Raising our Students’ Confidence in their Speaking with Web 2.0 Tools Dr. Anisoara Pop, Dimitire...

Raising our Students’ Raising our Students’ Confidence in their Confidence in their

Speaking with Web 2.0 Speaking with Web 2.0 Tools Tools

Dr. ADr. Anisoara Pop, nisoara Pop, Dimitire Cantemir Univeristy, Targu-Dimitire Cantemir Univeristy, Targu-Mures, Mures,

RomaniaRomania

Languages as a Lifeskill - New Languages as a Lifeskill - New Perspectives on LSP Teaching and Perspectives on LSP Teaching and

LearningLearning

May, 21May, 21stst – 22 – 22ndnd , 2010 , 2010 Bucharest, RomaniaBucharest, Romania

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission.This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

ENJOY GRUNDTVIG 10 TIMES!

If we te

ach to

day as

we taught

yesterday, w

e rob

our child

ren of

tomorrow (J.

Dewey)

Levering learning personalizationLevering learning personalization

• Mixed ability, adult learners

• Learning styles

• Affinity for different environments

CHOICE: CONTINGENCY PLANS

Speaking and listening can be moved into the 21st century

Chang

e !

In-vitro conversations

Communication is not pleasant, fun

2-hours/weekT-dependence

Speaking: Problem - SolutionSpeaking: Problem - Solution

Flexible: Asynchronous tools

Safer environments

Pull down classroom walls

Speaking solutionSpeaking solution

Improvespeaking

Help raise your students’ confidence Help raise your students’ confidence in speakingin speaking

with Web 2.0 speaking tools

Voice Web 2.0 tools Voice Web 2.0 tools

• Free, versatile platforms for asynchronous communication

• EVO 2009/2010/.. - online teacher development workshops: Becoming a

Webhead http://baw2010.pbworks.com

Web 2.0 voice tools

VoxopopVoxopophttp//www.voxopop.comhttp//www.voxopop.com

• Message boards with real voices: discuss with people all over the world

a new way

to talk

online

You can:You can:

• Build a threaded audio discussion• Explore and join existing talk

groups

Reflective speaking: Reflective speaking: http://www.voxopop.com/topic/51bd74ec-87ef-4db2-a8df-6cef2a23903c

Practising structures and vocabularyPractising structures and vocabulary: : http://www.voxopop.com/topic/5e20c5b2-31ed-4eaf-83d6-ae3a2d6ebc6e http://www.voxopop.com/topic/5e20c5b2-31ed-4eaf-83d6-ae3a2d6ebc6e

Specific to VOPSpecific to VOP

• Focuses on the sound rather than on an image• comment only with the voice (microphone but not video

cam)• Text comments - a few words• Cannot be embedded in blogs • Has a more linear structure • It can be subscribed to: you are automatically updated

VP examples you/students can VP examples you/students can exploreexplore

• What’s happening today? http://www.voxopop.com/topic/6d4a163c-1a0e-4897-8247-952c06fdc0be

• Whadaya: http://www.voxopop.com/topic/1e77d4b6-f6e3-43c6-b38b-0cf0740f7e02

• Featured talk groups: TOEFL, CAE, IELTS

VOICE THREAD (VT) = group audio blog

http://voicethread.com

• To leave an audio comment you can use your: telephone

microphone

video camera

http://voicethread.com/#u621787

VT examples you can exploreVT examples you can explore

• Add yourself on the World Map http://voicethread.com/share/4400/

• Why do people hate? http://ed.voicethread.com/#q.b88781• View and discuss a video:

http://voicethread.com/#u578.b161763.i863134 • Mystery places:

http://voicethread.com/#u205451.b385249.i2032533• Brazil: http://voicethread.com/share/69307/

• Romania: http://voicethread.com/share/88714/

SIMILARITIESSIMILARITIES

• A new way to talk online

• Build new vs. Explore and join existing ones

• SHARED vs PRIVATE

• Embedded in wikis, personal sites

OPPORTUNITIESOPPORTUNITIES

• Talk to real people• Encounter different accents: natives and non-natives• Impact and motivation• Enhanced exposure and use outside the classroom

• Flexibility

• Collaboration

• Asynchronous tools develop autonomy and critical thinking which are skills for life

strengths

strengths

memorability

WeaknessesWeaknesses/Threats/Threats

• Invest time

• Students who lack digital affinity/Internet connection

• Upload latest version of Java

• School policy about public speaking• Vop comments cannot be moderated (however,

security is ensured through membership moderation)

• Voice quality

Explore the potential of Web 2.0 Voice Explore the potential of Web 2.0 Voice ToolsTools

Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire (W.B.Yeats)