THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING CRITICAL...

Dear group K,

now that we’ve become experts at exploiting technological advances, we should also learn to be a bit more selective and critical in the use of Internet. So far, our experience as “surfers” has taught us that there’s a little bit of everything on the Net.

Before clicking on the links that Sarah suggested us, I tried to make a list of the parameters I usually follow in order to identify RELIABLE Online Sources. Here you are what I’ve come up with (in order of importance):

1. Reliability of the author/company who published the website

2. Regular updating

3. Careful analysis of website’s home page

4. Presence of feeds/possibility to subscribe

5. Clear/user-friendly layout or website organization


Then, I had a look at the three websites suggested in our course blog. Some of the tips didn’t sound new to me but there were also lots of interesting pieces of advice I will definitely follow in the future.
My first impression was that English and American Universities seem to be extremely concerned with the need to teach students to evaluate and reference resources. Compared to Italian students, I think they’re generally much more accustomed to do research projects and therefore to browse the Net.

Here you are the most interesting things I noticed in each Website (in outline :-)):

Tips from the University of Essex:
I particularly appreciated the tip on META-SEARCH ENGINES, whose function is to search other search engines to filter all the various returns (sorry for the pun). I’d never heard about such tools before but I think I’ll definitely use them in order to be a bit more critical and to refine my future searches.

I had never heard about GOOGLE SCHOLAR either (a bit ignorant perhaps :-)). It could be really useful for academic research purposes.

Tips from OWL:
Here, they seemed more concerned with the process that comes immediately BEFORE any search. In other words, all the things you should ask yourself before clicking “search” in Google’s toolbar. As a matter of fact, it is more logical to start your search browsing subject specific or institutional websites.

Tips from San Diego University:
Here, the aim of the tips was to invite “searchers” to be a bit more sceptical about sources of information (not only on the Net), even when they perfectly meet their requirements. And, of course, the reason is that everybody can be potential publishers on the Net, there’s no need for editorial reviews (let’s think about Wikipedia and blogs)!

That’s all guys

See you soon

Alessia

LEARNING ON DEMAND

Hello everybody!

As you might have understood from the title of my post, I particularly appreciated the flexibility of YouTube. Of course it is the case with the mentioned tool but also with all the other fruitful resource materials we have been learning to exploit during the last few months!
The principle underlying these devices is the fact that you can take advantage of them whenever and wherever you need to! Precisely, they can be used on demand to meet your own learning requirements!

As for YouTube’s impact on language learning, there’s nothing really new to add! The concept of sharing is always under the spotlight and here there’s also the advantage of the videos, which can be much more enjoyable and involving! The greatest innovation consists in the fact that WE are the main protagonists! YouTube’s motto is self-evident:

“Broadcast Yourself”!

Having a look at TeacherTube, I realised the existence of other potentialities, not only in the field of language learning, but also in the wider context of education. As a matter of fact, this section allows teachers to publish tutorial videos that can be used during lessons or even to share the result of their class projects with other schools/universities.

I would also like to spend a few words on the drawbacks of this remarkable tool…not to be the usual party pooper but just to underline the need for a clever use of it.
Recently, I’ve heard of some guys (idiots), who published a cell phone-made video showing their abuses at a disabled peer (there are lots of similar cases but I’m only mentioning the most recent one).
I know that they are just fools, that they don’t have to exert a negative influence on our enthusiasm towards the world of YouTube, that the mentioned video has been recalled and so on and so forth…but we should be aware of the fact that FREEDOM and POTENTIAL can sometimes reveal their drawbacks. All in all, we can benefit from the fact that Sarah created our own community in YouTube so that we can avoid unpredictable consequences…

ESL Podcasts (e-tivity 6)

Hi guys!

Until a couple of days ago I didn’t even know what podcasts were! Well, now that I have become a bit more familiar with these tools, I have to say that they are one of the most useful technological advances in the history of new technologies! Just think of how you can exploit them for your English learning! Hundreds of English audio files on a variety of topics in your MP3 player or iPod! That means you can be exposed to English without being online and without relying on a teacher/native speaker.

You can listen to your podcasts while you’re in a bus, even while you’re working out at a gym (already experimented :-) hi hi)! Not to mention the fact that these websites also provide detailed explanations of new/idiomatic expressions ‘cause most of them have been specially designed for learners of English as a second language!

(this picture reminds me of the traditional English teacher everybody is scared of :-) )

After having browsed around in the world of podcasts, I sorted out three websites. The decision was tough…really! There were so many useful materials, I even found a site which offers podcasts in almost every kind of English, even Canadian, Australian and New Zealand Here you are the link…in case you’re interested in…but you cannot subscribe to it:

http://englishcaster.com

These are the ones I’ve chosen:

ESL PODCAST
http://www.eslpod.com/website/index.php

I was particularly struck by the organisation of this website ‘cause it was really user-friendly and easy to use. There was even a section with an introduction to the term “podcast” for people who had never heard of them before (and that was my case, a couple of days ago).

I liked this website ‘cause all the different podcasts are organised into different sections on the basis of the topic they cover (business, shopping, daily life, entertainment and so on). But what’s more is that every podcast includes a learning guide which I particularly appreciated: it offers the complete transcripts of the audio file, very clear explanations of difficult terms and even comprehension questions to better understand each podcast.

All these materials are offered for free, so there’s no need to be a member of the website. There’s also the possibility to have access to further materials and extra explanations but of course you have to register and it is not for free.


A FUN AND FREE WAY TO LEARN ENGLISH
http://www.china232.com/

I’ve chosen this website because all the podcasts cover topics related to your everyday life and therefore they give you the chance to learn a lot of colloquial English expressions that may come in handy while you’re having a conversation with a native speaker!

At the end of each podcast, there’s also a quick guide with the explanation of the phrases or idiomatic expressions used. After reading the one related to the podcast “Relationship problems” I went: “Oh my God, there are soooooooo many expressions I had never heard of before!” As a matter of fact, it is clear to everybody that mastering a language does not merely entail understanding what a native speaker says or knowing grammar rules. It is above all to use the appropriate or most natural words/expressions in each situation. Has it ever happened to you to remain speechless for a few seconds while someone is telling/asking you something in English just because you don’t know the appropriate words? In my case it has!

In the website, there’s also a forum where you can discuss the topics or give your opinion, but you have to register to have access to it.

I strongly recommend you this website, guys!!!! :-)


BETTER AT ENGLISH
http://www.betteratenglish.com/

I also recommend you this website which provides Real English Conversations about a variety of topics and current affairs or issues. At first, you might have the idea of getting lost since there are so many podcasts, links and files under files under files, not exclusively related to ESL Podcasts (at least that was one of my first impressions).

Anyway, once you get more familiar, you will realise that all the podcasts are organised according to the kind of English used (AE or BE), level (Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced) and topic. Of course, they also include the conversation transcript and vocabulary notes. I really enjoyed listening at a conversation on “Junk Food”…Just try it!

That's all!
I hope to hear from you soon!

Love

Alessia

SOCIAL BOOKMARKING (e-tivity 5)...

Hello dear Group K!

Last Wednesday, I eventually managed to attend the lab session and therefore I had the chance to throw myself into the world of social bookmarking! Well, I have to say that the seemingly abstract and vague concept of SHARING seems to be at its utmost expression there! Really!

Online communities are all about sharing things, resources, ideas, files and Del.icio.us is really one of the greatest examples of all that!
It enables users to have access not only to their own “Preferiti” but also to those of all the members of this huge community. So, instead of desperately browsing the net in search of useful websites that are, in most cases, hidden among hundreds of less helpful ones, you simply have access to a selection of the best resources by using tags. In other words, it’s like having a filter that restricts your choices!

I usually loose myself in the World Wide Web and therefore I find Del.icio.us an awesome tool!!!! I will absolutely use it in order to retrieve and organise materials for my final dissertation!
I’ve organised My Favourites both on the basis of what I already had in the “Preferiti” of my PC and of what I’ve found in the Web! As far as ESL is concerned, I decided to focus mainly on three areas:

Reading

Listening

Vocabulary

…since, to me, learning a second language is all about improving your vocabulary (of course grammar is important too BUT if you know all the grammar in the world and only, say, 100 words, where on earth can you go?!) :-)

I’ve also enjoyed browsing my peers' favourites and, as far as I could see, they tried to concentrate on all the four skills (writing, reading, speaking, listening).
Nevertheless, there’s all their personality there because their choices also revealed their interests.

Nina, for instance, cited a very interesting site devoted to multicultural education because she’s probably interested in such matters (and so am I). Another example is Eleonora, who included a site devoted to business English because she would like to work in a company.
Chiara, suggested a very well-organised website devoted to English grammar tips and provided with exercises plus answers. I found it a very useful resource ‘cause it focused on those particular areas which usually cause problems to non-natives speakers of English! Given its clarity, I think I’ll use it to retrieve materials for the private lessons I give to two High School students in my village (and of course they are useful for me too! :-))
I also liked the websites suggested by Enrico, especially the one devoted to writing skills! Even though we had an entire course on such matters last year (Dott. Scott), formal writing is always a challenging experience (unfortunately…).
Caroline mentioned an interesting website devoted to idiomatic expressions used in American English …they’re always useful to enrich our English knowledge and to better appreciate movies or books!
And last, but not least, we have Anna: one of her “favourites” introduced us to ESL PODCASTS or, better, Internet audio files that enable us to improve our English knowledge! I enjoyed listening to the file about the American custom of tipping in restaurants and the related pieces of advice in order to avoid cultural misunderstandings…!

So thank you guys and see you in class!
Sorry for being so long-winded (almost on the edge of logorrhoea) but there were so many things to say…sorry!:-)


Alessia

HALLOWEEN_AGAINST (writing for speaking)

Browsing the net in search for information about Halloween, I found out that behind tricks and costumes there are serious cultural traditions that have survived through centuries and generations.

As we all know, the festival and its folklore have nowadays been imported to Italy and have hence lost part of their original features and meaning. I consider such exports as culturally interesting because they represent a sort of tribute to other countries' costumes and traditions and are therefore an unavoidable consequence of globalisation.

Nevertheless, they can also reveal their drawbacks: Halloween is nowadays celebrated by almost the whole of Italy but no one knows the roots of this festivity and its real implications. It is all reduced to decorated pumpkins, colourful costumes, children knocking on house doors with the request: “Trick or Treat!?”… but almost no one knows what the whole thing stands for!

All in all, Halloween is here in Italy just an excuse to dress up and have parties and, for children, to scrape up some chocolate and candies through the practice of the “trick or treating”. Actually, I found out that all these rituals, in their original context, represent a way to exorcise the fear of strangers!

I will cite a passage taken from “Why Bother to save Halloween?”, an essay written by Richard Seltzer which (to me) perfectly embodies the original spirit of the festival and explains the implications of the abused “trick or treating”:


Halloween is a time that reconfirms the social bond of a neighbourhood (particularly the bond between strangers of different generations) by a ritual act of trade. Children go to lengths to dress up and overcome their fear of strangers in exchange for candy. And adults buy the candy and overcome their distrust of strange children in exchange for the pleasure of seeing their wild outfits and vicariously reliving their own adventures as children.

Hence, in the light of all this, are we still convinced of the utility of celebrating a festival which has never belonged to our history and culture?

Just think it over…

On the Internet, there is a huge amount of websites about Halloween and its origins. Here, I’ve chosen the most interesting ones. Some sections are quite boring because they focus mainly on the history of this festivity, whilst others really open up new perspectives on the whole thing!

I hope you have fun!

http://www.neopagan.net/Halloween-Origins.html

http://www.halloween.com/

http://www.history.com/minisites/halloween/

http://www.jeremiahproject.com/culture/halloween.html
(this one made me laugh because, at the end of the page, there’s the act of contrition…you might have heard that celebrating Halloween is condemned by orthodox Christians…)

That's all!

(Jack Skeletron- from "Nightmare before Christmas")

Alessia

Feeds and feed aggregators...WHAT'S THAT STUFF?!?(e-tivity 4)

Hello everybody!!!

Today’s experience with feeds and feed aggregators has been completely new to me! I mean, I had heard of such tools but I didn’t know how to use them. I have to say that they are undoubtedly useful to reduce the time you need to check your favourite websites. Hence, instead of having to click on each blog or site to look for updates (which is pretty time-consuming and boring…especially if there’s no update at all), this system will automatic show you the latest changes. Nevertheless, not every website of your interest publishes an RSS feed so you can’t subscribe to all of them!

Bloglines was really easy to use (I watched the tutorial video just because I’m hopeless). I particularly appreciated the possibility to organise all the websites and blogs I am monitoring into different folders…I like tidy and neat things, especially when ICT are involved!

Now, I intend to use feed aggregators not only for the educational purposes of our blogs but also for my Italian blog, for example. I think it’s a sort of bookmarks’ list which, in addition, gives you tracks of the latest updates!

See you!

Alessia