New Tools for Teaching Languages

New Tools for Teaching Languages
An Internet Hotlist on Web2.0

created by LWoods

Introduction
Let's keep it simple. There are scads of web2.0 tools out there. Keeping up with them all is impossible. This lists focuses on just a few that can be easily used in your classroom or professional development. You might want to search for projects that already exist that you can join to get a feel for these technologies before you start your own. Also, videoconferencing while not a new technology is a great way to practice language skills.

The Internet Resources

VoiceThread

1) Collaborative Blogging (VoiceThread commentary) - Example of various web2.0 tools used in an ESL class and hosted on VoiceThread. Note the Zoom tool and the tools that allow you to add comments by text, phone, or webcam.
2. Phone Commenting Remote Control (VoiceThread tutorial) - How to tutorial for inserting comments into other VoiceThreads using your phone.
3. Ed.VoiceThread (secure) - Secure K-12 academic environment.

Second Life

1. MUVEit: Using Second Life in Foreign Language and Culture Instructions (slide share) - AECT2007 slides: Online multiuser virtual environments such as Second Life offer a non-threatening space for learners to practice a foreign language or receive pre-departure information. The simulated landscape provides an immersive experience that complements and facilitates the learning process. Meeting language natives is one of the most important value-added offered by SL's 3D online format. Aspects of social presence are discussed. Implementation recommendations are suggested. This ppt does not include the conference's audio explaining the slides.
2. Foreign Language Classes at Suffern Middle School in Second Life (example) - The kids each created a display for a traditional Spanish celebration - Sweet 15, Day of the Dead, Feast of Three Kings and others. Then they invited the high school Spanish classes to join in a day of virtual celebrations where each student presented the cultural background of the celebrations and how they chose to depict it.
3. ESL campus promotes team language learning (SLNews article) - 'While teachers may charge their students for their services, Second Life English will provide a free space that is part campus, part launching pad for language teachers to help small groups of up to five students to learn English in Second Life. The sim is designed with a teaching circuit with areas for teachers to team teach student using different areas of the sim as tools.'
4. Educational Uses of Second Life (YouTube - 6 :59 min) - Longer intro that includes educational locations, tools, and learning pedagogy applicable to Second Life.
5. Education in Second Life (YouTube - 6 min) - A good overview of what you can do and why in education for a variety of subjects.

Twitter and Ning

1. Teaching With Twitter (video 1:42 min) - David Parry, a professor at the University of Texas at Dallas, talks about using Twitter, a new messaging service, for his courses. (Related Article: 'Getting the Word Out' A new service that allows people to send notes to a set list of recipients' cellphones is being used as a teaching tool by some professors and college librarians.)
2. Twitter for Academia (list) - A great list of ideas and methods tried as an assignment for a higher ed class.
3. Ning in Education - Welcome to the social network for those using the Ning social networking platform in education. You start by choosing a combination of features (videos, blogs, photos, forums, etc.) from an ever-growing list of options. Then customize how it looks, decide if it's public or private, and add your brand logo if you have one. People who join your network will automatically have a customizable profile page and will be able to message and friend each other. (See also the Classroom 2.0 Ning at http://www.classroom20.com/)
4. Search Results for 'learn foreign language' (Ning) - Ten hits per page, 24 pages! Many are password protected and require permission to join.

Maps

Google Maps - Check out Streets. When will that be available worldwide?
Parc Ciutadella, Barcelona, Spain (Live Maps) - Go to Live Maps, search Collections using Parc Ciutadella, Barcelona, Spain. Not very impressive until you try 'Birds Eye' view. You can zoom in and rotate. Gives a pretty good idea of what the park looks like. Provides user created information.
Virtual Earth / Live Maps - Top 10 features you didn't know about in Live Maps

Widgets

Drupal - Drupal is a free software package that allows an individual or a community of users to easily publish, manage and organize a wide variety of content on a website. The built-in functionality, combined with dozens of freely available add-on modules, will enable features such as: Content Management Systems, Blogs, Collaborative authoring environments, Forums, Peer-to-peer networking, Newsletters, Podcasting, Picture galleries, File uploads and downloads, and Social Networking sites.
FancyGens (website widgets and gadgets) - FancyGens develops and distributes widgets and gadgets that can be published across most online platforms such as websites, profiles, blogs, and social networks.
fd's Flickr Toys - 'Helping you do cool stuff with your digital photos since 2005' An amazing assortment of free tools for the battle weary.

Other

25 Web Sites to Watch (PC World article) - What's tomorrow's YouTube? The Web's next breakout hit may be one of these innovative, useful, and fun new sites. Use the drop down menu at the bottom of the article to see other categories. (2007)
Back to School with the Class of Web2.0 (part 1) - A 2006 article with a mind-blowing array of tools.
Back to School with the Class of Web2.0 (part 2) - Covers web-based alternatives to desktop office applications including: word processing, presentations, diagrams, spreadsheets, and more.
Back to School with the Class of Web2.0 (part 3) - Covers possible scenarios and real case studies of Web 2.0 in education in hopes to show others where we are with today’s education and where it could be including educational blogging, photo sharing, educational podcasting, wikis, video sharing, Web 2.0 courses, School 2.0, and more.
Web 2.0 & Language Learning (You Tube 7:36 min) - Intro video on various Web2.0 tools including Second Life.

Content by LWoods, linda.woods@att.com
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listalternatlw.html
Last revised Thu Mar 6 8:03:41 US/Pacific 2008