Week 8: Enhancing Learning Through Different Web Tools

It is undeniable that this week is the busiest week for the particiapants of  the WIKI class. Despite working on the first draft of individual project report, the participants also have to explore some different tools  and exercises. I observed some tools such as Web blog, Nicenet, WebQuests, Web Sites and the new one,  Anvil. 

Web blog. I think web blog  is the easiest tool to create and the handiest one to use both by   teacher and  students.  It can be created and used almost without constraint.  I have started using this tool for my Intermediate Listening class. All the students have their personal blogs and used them  as a self-report media for what they have learned every week from their listening tasks and what they feel after using the internet to do  the task. Blog can enhance learner autonomy  as it make students do the assignment by themselves out of the class. It at the same time may enhance students’ different skills such as writing and grammar.   We also created a class blog last week and named it Andalas Listening Class 2013.     Before that, I also had created  one by myself which I named Interactive Listening (http://rinaesl.blogspot.com/) which I will use for the rest of this semester as a replacement for the Face book group I usually use to post the announcement and the task.

Nicenet. Nicenet is also a great tool to enhance good network between teacher and students and among class members. It is a good forum for discusion.  It is appropriately used for writing-based class.   I created one for my Linguistics Research Method as the students have to do lot of reading and write the reading report.   I provided them the links for the reading and put them on the Link Sharing.The name of the class is Linguistic Reserach Method 2013 and the class key is 3K66G3U48. I hope this tool can help motivate my students to do the reading assignement and post their ideas on the discussion class. 

Class survey.  We can make  a survey using Google.doc. A well designed class survey can help teacher obtain    information about their students’ learning habits, interest, needs and other preferences.  On the other side, it might enhance students’ interest and participation in the class.  I just designed a class survey to see my students’ preferences in listening activities.  

WebQuests  are Web-based projects which use World Wide Web sites to help students develop problem-solving and decision-making skills. An effective WebQuest develops critical thinking skills and often includes a  cooperative learning component. Students learn as they search for information using the Web, following a prescribed format that focuses on problem solving and authentic assessment.  A well-written WebQuest requires students to go beyond simple fact finding, help them analyze, synthesize, and evaluate information. I think  WebQuest is more appropriately used for advance learners.   I will used it next semester for my Seminar on Linguistics Class.

Class website or wiki.  This tools is very useful as it allows  both teachers and students to take an active role in the network.     ITeacher can post  tasks  and  teaching materials including videos  in a certain time frame.  However, it is quite tricky to build as we have to delete and replace the already existing information on the template. I have tried several times and ended up with several unfinished. The last one is ‘Listening 2013’.  

I checked several games through the Word search, bingo, crossword puzzles, board games, flash cards, matching, multiple choice exercises.  They are all interesting.  I like Easy Test Maker, Hot Potatoes, Web Poster Wizard!  These tools allow us create worksheets, lessons,    interactive exams (multiple-choice, short-answer, jumbled-sentence, crossword, matching/ordering and gap-fill exercises).  I created  a jumbled sentence interactive exam using potatoes.     

This week we are fortunate as we have a chance to get to know Jeff Magoto in our online discussion. He is the creator of  ANVILL, a great tool for speaking-based class. It is great as it contains  various tools  such as  Practice Recorder, Image Template, Quiz Tool, Media Template, Response Tool , Livechat Tool, Voiceboards Tool,    Video template.  I think I would encourage my colleagues in my department to use this echnology for teaching speaking.