Just tested My Studyio because a tweet from @GrahamStanley and @NikPeachey. What a great surprise as tomorrow I´ll be presenting about cool tools for the classroom for a group of Brazilian educators. I liked My Studyio because it´s user-friendly and very easy to register. You can have multiple choice questions with an attractive layout adding images, youtube videos and texts. The final result is an embeddable quiz that you can put anywhere on the Net, or even send to students.
Also, I can picture my students creating quizzes and posting them to the others to take the quizzes. By doing that, they will learn a new skill and practice the language structures they are focusing on. Oh, by the way, the fact that you can embed the quiz in Orkut is a plus for Brazilian students who are totally hooked to this social network.
An exploratory journey of an educator who thrives for meaningful conversations. Lifelong Learning, Education, Ed Tech, Change.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Saturday, May 30, 2009
The Google Wave
I'm here watching Google's Wave demo to be released at the end of the year. WOW. As an educator, I couldn't help but see the applications it could have in our classrooms. It's just like having a single platform to perform many many digital tasks we do in different online spaces. Of course we'll have to work with learners on how to work properly and productively in waves, but things look extremely exciting!
Brazil is rich in huge Waves
Google Wave is the one I can finally ride
Even being in Brasilia (where there's no sea)
Brazil is rich in huge Waves
Google Wave is the one I can finally ride
Even being in Brasilia (where there's no sea)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Informal Learning in Future Lab
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I could spend days exploring FutureLab as an inspiration to my current practices as educator, EdTech supporter, teacher trainer. It provides us with the latest trends in so many aspects of learning that it would be hard to list it here.
I´d highly recommend that educators browse through these resources.
I could spend days exploring FutureLab as an inspiration to my current practices as educator, EdTech supporter, teacher trainer. It provides us with the latest trends in so many aspects of learning that it would be hard to list it here.
I´d highly recommend that educators browse through these resources.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Cybersurfing with Young Learners
I had the great opportunity to present for the IATEFL Young Learners SIG invited by Dennis Newson, who moderates the list.
What a pleasure to explore one area that is dear to me, but I´m not an expert at it. The presentation reminded me once again that there is no need to be an expert. Information is out there, your network is a powerful human resource that you can count on to learn about what is happening around the globe. Of course I had my own examples as I teach a group of tweens and the examples of my colleagues at the language school I work for in Brasilia. However, I wanted it to be a worldwide mosaic of young learners digital production. Twitter is the way to go. Just ask Twitterverse and you´ll be suprised by the abundance of resources, examples, ideas and generous educators ready to share and interact with you.
Just by preparing for the presentation I revisited some of my own beliefs in terms of teacher training and the fundamental role educators have in the process of their students´ digital literacy. I was reminded that, yes, young learners can have fun while doing serious school work. And certainly these youngsters can become better citizens, more prolific citizens if they are enabled to think critically, create, remix concepts, understand the process by which they become digitally literate, and not only persons that use the Net to socialize, as I see most of the students doing.
By starting with very simple, cost-effective tools, educators and learners can give a learning boost their digital experience to use the power of the online world to make a difference.
All the resources of the presentation are available at
http://brazilbridges.pbworks.com/Cybersurfing-with-Young-Learners
What a pleasure to explore one area that is dear to me, but I´m not an expert at it. The presentation reminded me once again that there is no need to be an expert. Information is out there, your network is a powerful human resource that you can count on to learn about what is happening around the globe. Of course I had my own examples as I teach a group of tweens and the examples of my colleagues at the language school I work for in Brasilia. However, I wanted it to be a worldwide mosaic of young learners digital production. Twitter is the way to go. Just ask Twitterverse and you´ll be suprised by the abundance of resources, examples, ideas and generous educators ready to share and interact with you.
Just by preparing for the presentation I revisited some of my own beliefs in terms of teacher training and the fundamental role educators have in the process of their students´ digital literacy. I was reminded that, yes, young learners can have fun while doing serious school work. And certainly these youngsters can become better citizens, more prolific citizens if they are enabled to think critically, create, remix concepts, understand the process by which they become digitally literate, and not only persons that use the Net to socialize, as I see most of the students doing.
By starting with very simple, cost-effective tools, educators and learners can give a learning boost their digital experience to use the power of the online world to make a difference.
All the resources of the presentation are available at
http://brazilbridges.pbworks.com/Cybersurfing-with-Young-Learners
Cybersurfing With Young Learners
View more presentations from carlaarena.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Susan Boyle's Lessonplan
It's undeniable the power of strong-willed people with a talent driven by a main goal or ambition.
Susan Boyle has gone from mockery to total public awe and stardom.
Karenne, a very generous EFL teacher, has shared with us a very well-devised and elaborated lesson plan for an English class.
Check it out at her blog http://kalinago.blogspot.com/2009/04/susan-boyle-efl-video-lesson.html
Susan Boyle has gone from mockery to total public awe and stardom.
Karenne, a very generous EFL teacher, has shared with us a very well-devised and elaborated lesson plan for an English class.
Check it out at her blog http://kalinago.blogspot.com/2009/04/susan-boyle-efl-video-lesson.html
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Pathways4Collaboration by Dafne Gonzalez
I've just listened to Dafne's slidecast with an overview of her past decade online collaborative experiences. It's just amazing to see how much she has done for her students and for the online communities she's part of. Her talk to the CALL-IS audience in the TESOL convention in Denver proves the reason I've been Dafne's fan and mentee for so long.
Listen to Dafne and get inspired!
Listen to Dafne and get inspired!
Pathways4interaction Collaboration Daf
View more presentations from Daf.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Walls Talking
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This is a totally simple and engaging project started by a dear Webhead friend, Sasha Sirk. Graffiti is all over, in some cases art, others vandalism. So, this project has the basic purpose of making a digital wall of graffiti around the globe, but from the beginning, I can see it will have a much wider scope and deeper meanings will surface. I can see discussions about cultural issues, historic background, art, vandalism, semantics, life.
I´m totally excited to be part of it, and have already invited my students to join me. Let´s see where it takes us. Before Sashsa started, I had already been taking some photos of graffiti in Brasilia. Perfect momentum for joining Sasha.
How about you? Why don´t you give it a try and start taking a look at your city with a different perspective and augmented lens?
For more information about the project, access Listen to the Walls.
This is a totally simple and engaging project started by a dear Webhead friend, Sasha Sirk. Graffiti is all over, in some cases art, others vandalism. So, this project has the basic purpose of making a digital wall of graffiti around the globe, but from the beginning, I can see it will have a much wider scope and deeper meanings will surface. I can see discussions about cultural issues, historic background, art, vandalism, semantics, life.
I´m totally excited to be part of it, and have already invited my students to join me. Let´s see where it takes us. Before Sashsa started, I had already been taking some photos of graffiti in Brasilia. Perfect momentum for joining Sasha.
How about you? Why don´t you give it a try and start taking a look at your city with a different perspective and augmented lens?
For more information about the project, access Listen to the Walls.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Cool Tool of the Week - Toon Doo
I've been a fan of Toon Doo creations, but just as a mere spectator of its creative uses mainly for pedagogical purposes.
Above is my little share for a new course I'm designing.
In fact, one very very cool use of Toon Doo was shared with me as part of my friends' final course project in the WebTools4Educators session I was moderating. Students are to create comics to make idioms and phrasal verbs visual!
Lots of ideas are popping up in my mind to use Toon Doo with my teens?
How about you? Have you tested it? Do you have any examples to share? How would you use it?
Saturday, February 14, 2009
My Valentine Webheads
Originally uploaded by carlaarena
Everybody knows how thankful I am, WE all are to be part of the Webheads, a group of generous educators who are always there for you.
We are in close contact. We meet, we share, we dare.
Here's all my love to my beloved group, the Webheads!
Happy Valentine's!
Love, com Amor.
Carla
__________________________________
And here's the wonderful Valentine gift Sasa Sirk produced for our Webhead Valentine's celebration.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Cool Tool of the Week - A visual dictionary
Shahi - A visual dictionary | Blachan Lab
Originally uploaded by carlaarena
Shahi is a fantastic tool for educational use. Just type a word, you'll see Flickr photos related to it on the left, plus explanations with examples of how the word is used.
I can already picture many ways to use them with students. How about you? Any creative ideas?
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