Are kids isolated online? Or in fact part of an online community?

I read Rosa’s blog in relation to the article ‘Isolation increases with Internet use’ which refers to students suffering depression and loneliness due to spending too much time online. Rosa argued is that there needs to be a balance between the online world and the ‘real’ world and I completely agree with this remark. It is interesting to note that this article was written ten years ago, perhaps at a stage where the “World wide web” was somewhat of a new kid on the block. What the article alludes to is that the Internet is replacing daily interactions. Judging from my own personal use I beg to differ. Often I spend time online if I have nothing better to do! I think if you ask most people, they would still chose meeting a friend in person over chatting to them online (feel free to disagree!).

However what really concerns me about the article, is the fact that spending hours online may well be a coping mechanism for having depression and feeling lonely in the first place! From my experience its often the people who are already disengaged with life due to unemployment, lack of friends hobbies and activities, who spend countless hours in an online haze. I believe that the vast majority of kids (and indeed our students) are happy to interact in ‘normal’ life for the vast majority of the day, and are engaged in everyday activities such as sport and music. I would like to hope that using ICT in my classroom will not lead my students into depression! Indeed in most cases ICT’s implementation in the classroom is for the purpose of linking students with others in the class, or a number of classrooms across the globe.

Bottom line- I want to make sure that my students feel confident and happy in the classroom, and would certainly hope to enrich their lives rather than harm them. I understand the concern of psychologists in regards to isolation and depression, and indeed I have no intention of making light of this situation. However I think the vast majority of people will always prefer real human interactions any day!

 www.beyondblue.org.au

TALE- the portal to Language Learning websites

I have to admit that I could not wait to check out the Teaching and Learning Exchange website once I heard about all the Resources it had for language teachers (all well as all other KLA’s).  As I mentioned in my previous blog, Internet safety is a huge concern, and it is imperative that websites used in the classroom are free of pop-ups and inappropriate links. TALE has solved this issue by providing a range of ICT resources which offer interactive games, quizzes, audio and video-clips, crosswords, as well as links to student networks. As a language teacher who has a particular soft spot for German, I l found Germanlinx a particularly useful site. (One which I often use for games and worksheets for primary level is abcteach and the vic education website has some great online and printable activies too!)  What is great also about TALE is the its Parents& Community section allows private school teachers to also access these resources. I have already found some great resources for the kids I teach now. I look forward to seeing how the kids respond later in the week!

Social networking sites as a learning tool?!

This is a reactionary blog to Marees Blog where she discusses that Social networks, simulations, and digital gaming are bridging the gap between traditional scholastic culture and today’s learners”. Graf & Haas (September/October 2008). Maree mentions that social networking sites can be effective tools for learning and provide a platform where students can exchange ideas and knowledge on classroom topics. As a foreign language teacher I can see how these sites could be used in an effective manner. Certainly they could be used as a more modern version of penpals and link language learners across states and countries. These sites would also easily allow for collaboration on projects, or indeed to find out about what life is really like for a teenager in Germany.  I can see how students would respond incredibly well to the introduction of for example ning into the language classroom. Certainly digital gaming also allows students to participate in active and communicative language learning. I would find it more challenging to integrate interactive games than for example using quia. I can imagine that in future there will be interactive digital games which incorporate mopre specific subject matter. I think the real difficulty for all these technologies, would not be in finding ways for its implementation but rather in monitoring that it would be used for specified purposes only…

Internet Safety in the Classroom

A concern of every teacher is protecting children from inappropriate content on the Internet and making sure that some strategies are in place to facilitate a safe learning environment. As a teacher this is quite challenging as the teenage male student in particular will test the boundaries on this issue. What can we as teachers do? And can we as educators give students the skills and knowledge necessary to use the Internet safely at all times in the classroom? Andrew Ramadge addressed this issue in the article Education ‘as effective as internet filtering’ . So even though schools have Internet filtering and blocks on computers in schools, teachers still have a responsibility to educate students about danger on the Internet. Whilst looking more into this issue I came across a helpful website by the Australian Government called NetAlert. It is a comprehensive site that gives clear advice on topics such as resource discovery skills and awareness of personal information and privacy both for primary and secondary students, as well as highlighting risks with communication and collaboration as well as commercialism. It is safe to say that ‘teaching about Internet safety within the context of teaching programs in these learning areas is essential if students are to make full and informed use of the Internet as a rich source for learning’.

Did predictions made about ICT use in schools come true?

Did Barbara Means get it right when she wrote Technology Use in Tomorrows Schools nearly ten years ago? Indeed I would like to think that more than 50% of teachers have required Word Processing over the past year! Without a doubt this number has increased. A prediction which Barbara made about the move towards wireless technology and ‘handheld’ devices have of course also come true along with the increased use of mobile phone use. Perhaps somewhat idealistic was that many students would own ‘lowcost’ laptops and be able to easily access the Internet. Although current policies definitely support the integration of ICT into the classroom, the practical application is still difficult in many schools, and indeed an issue many of us faced on Prac. (as addressed also in Julia’s Blog) Although huge advancements have been made in schools use of technogloy over the past decade, lack of funding hinders its practical application in many classrooms today.

Re: Vive le WebQuest

This is a reactionary blog to Julia’s entry Vive le Webquest  I have to say that i very much agree with Julia in that an activity should be purposeful when integrating ICT into the classroom. I have notice that often the emphasis placed on teachers to include ICT may not necessarily result in active learning for the students. This is especially the case if computers are solely used as a source of information, and does not allow students to engage in tasks or reach a deep level of understanding. It is imperative to ask oneself if indeed the use of laptops or computer labs is purposeful. Although I personally did not use a Webquest in my teaching I can very much see that it would be something students would enjoy. It makes learning fun, yet at the same time allows students to partake in purposeful and active learning. I also like the fact that the teacher can modify the Quests according to individual students ability and needs. Another reason I would like to try it in my teaching is that it allows students to move at their pace, therefore being suited to a class of various ability. Thirdly I think a WebQuest may also be a great way to incorporate some cultural knowledge for beginner students. I could imagine using it for example even using it as an introduction into German Culture (traditions, cuisine, customs, celebrations etc) and building activities around this. Obviously the possibilities to use WebQuests would be endless. I am very interested to look into Webquests Julia, as this is something I would like to use in my own classroom next year (fingers crossed!)

Pupils to trial the “virtual teacher”

This entry is about an article which was published on bbc news called Pupils to Trail the ‘virtual teacher’. A new out of school hours service will allows  students to recieve homework advice from virtual teachers. Teachers will record mp3 files with homework help which students can access from home. Alva Academy hopes that this initiative will motivate and engage students and has academic merit as “Children learn well when they have the best practice demonstrated to them; these videos do just that.”

This strategy may well be effective and knowing the struggle that I have faced recently with getting students to complete HW, may well be something that I would be keen on trialling with my Prac students! As this idea is still very much in the prelimenary phase it will be an interesting idea to track. Is this perhaps something which may get students more engaged in learning? Or is it perhaps more an idea that sounds good due to the use of ICT yet will fail to address the students’ negative attitudes towards HW? Is this perhaps a quick fix option or a bandaid solution for giving incorrect HW tasks, or failing to reinforce consequences for failing to complete HW?

Learning German in Second Life!

I have to admit I am somewhat of a novice when it comes to second life but couldnt help but be interested in the fact that the Goethe Institute offers German Classes in Second Life! Tutors offer hour long classes a few times a week where you can learn German with people from all over the world! They even offer free German courses on Goethe Island (somehow I get the feeling that teenagers may like the idea of that one Aside from that you can access exhibitions, see videos and check out art projects. This would definately be a way to incorporate ICT into the language classroom. I have a feeling this would appeal to the senior highschool students who may already have some experience using Second Life (could it even be possible they would learn german independantly and in their own free time because of this?!) I am curious to speak to some of my students and see if this would be something if interest to them..sounds great!

Gemeinschaftsschule- Pro und Contra

 I found this interesting article Gemeinschaftsschule Pro o Contra? on the Goethe website in relation to the possible merging of Hauptschule and Grundschule, Realschule and Gymnasium. At present the German school system divides students depending on their achievement and streams accordingly. This occurs when the student is in Grade 4, at the age of 9 or 10. Parents are now starting to question if this is a feasible move, as many have high aspirations for their children and feel they are at a disadvantage due to this. There is current debate to move this process to Year 7, or to abolish it all together as is evident in other school systems. Yet the question that is being asked is- Will Germany’s children suffer if inclusive education takes hold? Will it ultimately result in the introduction of selective Private Schools as a result? This is such a tricky issue and having been educated in Switzerland as well as Australia it is safe to say there are distinct differences between the two Public Systems. Both the German and Swiss Public Education systems are fantastic for higher achieving students, yet perhaps are not quite as good for students who show little interest for school at a young age. Is it fair to type cast children into thinking they are either one or the other?  I am curious to see the possible changes in Education in Germany over the next years…

Re:LOTE in Cyberspace

This is a reaction to a blog by JKO’s blog

How do teachers effectively monitor the language used by students on blogs? To what degree do we as foreign language teachers need to step in and correct that grammar of posts? My opinion is that we must do the same as what happens in the classroom. That is to chose certain written pieces to correct however not correct every piece of students work. I agree with Julia that we want to improve our students written language skills yet having said this students need to remain motivated to participate in online activities. I believe it is a matter of finding a balance. Just as students should not be continuously corrected when speaking. Perhaps an activity could be for groups of students to edit blogs together, before the teacher looks at them (perhaps every few weeks). This allows students to take more control of their language learning and raises students metacognition (and also means that it will not take over the entire teaching programme!) Without a doubt blogs in TL canact as a form of informal assessment and also be encorporated into the teaching programme.