tool to incorporate in our language learning or teaching. So does this article is well conducted? Sure it is. It provides me and other reader about other better alternative in using the net to learn language. The writer also included the complete URL link for each Google application. For example in Google Groups, we can actually communicate and do discussion about our intended topic between all people in the world. The link for the actual website also provided. Pictures also included showing viewer the preview of the Google application which I think is nice. One think that can be improved is probably the description of some of the application. Some of the description is quite short. So what is the implication(s) of the research in the teaching and learning of ESL (in the general and Malaysian contexts? I think this article provide a very useful information to ESL department whereby they can incorporate the Google application and resources in their teaching and learning. The application of Google Groups can be used by students and learners to make discussion outside of the class. Teachers can also use one of the Google applications which is the blogger.com as a platform of exchanging information and do discussion. For me, I do think that Google has done a good job not only in promoting other business, but education as well. Imagine that if there are no moderators of the ESL websites, no optimizer, could the ESL learners can still find the best information on the web? In addition, can teacher alone can do all the hard work organized and consistently? I don’t think so. I think this is the right platform for all learners not only in Malaysia, but for the whole world.

1. What does the application attempt to ‘teach’?

http://www.manythings.org/

When I checked out the content for this site, I was sure that this website is a good ESL website. I said that because I think this website has an organized pages, links and it is user friendly. There are many ESL aspects included in this site including pronunciation, dictionaries, reading, writing, quizzes and so forth. Basically it has all the crucial component of learning ESL. IT attempts to teach the visitor by including all aspects of ESL which has a variety of examples, activities and tutorial. It also attempt to make learning ESL fun by providing a lot of links to other interesting website. Hence visitors are well exposed to ESL not only by the content of the website itself, but also by other ESL website because links are provided.

2. What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?

If users are students, they probably expect something that can help them in learning ESL and gain information with ease. The wide content in this website is suitable for users to gain information without having to repeat the same procedure in searching for information. Organized links, a step by step learning for all level of proficiencies are presented in this site. For students and teacher, they will surely love the way this website help them in searching for information. In my humble opinion, visitors want to see the effort of the creator in publishing the site and how sincere he/she is to share good, free and accessible content. For me I think the owner of this website has reached the expectation of users.

3. What sorts of computer skill is the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?

No advance computer skills needed to use this application. This site is user friendly and easy to access. Basically, user who knows how to use the computer shouldn't have problem in using the application. If user knows how to open the I.E and how to use the copy & paste function, I think it would be enough since the application require only basic skills. In addition, the information provided b this site is 100% free, no subscription needed and no email requires in order to use the information. If to compare to older application which requires a lot of knowledge of computer, registration or money, I think this website is far better.

4. While you are 'playing'/'accessing'/'assessing' the application, does it remind you of anything you do in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with a fellow classmate or in self-study?

As far as I can remember, my English teacher always came to class with some interesting activity he got from the internet. There was one of his classes I remembered when he brought his laptop and projector and showed the class an interesting activity: finishing a lyric by the Beatles. He showed us the Beatles video clip, provided us with handouts and fill the missing lyrics as the video played. We had a great learning session that day. I can relate this application to his teaching style since he also used technology to teach. If we look at this website, it has a lot of links to teaching activity including using lyrics to learn English. For self study, I used to play a lot of game when I was younger including some English game such as Scrabble, Hang man, Bookworms and so on. This type of application is not only fun but educational as well. So for those who don't know about this, playing games aren't always a waste of time.

5. Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?

In this website, I can see drills are the most frequent techniques used whereby the main activity is the uses of flash games for learning. For learners, they can play the chosen activity again and again until they can master it; it is absolutely free, no tokens needed so therefore we can play it for hours because there are no credit limits. The most known word challenge game: hangman also delivered in this website. (Users have to install the Java plug-in to play this game, that's it). Take a look at this - http://www.manythings.org/ac/ac.html. This game is supposedly to be matching two picture together but here we can see that pictures are changed to sound, how creative is that? Users can use this application to enhance their ability to listen for the right pronunciation over and over again. In addition, users can enhance their learning ability in their own, they determine what they want to learn, where and when is the time to learn without having to depend on other people. So no matter how bad they are in learning, they can gradually learn on their own.

6. How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website?

From my understanding, the constructivists theory by Jean Piaget is about knowledge by experience, learning also can be more affective if we learn by our own. To relate this to my chosen website, the constructivist has been well applied. There are many categories in this website which users can choose by their own. The step by step learning process is very suitable for learners to learn their own. The variety of options available in this site is suitable for most individual who uses the website.

7. In 1980s and early 1990s, there was a major debate on ‘whether the computer was “master” of or “slave” to the learning process’ (Higgins and Johns, 1984). In relation to your evaluation, - was the computer a replacement for teachers or merely an obedient servant to students?

For the time being, I don't think that computer can replace teachers. The main reason is because computers don't have feelings. If to compare a computer to a human, for sure computer is 100 times or more clever than human, but if we take a look at the different side of the learning process, a human actually is very important. a teacher learn how to interact with student, how to control them and more importantly, a teacher can motivate students and sometimes become their role-model, therefore we still need a real human to teach the students. On the other hand, the computers can be a very effective tools to help the teachers and students to boost their performance. Maybe someday the computers can replace the teachers but I hope it won't happen, too many unemployed people nowadays.

8. Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?

We need a variety in our life, students need it too. Hence, I will use this website as a reference in my future work. The information, activities and other great things provided by this site can be an avenue for me to teach students. Teachers nowadays are also supposedly to apply a variety of techniques in their teaching activities so that student may able to enjoy the learning in class.

Suggestion/ Recommendation

For this website, I think it would be catchier if more color or bright colors are applied. Also the content has to clear with normal font. Subscription may be a good thing to consider by the owner so that daily updates can be sent through e-mail.

1. Why do you think evaluation of CALL courseware, websites, materials etc important?

The evaluation of CALL courseware, website and materials is very important. Why do we have to evaluate these because we have to know what our target user needs, their level of understanding, their interest and so on. For example, if we want to teach Form 1 students who are not used to the technology, we cannot use technology that beyond their ability to use. Some of software nowadays requires advance skills of software computering which is not suitable for some. Therefore, we have to ensure that the courseware/website/ other materials are user friendly as well as the efficient of time used .



2. How do you think Hot Potatoes JCloze may help your students learn English?

The Hot Potatoes JCloze software is a brilliant invention. Teacher can make a lot of interesting activity without having to consume too much time, it just that teachers have to get familiarized to the software first. The activity done by the software can catch the students' attention because they are colorful, we can add interesting pictures and it is user friendly. If to compare with the old ways; which is using only paper, black/white board I think this is much more better. Time also can be saved because the activity can be done not only in class but at student's home as well. The JCloze can provide clues and hints, therefore the students will be more convenient in finishing the activity. So, less frustration and save time as well.
(time searching for meaning, clues on dictionary, etc )

In-Class Task 1
Create a blog with Blogger.com

My name is Hosana Chrispino Sipon and I came from Sabah. I am from a moderate family; my father is a teacher and my mother is a clerk. I have 5 siblings and I am the third child. If I were to rate myself in terms of my computer skills, I will say that i'm a noob @ beginner because there are too many things that I never knew in the computer field.

For computer software, I think I have been left too behind if to compare with my other friends. But I know how to operate with few operating systems such as Windows XP, Vista, 7 and other operating system by linux such as Ubuntu. Lately, I have been learning to create website using the Dreamweaver CS4 which is not easy. For computer hardware, all I know is how to set up the RAM, speakers, monitor, ( includes the wiring ) and etc.

For my experience learning via the computer online, I think I have been learning online mostly on learning the guitar and the piano. Also, I used the computer to learn English online. The information provided by the world wide web is endless.

I haven't try to incorporate the technology in my practicum since I haven't done practicum but I've planned to use the technology since it is more convincing and flexible in terms of its usage. I can do a lot using technology such as Microsoft Power Point to teach pupil which we can include cartoons and other interesting stuff on it. Therefore I always agree of the usage of computer/ technology in language teaching since it is easy, convenient and learners can access it anytime, anywhere; as long as we have the tools.

Honestly, I expect a course that can teach me how to create a good website, how to master the CSS, and other multimedia things, then I will own a superb website with million visitors a day but I am aware that this is not a Multimedia course! :D So therefore, I expect I can master some of the technology that can be utilize as my teaching tools in the future. I do think that this course is the right platform for me to enhance my ability in using the technology not only in the teaching field but for my own benefit in the future as well.