USING WEB 2.0 TOOLS: VIDEO BLOGGING (MY OWN EXPERINCE)

When I started to use Web 2.0 tools as part of the ICT in TEFL subject, the first thing that came to my mind was “Jesus how difficult it is!”. But the truth is that the two aspects that make the process so difficult, from my point of view, is the time devoted to accomplish one task. Perhaps is that we don’t know how to manage our own time or we have to sincere our schedule and give each duty a real good time to be completed, but finally we have to do it and do it well and time should be a manageable variable. Another reason that makes the use of these kinds of tools difficult to control or perform is the lack of knowledge we, common beings, have about ICT related topics. Here, is when the project in Movie Maker we had to do appears. The Movie Maker is a tool embedded in the windows’ software which allows you to do projects and make them as movies in different formats, WMA for example.

This tool, as many other ones, is very useful when we deal with classroom strategies, but the use of this source in my context is “far fetch” because my students are really out of the motivation bus, they do not want to do more than grammar and only grammar in classes. They do not see other type of teacher than the one who just come into class and make them write on the book, makes workshops and assign simple task, “not very difficult to complete please”. The same happens to the parents. They do not want to be called to the school, especially if this represents their children are doing badly. Sometimes I’ve been scolded because of the grades the teenagers are getting. But this post is not about my problems but the way I actually did the Movie Maker project and the YouTube uploading

The first thing we had to do was to make this project with our own ideas and resources. We had to use as many pictures as possible to produce a video that serves for a purpose, communicating something. At the beginning it was extremely difficult because I had to find the appropriate pictures for my project and the right music also. So we had to download copyright free music and select the pictures from our existing files or download from internet. Then we had to use these resources to create a movie for the already established purpose. To be sincere, I tried to make this the best I could (and I still don’t know if I did it right) and produced a video for the wiki which I’m supposed to use in the subject (…as another duty to cover). Afterwards, we had to join in YouTube and create an account and upload this product, the movie. The end result can be watched in this same post. I hope you enjoy it the same as I did it when it was finished.

PODCAST

The name of “Podcast” appeared in “The Guardian” newspaper in February 2004 when Aled Williams mentioned the word for the first time. The name comes from a mixture of two words, “Pod” (taken from the Apple Ipod) and broadcasting. It is a web syndication of a series of media files, normally mp3 sound or videos with RSS system that can be released periodically and downloaded automatically from a site. These files are available whenever the user requires the file to be heard or seen or both.

For Podcasting, listeners, speakers or viewers need to employ software that helps him/her to down or upload files which later on can be available for the user. Those files can be stored as media files in digital players and/or as web logs in the website used for the purpose of podcasting. This tool then, is not a single event, but a series of episodes (up/downloaded files) that can be compared to a TV series or a magazine publication, in which the user have access to the information (files) in desired time and/or place.

In TEFL, podcasting offers a wide range of possibilities for extra listening on both inside and outside the classroom. This provides students with authentic listening extracts and real life conversations where the students can trigger their ability to hear different voices and varieties of spoken English. Additionally, some sites can be used to make students record their own English speech and doing in a meaningful way. This experience can be very helpful because it can give the opportunity not only to explore the tools available for that alternative, but also a means to practice the pronunciation and speech patterns and make them more accurately with the way the ideas need to be said.  

LISTEN: http://aljom2.podbean.com/mf/web/b8xb22/myfirspodcast.mp3

References

• Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Podcast. [On line publication]. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Podcast [resource consulted: 2011, July 22].
• McCarty, S. and Jogakuin, O. (2005) Spoken Internet to Go: Popularization through Podcasting. The JALT CALL [On line journal]. 1, 2 Available: http://jaltcall.org/journal/articles/1_2_McCarty.pdf [resource consulted: 2011, July 22].
• Stanley, G. (2006) Podcasting: Audio on the Internet comes of Age. Teaching English as a second or Foreign Language. [Online publication] 9, 4. Available: http://www.cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp/information/tesl-ej/ej36/int.html [resource consulted: 2011, July 22].

WIKIS

It comes from the Hawaiian expression “wiki wiki” which stands for fast. It is a web site carried out by continuous uploads of collaborative. Those persons can add, remove or edit every page inside the wiki. The term WIKI refers to the web site as well as the software used to create and maintain the site. It is quite easy to go inside the wiki and check pages and title since they all include different browsers that can be used by registered participants and the administrator, since changes are logged with the identification of the author. “The goal of wiki sites is to become a shared repository of knowledge, with the knowledge base growing over time” Godwing, 2003. In regards to this, content needs to have a serious degree since participants have to clear about collaborating standards, willingness to follow the group and permanence in commitment to participate.

ADVANTAGES TO USING A WIKI

It is good for writing down quick ideas or longer ones, giving you more time for formal writing and editing.

Gives instant feedback without emailing documents

It keeps the group in sync.

Accessible from anywhere with a web connection

Your archive, because every page revision is kept.

WIKIS IN EDUCATION

Wiki sites can be created for specific projects with a set group of allowable users and provide an excellent collaborative environment. Your project could use a wiki whether you have a small or big groups if there aren't too many of you involved, you don't need to work in public, you're able to do all or most of your work on the wiki (constant exposure is important), and your project is really big.

WHEN USING WIKIS IN TEFL

• Students feel themselves as owners of their wiki page.
• Students can share their findings with their peers
• Wikis make Ss work collaboratively and share knowledge with each other.
• Wikis improve students reading and writing skills.

WIKIS YOU CAN VISIT

REFERENCES

·         Godwing-Jones, R. (2003) EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES Blogs and Wikis: Environments for On-line                  Collaboration Language Learning & Technology Virginia Commonwealth University [on line magazine] 7, 2. Available: http://llt.msu.edu/vol7num2/emerging/ [resource consulted: 2011, July 22]

 ·         O’Reillynet. WIKI [on line document] Available:  http://www.oreillynet.com/network/2006/07/07/what-is-a-wiki.html [resource consulted: 2011, July 12]

 ·         Ministerio del Poder Popular para la Educación. Uso educativo de las TIC, manual de consulta (Weblogs y Wikis). Módulo IV Iniciación al Internet, Servicios Básicos y Estrategias Didácticas en la Web. Mayo 2008.