” The role of WebQuests in learning a foreign/second language?”

What is Webquest?

Instead of explaining what is the Webquest, just by watching this video we can know all about it.

Who is better than Bernie Dodge of San Diego State University who is usually identified as the originator of the concept of the Webquest to tell us what is the Webquest and how it started.

 Obviously, the first advantage of webquest in FL class rooms is motivating the learner who will feel bored and not excited to do the tasks if it was done the ordinary way. Second, with Webquest learners are truly engaged in the teaching and learning process. Another thing is that Webquest give the student’s opportunity to think and enhance critical thinking and also allows them to engage in higher level thinking. In Webquest students have to think harder and they have to explore using the information and resources provided by the teacher. Doing fun and interesting things on different websites is another feature of Webquest. Creativity and innovation is something you will definitely see and touch in students who are doing Webquest. Another important point is, when learning with the web you are learning real things about real life and you are interacting with the whole world (global awareness). It also involves self-direction as well as helping other to solve problems. Finally, with webquest learners (especially FLL) cooperative and collaborative learning is strongly present. In order to finish tasks and requirements students will have to speak, listen, and write to others. And they will have the chance of knowing, and benefit from each other.  

Wordle for EDU401

"Refection on the three weeks"

 

  

During the last three weeks I have learned a lot of thing. I had a chance to know my classmates who I have met for the first time. I also learned about many topics related to the internet and technology in general. First, I learned about the netiquette "Internet etiquette". It was the first time I hear this term and I really liked it and I think it should be taught to everyone before using the internet. After that I read Bax’s normalization article. It was hard to follow and to understand at the beginning, but after I read it couple of times it was easy to write about it. I love Bax’s idea about normalization and I hope for it to come true in my country. The third reading (Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants by Marc Prensky) was very interesting. It made me wonder I’m I native or immigrants? I guess I’m kind of little of both.

What I liked the most was getting to know about many websites about the use of it, the features, and making accounts and start using it.

I’ve learned about Blogger, Twitter, Wikispace, Delicious, Google reader, Yahoo groups.

It was really fun and interesting to know about all of that. I’m looking forward to the rest of the semester. EDU401 is really interesting and useful course.

                                                                                                               

“How would I use blogs, wikis and delicious with my EFL students”

Blogs:

I would definitely use blogs with my students especially in writing classes.

1.       Every student will have her own private blog for example, on Blogger.com 

2.       Writing assignments will always be uploaded on the blogs.

3.       In the end of every week each student has to write a report about the past and next week.

(She has to mention what she liked and what she didn’t and the difficulties she faced in the last week and what are her suggestion or things and activities she would like us to do next week)

4.       During the semester videos and pictures (multimedia) that are related to the course and might help other classmates should be on each blog.

5.       Writing stories or articles and publish it on blogger if it is (the content) related to the course.

6.       In reading classes reflects on what we are reading should be on the blogs first and then discuss in the class. (it should also contain suggestions for the next reading)

7.       The main reason to create blogs is to communicate, so replays to other classmates and comments on their posts should be there.

8.       Great attention should be given to students who are quite in the classroom and may do better on social networking.

9.       The students also can put links to further reading they have done or websites they benefited from.

10.   On my blog - as a teacher- should be course schedule and assessments that can provide all students especially the once who were absent in the class with resources and give them a clear idea of what we did in the class.

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Wikispace:

1.    Every 2 students (if I have a small class) or group of 3 or 4 (if it is a big class) have to make a group wiki on Wikispace.com.

2.    We also could make one group wiki to the whole class (depend on the class size and cooperation).

3.    Whenever a student has a problem or a topic to discuss she can add a post and the whole class should be participating in the discussion.

4.      When I was reading about wiki features, I liked the idea about the whole class creating a book (each student edit a page).

5.    Post links to websites that could help with the course or with learning and improving English in general.

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Delicious:

1.    Each student should have an account onDelicious.com.

2.    They have to start bookmarking (websites that are related to English language skills as well as the topics we are covering in the book)

3.    Students will be asked to go over some of the links that are already added to Delicious by other people and we may benefit from in our class.

4.    Check other classmates links and stacks and then reflect on it on wiki or in the classroom.

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"Application of Bax Normilasation in Saudi Arabia: The how!"

Stephan Bax argues that, "Our aim should be to attain a state of `normalisation' in which the technology is invisible and truly integrated"

     In the article “CALL—past, present and future” by Stephan Bax suggested many ways to "attain a state of normalization in which the technology is invisible and truly integrated". That’s mean to reach a level in using technology in learning to the point that it is taking for granted. Bax summarized that in 3 steps “The first step is to identify the criterial factors which normalisation requires. The second is to audit the practice of each teaching context in the light of these criteria; the final step is to adjust our current practice in each aspect so as to encourage normalisation” .Finally, he mentioned the 7 stages of normalization in CALL from early adaptors, ignorance/scepticism, try once,try again, fear/awe, normalising, until we finally reach normalization.

     About how these changes and means could be applied to our Saudi context I believe that could occur by these following steps. First of all, there are three parties involved and if they work together we will easily reach normalization. The first party is The Ministry of Education who should supply schools and universities with the required and the necessary tools like computers and others. Also, they should train teachers to use these tools the right way. The second party is the teacher who I believe must develop themselves -not only rely on the training- and try to be creative. Most importantly, they should establish a point where students don't even notice technology in their classrooms (normalization). The third party is the students. Their job is to be cooperative and interact with the teachers and with their classmates.

On the other hand, we all as a community must try to observe other countries that are well developed in this area and benefit from their experiences and establishments. Obviously before all of that, we need to put a clear, organized plan that we can follow to reach the normalization we are hoping for.  

I’m really optimistic about what will happen in Saudi Arabia and all the Arab world in the near future. For what I’m seeing, changes in educational technology are happening really fast. For example, when I was in elementary and middle school, the only tools were used in teaching were books and pens and the traditional teaching method. As soon as I entered high school, teachers were using computers, laptops, projectors, and sometimes internet. Now, using laptops in the classrooms is a normal and hardly recognized thing. At least that a start!

It will not be easy, it will not be fast, but we can and we will do it nsha'Allah.

Future Classrooms

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Bashayer