Mobile Language Learning

Nowadays generation does not use mobile phones for only exchanging information but for the educational purposes. I think that is fine to go far from the traditional way of teaching. When I was a pupil or a student I had no idea that education can be based on not only paper pencil way of teaching. I think that nowadays generation is more lucky. Teachers can use computers, mobile phones , iPods …… for the  teaching  purposes and that is GREAT!!!

From the Hayo Reinders article we have learned that that there are twenty ideas for using mobile phones in the language classrooms. According to Chinnery ( 2006), and  Kukulska-Hulme (2005) mobile learning is popular as they are relatively cheap and increasingly powerful. From this article I mostly liked the idea 5 taking interviews, then idea 17playing educational games, also  idea 2 taking pictures and share them in class. By all means this kind of learning creates collaborative listening and speaking activities for students. I think those ideas can be successfully implemented with  Armenian kids for L2 learning purposes.  Other thing that I liked most is that By all means age is very important here. There certain types of ideas which can be used for adults and separate for kids. I liked a lot the research done by Revelle et al. (2007). According to Revelle  the mobile phones can be successfully used for alphabet  teaching. The research  shows that kids were able to learn  loaded Sesame Street videos on mobile. In her study, she reported  that mobile-phone delivery made it extremely easy to incorporate literacy activities.

But the m-learning has also disadvantages  can be a problem for the Armenian students for various reasons.  I think the lack of necessary knowledge can be a problem , also many students might not have phones in order to use for classes. Any case I would like to try and use m-learning within my classes. At first it might be challenging but after some time kids can get used to that. The classes might be noise or many students might not understand what they should do. So here the teacher will monitor and help them.  

Link for the image http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=A2_nqF2ZkyArfM:&imgrefurl=http://www.mobl21.com/blog/2010/09/&docid=8QbVUm17cKQ4iM&imgurl=http://www.mobl21.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/mobile_learning_report_card.jpg&w=500&h=313&ei=pEqJULz1I6mjiAe0noGAAg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=703&vpy=146&dur=845&h

Virtual World -Second Life

Today`s my post is closely connected with virtual world Second life environment.  As the previous posts  this post is also connected with technology. Once again I was very happy to get familiar with something new for me. Of course, I have heard about virtual world 3D environment  but have never tried any. So this course gave me an opportunity to try that. It is interesting that I do not like computer games, especially commercial games as I mentioned in my previous post. But I liked a lot Second Life .I think I know the reason. This special environment with avatars helps each person to create own games for different purposes. I liked the fact of flying , running and walking. In fact here you can do and try things which you cannot do in real life situations. Here you can invite people chat with them or buy things that was really great. But in many cases the players should earn money in order to spend it. 

As an English teacher I would like to use them for educational purposes. But to tell the truth I think that would not be an easy task. If we talk about advantages so here I can say that  3D environment can help to reinforce certain vocabulary .For example, you can create a game connected with cloths and do shopping, students will learn lots of words or it can be connected with sea food  and so on. My students would be so enthusiastic and motivated I am sure. It can be a new way for studying, as it is  fun, interactive  and  once again students can work collaboratively. Now let`s talk about disadvantages. So here we have many drawbacks especially in our country. Unfortunately  you should pay in order to make interesting games. From my own experience I know that teachers in Armenia  do not get much financial support in order to afford and pay for games. But the problem is not connected only with teachers, many kids also will not able to afford that. Another main  obstacle is that many teachers themselves would not be able to play this virtual world games. The lack of technological knowledge may be a challenge. Another problem may cause the internet and computer connection especially at schools. In conclusion I would say that one day all this might be possible in all schools or other educational centers.  I  strongly believe  that one day both teachers and students will be able to use 3D virtual world for educational purposes which will develop four skills. 

Link  for the image : http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1366&bih=643&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=5CaJSbj5hBBQhM:&imgrefurl=http://www.gameogre.com/reviewdirectory/reviews/Second_Life.php&docid=L30wDahMZYnTtM&imgurl=http://www.gameogre.com/reviewdirectory/upload/Second%252520Life.jpg&w=1280&h=977&ei=LEWIUMbMBsWeiAfzrYDwCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1068&vpy=119&dur=219&hovh=196&hovw=257&tx=151&ty=118&sig=109605187291664981752&page=1&tbnh=145&tbnw=180&start=0&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:86

Computer and Video Games

In my previous posts I was sharing my ideas about  topics like digital stories, blogs ,wikis  and other technological issues which can be used in the 21 st century classroom environment. My today`s post is connected with video and computer  games. To tell the truth it is a little bit difficult for me to talk about video games as I am not a gamer at all. I have never  played   games  especially commercial games  as  I found them boring  and time consuming.  But  as we know there is a slide difference  between commercial and educational games. So I prefer educational ones.

As  the professor Sasha Barab mentions  educational games help kids to see the things like in the real world.Actually I tried some educational games with my nephew he is 5 years old . He was so excited and enthusiastic about that games. But here we should be very careful with the safety of the websites, that is why I was sitting with hi all the time. For the sake of my internship  I take some ideas for my classes from the educational games and they are really very useful. In the 21 st century  people like to play games especially boys. Parents in many cases could not forbid their  kids to stay far from computers and not to play. Once there was a program where a boy was telling his  mother that he would throw himself out of the window if his parents would not let him play video games. I think that is terrible. By all means games can have negative effect on kids psychology. Of course, we know that certain commercial  games create aggression in kids. Many parents do not  pay attention on such things but for me it  is really very important.  But on the other side as professor Patricia Marks Greenfield  claims, (1984) those who play computer games adjust their “strategies of attentional deployment". We can  see that computer games may have a positive effect either. Personally I do not think that something could be changed  even if that certain games effect on  gamers  negatively. I am sure  children or people in general like computer games as here they can  try and do things  which they cannot try in real life. 

Link  for the image: http://www.google.com/imgres?start=238&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1366&bih=600&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=-MPnGXqdsczViM:&imgrefurl=http://www.upgradereality.com/video-game-violence/&docid=cxJ11nbqeQ4IIM&imgurl=http://www.upgradereality.com/images/video-game-effects.jpg&w=779&h=509&ei=Q0aIUIOVEKOhige-yIGQDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=381&vpy=115&dur=1313&hovh=181&hovw=278&tx=198&ty=73&sig=10960518729

Digital Storytelling and Video Making

My previous reflections were based on some  other technological innovations like wikis, podcast, digital children and so on. This time I am going to share my impressions about digital storytelling and digital videos. Firstly I would like to say that was Amazing. I have never done such things before. I liked the process of shooting the video with Nairuhi that was great. It is interesting that I liked blogging and wikis a lot but believe me digital videos were the best for me. According  to Tsou,(2006), and  Wan(2005) storytelling is a  powerful and practical teaching tool especially for 21^st century students .So as a future 21^st century teacher  I would definitely  use digital storytelling and videos for my classes. I hope seeing my enthusiasm my students   will have the same felling. Before our class I have never used Movie Maker, to tell the truth I even did not  know about its existence. Firstly we did digital storytelling with pictures and music some of my peers did with Movie Maker others with Power Point. But during digital video making I was so excited  that I cannot compare that feeling with digital storytelling. It would be a little bit challenging to use digital storytelling and videos especially in my city but teachers should do their best to  help the students.  For the sake of that teachers  should provide with  samples  and explanations in order to help some students to overcome all obstacles that they may have  connected with technology. Yesterday  one school girl asked me about Power Point slides and how to use them for her classes. Their teacher gave them an assignment without explanation. So many students face such problems. I think in that cases the teacher made a big mistake. That  is to say children develop their digital literacy with the help of technology. The traditional way of teaching is not interesting anymore and mostly  not effective. As Davis, (2004) claims digital storytelling enriches students vocabulary and storytelling strategies. Digital video making can play an essential role in students pronunciation and speaking skills development. As an assignment  students can shoot any topic and use language simultaneously that would be great. For instance students can do digital videos independently or as a group work. In both cases the usage of language and their creativity  can be apparent. 



Link  for the image: http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1366&bih=600&tbm=isch&tbnid=-4Lslg9LcjtrZM:&imgrefurl=http://langwitches.org/blog/2008/04/19/digital-storytelling-part-i/&docid=sgIYwGrAAhPDEM&imgurl=http://langwitches.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/collaborate-communicate-con.jpg&w=500&h=354&ei=0UaIUNXeGZChiAfYn4DQBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=650&vpy=278&dur=391&hovh=188&hov