Reflection and Questions for Thought

1. Engagement and participation*How often did you blog?
I use my blog once a week at least, especially when I am assigned to finish class tasks and I have free time.

* How did you like to participate in different blogging activities?
Please see my blogging experience below.
*What role(s) did you take in support of your peers' blogging? Why?I think we all still have time to learn more, and have space for improvement. And for a beginner in blogging, encouragement and praise can promote the advancement of being a blogger. So, I take a role of a fosterer that cheer my peers’ blogging by leaving sincere and encouraging messages in the affirmative.
2. Learning How did you connect your blogging experiences with different aspects of learning
*learning goals/objectives: In blogging, I have learned not only the
technical way of bogging but also how to learn English online with so
many tools.
*previous experiences: I have a weblog in wretch before to upload my
photos and post my diaries, but never study how to use weblog functions.
*technological features and functions: See my blogging experience below
please.
*success/failure in learning: See my blogging experience below
please.
*preferred learning styles: The same as my expectation for this weblog’s
management in the future. 3. Language learningHow did you connect your blogging experiences with different aspects of English learning?

* problem-solving: In blogging, I have learned the importance of self-solving.
With self-solving, especially for technical problems, I become more active
to and interested in what I am learning than before. For from this
experience, I have gained a great sense of achievement to solve problems by
myself.

* communication and collaboration: I am appreciate the kindness of my peers.
With their help, I have some tasks done impossible for me, like an
instruction they gave of finishing the Schmooze tasks.

* creativity and production: In my weblog, there are some functions to know
what time it is, leave message to bloggers and so on. These additional
functions of my webblog have helped to enrich my weblog greatly.

* reading, writing, speaking, and listening: Please see my blogging experience
below.

Me, About My English Learning Experience

So far, I have learned English for twelve years, but when I began to learn English by myself is three years ago. Since I graduated from senior high school, I have really learned English with my free will. What I am interested in is the only target I want to learn in English, like news report, or broadcasting. Gradually, I get used to the way of thinking as Americans are used to by having more access to rich resources in English learning in recent years.

In this semester, I was told by my teacher that we should get more flexible to get with latest technology in helping ourselves learn more effective and efficient. And truly we have tried so many teaching materials to let us get the idea what the core of English learning which cannot be easy to understand as a kind of learning.

Top Three ESL/EFL Weblogs

Goooolai’s blog
I like it most, because the blogger makes his or her users have access to English Learning by using various types of teaching materials, like podcast, skype, advertising and so on. In single posting, there are still other available hyperlinks letting users absorb much more relevant information.

貓誌
According to three language abilities, the blogger make his or her resources classified. It is definitely clear at a glance for users to grasp what information they want. It is pity that this weblog lack training for writing ability. Maybe the blogger can try to use text-input tools to achieve the completeness of four language abilities.
ITALKSHOW ENGLISHZONE
This weblog focuses on training for listening ability and writing ability. it offers users some audio clips about cell phone, friendship, university and something useful to listen and encourage its’ users to give comments on that topic. Moreover, the quality of audio clips is high enough to listen clearly and well.

Stacynihilating's About my blogging experience(comments I made on her blog)

Stacynihilating: About my blogging experience

Julie48tw's Personal Experiences in Bloggin’(Comments I made on her blog)

Julie48tw in Blogger: Personal Experiences in Bloggin’

Vercy's Blogging experience (comments I made on her blog)

Vercy's Blogging experience

Celia's Blogging Experience (comments I made on her blog)

Celia's Blogging Experience

Cherrie' website(Ch5) (comments I made on her blog)

#links

Cherrie's Website (Ch2) (comments I made on her blog)

Cherrie: A Website in Ch 2 (CALL Essentials)#links

Cherrie's Blogging Experience and Reflection(comments I made on her blog)

Cherrie: Blogging Experience and Reflection#links

Christina's (comments I made on her blog)

Christina’s blogging experience
Christina’s websites(C6)
Christina’s websites(C5)

Blogging Experience

Generally speaking, this experience in designing my blog is just the second time I use blog to write something. Therefore, firstly all I can do is just post my articles on my blog teacher assigned to on time, classify those articles according to different themes, like lab experience, weblogs and websites. As for organizing my postings, I did not have ideas to manage it at all. I just change my blog’s color and font, something like that. Later, I went about this work designing my own blog, and even tried to figure out how this programming language, HTNL works. Actually, for me, changing blog’s format and design is troublesome and frustrating. Finally I still could not understand it and wonder why this programming language is tough and unfriendly to me, although in my junior high school, our teacher had taught us students how to use HTML to design our webpages and blogs. So, I thought it is ok, I just stood back to study other easier techniques in designing blog that I have learned, like add some webpage elements and edit them.

Except for something about English learning, I put up another I am really interested in, journalism. My aim in designing my blog is to make it renewable and diversifying, and then make more and more people use this blog in various learning field. Therefore, I encourage myself to be able to persevere with the renewal of this blog.

In sum up, in this semester, I really enjoy the time of blogging. I have learned some skills to organize my blog, and have made it more friendly and feasible for users. In blogging, I am gradually accustomed to search for useful information about language learning, like websites, weblogs, and online assays on the Internet. And then I absorb all these knowledge as possible as I can to make it be my self-understanding, and post my evaluation and reflection on those learning materials in English on my blog. It truly trains me to be a better learner for comprehensive and organized ability. In addition, forming a net to let us students freely browse others’ blog in this course and give feedbacks one another is really a good opportunity for me to get used to interactive learning.

Problem-, project- and inquiry-based learning

From this concise chart, we can see take problem-based learning as a concept which gives us a general direction to decide what do want to know. Then, we can go for the project-based learning. It means that once we have a concept in our mind, we can design a project to do some research about our concept. In other words, project-based learning can be an activity for us to put our concept into practice. As for inquiry-based learning, it’s a kind of approach to facilitate our project. That is, by using inquiry-based learning, our project would be much more convincing and promising. (By Vercy,Cherrie,Abby,Christina)

Interactive text

contributions of this body of knowledge through interactive texts
exchange the knowledge
coauthor system (like Wikipedia)
stage, platform to share
active participants
own path of discovery
space to talk over everything
reconstruct the information

Hypertext versus print texts

Designing and Evaluating ESL Weblogs

1. Discuss principles for designing English teaching and learning weblogs with team members Our group thinks that the principles of an English learning weblog should be the use of “multimedia”, the “links” of wide range of information, a platform for posting and receiving “comments” from other participants, and a way to “evaluate” the effectiveness of their learning.Compared to the traditional classroom learning, English learning weblog has the characteristics of online learning, which provides more time and space for learners to think, offers hypertexts for learners to absorb more information if they want, works with multimedia contents to attract learners’ attention.Besides, using the form of weblog, learners can receive immediate articles from that English learning weblog through “RSS.”For example, when an English learner gets into a weblog, he/she will browse a lot of online articles with links and multimedia contents to learn English. Then, he/she is allowed to post his/her personal opinions there, he/she can even give the response to other postings, certainly, he/she can receive the feedback for other participants, so that the learning process involves a kind of interaction of knowledge, instead of just one-way input for a learner. Finally, after learning from the weblog, he/she can receive the updated information from that weblog immediately in their personal blogs.

2. Discuss criteria for evaluating ESL/EFL weblogs with team members. Multimedia : This is a very basic and important component for a weblog because students can find the most appropriate way of learning. That is, the weblog provide various media to facilitate students’ English learning. If there is no multimedia in a weblog, then, it just has a few differences between those traditional learning materials. Comments : To judge whether a weblog is good or not, we can take a careful look at the comments from the visitors. These feedback can provide more objective views of the weblog. In other words, we can also know the advantages and disadvantages of this weblog. Besides, comments can inspire the designer of the weblog to make his or her weblog better. Information links(hypertext) : The greatest difference between traditional learning materials is that hypertext can make student’s reading much more efficient. Students do not have to flip through many books to obtain knowledge. They just have to click on the links, than, they can explore as many as other websites or weblogs they want. Quizzes/ Tasks : It’s very important for an English learning weblog to have such criteria. In that way, students could have the opportunities to check what they have learned. Most importantly, by taking some quizzes or tasks, students can get to know what else they need to put more emphasis on.

Lab(Hot Potato)

Hot POTATO

It is really a great experience for me at this lab time. I think it is because I was attracted to this teaching material, news broadcasting. And the task combining the news reports with English learning definitely make me active to learn.

First of all, my partner, Vercy and I quickly chose the news article about consumption behavior from CNN. And next we respectively read this article and looked up the words of this report we do not know in the online dictionary. And next we discussed the broadcasting draft and finish other assignments teacher gave us together. We were excited in writing our notes by every means to imitate StudioClassroom. It is a really glad process to be with my partner to together design our assessment.

Finally, we downloaded the program, “Hot Potato” to study how it works for finishing our assessment. The items teacher required us of were divided into two parts for us to collaborate. I followed Chinese version’s instructions to complete my part, “JCross” and “JMix” step by step. But while I had made the setting done, I soon met problems with “JCross” and “JMix” to block up my path in finishing these tasks.

At the “JCross,” I just could not add more grids to fill with vocabulary we chose from this article, and “Hot Potato” merely wanted me to register for making a larger crossword. At the “JMix,” I still could not figure out what is the “Alternate Sentences” Chinese version does not mention, so since I had set up a webpage about “JMix”, I exactly had no way to carry out this program.

Yes, it is an unsuccessful learning experience again. However, I do not give up continually manipulating this program. I think these may be just little problems, not systematic problems, like “Schmooze”, in this way; I am still interested in and confident in this program for designing truly effective and efficient assessments.

Lab(schmooze)

Schmooze

This lab experience really disappointed me. During three hours, I just could not figure out how to make right orders to let this programming work and finish tasks teacher gave us. Honestly speaking, I really did not like this feeling that I spent three hours working with this unfriendly, infeasible and inflexible programming. Trying again and again to read carefully its instructions and give right orders to just meet the key words built on this programming is an inefficient learning experience.

I must apologize for not finishing any tasks teacher assigned to us. In this lab time, I just can enter the library, the cafeteria, the student union, the dancing floor and Bar to read introductions of their virtual realities, but did not know how to speak to people there. They just repeated what they had said when I entered this section. Sometimes I could not move my position, even if I really press E, W, S and N to get what place I want to.

I think it may be a different experience that makes us realize it could be possible to encounter troubles technologies make. Or maybe it is really true that we cannot overly depend on technologies not being human, we should design relatively reliable leaning materials regarded as a main core, and match technological designs considered an assistant.

News Broadcasting Discussion

News link: http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/04/27/aol.april.show/

10-15 interesting or key words and their English definitions using an online dictionary (cite sources):

Consumption: the act of consuming something
Conscience: motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles that govern a person's thoughts and actions
Charity: an activity or gift that benefits the public at large
Shantytown: a city district inhabited by people living in huts and shanties
Shanty: small crude shelter used as a dwelling
Catwalk: narrow platform extending out into an auditorium; "models displayed clothes on a catwalk at the fashion show")
Benefit: something that aids or promotes well-being; "for the benefit of all"
Luxury: wealth as evidenced by sumptuous living
Discard: throw or cast away; "Put away your worries")
Scrap: worthless material that is to be disposed of
Recycle: use again after processing; "We must recycle the cardboard boxes"
Donate: give to a charity or good cause


5-7 comprehension questions and answers


1. Try to explain the meanings of these words, consumption, conscience and charity; and make three sentences with these three words
2. Please translate “Seeing beauty in the unwanted, he uses discarded material from scrapyards to make high-end furniture” into Chinese, and make a brief explanation about it using other sentences to describe its meaning.
3. Please briefly explain the four examples in this article in five sentences.
4. Read this article aloud, and record it to check your pronunciations and tones.
5. Can you think of other two examples about consumption with a conscience according to your experiences?
6. What are your reflections after reading this article?


A 5-sentence summary
This article talks about we consumers should be responsible for this world when consuming something. There are four examples of how those people use their conscience to make their products or activities. “Two worlds apart” describes a designer gives something back to his country with his creative social work. “Green with style” describes the example of Lexus to be made with concern of environment. “Seeing beauty in the unwanted” talks about recreation that uses unwanted materials. “Rock in the name of charity” says that a band can hold a concert to raise money with charity.

Develop Integrated Language Learning and Testing Materials

Hello, everyone I am abby, I am vercy. Today we are going to discuss the article from the CNN Website about Consumption with a conscience.
First paragraph says
Shopping is big business throughout the globe, but how much is actually being consumed responsibly?
Oh, so does the topic talk about the responsibility of consumption?
Yeah it is obvious to understand. Let’s move on.
This month on Art of Life,
Wait, wait, wait, what is art of life?
A program belonging to CNN talks about lifestyle.
Oh oh I see
And then it says that we meet the people, products and charities that can help you make positive changes.
Here are some examples to explain how we make a choice from purchasing the commodities that can help in responsible consuming.

First one is
Two worlds apart
From Brazil's shantytowns to the catwalks of New York, we discover how one designer's social work is connecting these two very different worlds.
What do you mean by shantytowns?
Let’s check this word on the online dictionary…s h a n t y t o w n…here’s the result. a city district inhabited by people living in huts and shanties.
But what exactly is shanty?
Okay I’m so sorry. Shanty means small crude shelter used as a dwelling, okay?
Okay! let’s continue
Carlos Miele's powerful social conscience is just as strong as his fashion sense. Through his luxurious creations, he's giving a lot back to his native country. From
From..uh….uh…what’s the pronunciation?
Let me see, oh, Rio de Janeiro to Sao Paulo
Yes , from them,
we meet the women and children who are benefiting.
Oh!!! Here’s a video link for us to see this program. Here’s one part of this program talking about how Carlos Miele's designs help shantytowns in Brazil
But we can’t be so selfish to enjoy it without you participants because you can’t see this clip on air, hahahahah, so~~rry

Let’s continue
Okay The second paragraph is
Green with style
Gone are the days of choosing a 4 x 4 for its off-road capabilities alone. Monita Rajpal gets behind the wheel of the Lexus RX to test drive the world's first luxury hybrid vehicle.
I like lexus!!!
Oh, so what?
I just express my feelings!!
Okay whatever.
Its engine uses both petrol and electricity. It's kinder to the environment but how does it perform? We find out.
Find out what?
Well, I don’t know either.
Whatever.

It’s my turn. The third example says
Seeing beauty in the unwanted
Yes, I know, it’s 3 R! reduce, reuse, and recycle!
Smart girl! You’re right.
Thank you
For Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek there is no such thing as waste. Seeing beauty in the unwanted, he uses discarded material from scrapyards
Wait! I’m wondering about the meaning of scrapyards.
Ok I’ll check it. S c r a p y a r d
Well, scrap is just the trash or junk. So scrapyard is a yard to put trash there.
He uses the trash to make high-end furniture. We find out how he's transforming recycled materials into unique designs in a slick re-purposing of junk.
Here’s also the video for this example. And we’ll skip that.

Okay and The final example is
Rock in the name of charity
Art of Life is at London's famous concert arena the Royal Albert Hall where three top British musicians, including the Kaiser Chiefs, are rocking this venue in the name of charity.
What is the Royal Albert Hall?
Okey, I will check on wikipedia. The Royal Albert Hall of Arts and Sciences is an arts venue dedicated to Queen Victoria's husband and consort, Prince Albert. It is situated in the South Kensington area of London
OKAY?
YES, I got it!
Roger Daltrey, of the rock band The Who, set up these gigs for the Teenage Cancer Trust seven years ago where bands donate their time, and fans donate money to this worthy cause. and also a video we’ll still skip.

So these examples all explain how we can mix the consumption into conscience to make this world better!

Ya! Class dismissed! WOO~~WOW!

Weblog Projects

Understand the weblog and its applications

What is the weblog?
According to wikipedia, the definition of weblog is that a blog is a website where entries are written in chronological order and displayed in reverse chronological order.
It is a new way of asynchronous learning that everyone can post their own opinions about certain topic, and get feedback from others. Sharing links of related resources on the weblog is of course a helpful characteristic of weblog. Furthermore, it can be easier for users to make use of multimedia in learning.

What are some popular English learning weblogs?
Goooolai’s blog 一個英語老兵的網誌 貓誌 ITALKSHOW ENGLISH ZONE

Understand specific weblog features and functions
What can the weblog do compared to the traditional English learning website?
These functions, RSS and permalinks and traceback on the weblog provide learners with a more efficient learning environment. Learners can read related materials, check latest information anytime and express own ideas and give feedback of other’ opinions necessarily. In this way, it will forms interaction and collaboration between learners.

What is RSS/ permalinks/ traceback?
RSS is an integrated system which makes the latest information put the upper section in offering users to browse through content on the weblog.
Permalink remains unchanged indefinitely, and then users can be easier to find this weblog rather than losing the link of this weblog because the weblog is out of date or removes to new location.
Trackback is a tool that the manager of weblog can keep track of what users are linking to the content of this weblog.

Explore blog features and use them in your blog
How can team blog functions (e.g., comments, moderation, traceback, and pingback)support English reading and writing?
blog functions really support English reading and writing by using traceback and pingback to discipline our reading ability online, using giving comments to train our writing ability and using moderation to practice an efficient way in learning. We should read the online-links to get the understanding of the certain topic, organize our thoughts in posting our articles, and then finally we should develop our attitude forming a concise and pithy state of thinking towards learning. In this way, we can bring these functions into full play.

How can multimedia presentation (e.g., pictures, and videos, and audio) support English listening and speaking?
Multimedia presentations certainly help students in learning a lot. Except for their novelty, they are possessed of more opportunities to have access to full language abilities. In listening, multimedia offer rich audios to train our listening ability, and in speaking, combining multimedia with programming relating to speaking training is a great way to make students more advanced in speaking ability by recording their speeches to correct their pronunciations, accents and so on according to the standards built up in the programs. Even with visual stimulations make students more willing to learn English. After all, using multimedia helps students get a full training in learning English.