So I'm not sold on wikis just because I'm not sure what they do. I like real-time peer editing setups, like googledocs, because I've seen their uses in a professional setting. It seems to me that a good deal of learning hwo to use these applications has to do with personal preference. Obviously ease of use and access should be priorities, and I am partial to podcasts, but I haven't quite made the jump to being able to visualize using a lot of this stuff in class. Hopefully my collaborative mega-project, being assembled this weekend, will open my eyes.
Second Life is interesting, or would be if I ever saw anyone on there. Even when I go to supposedly populated areas, like the massive ESL ho-downs that show up in a search, I can't find anyone--or, if I do, they don't seem interested in talking to me. Maybe it's my avatar--I know he's a little rakish, one might even say dashing, but does that mean he can't be an effective instructor? I should think not.
Notes for Tuesday, April 13, 2010
14 years ago
That's an important observation sir. In order to use 2nd Life as an ESL tool, one needs to have other people both available and willing to talk to you. It might make sense to collaborate with another teacher to set up a time for students to sign on at the same time (and a place to meet) for them to talk. Or to find out where the most heavily trafficed places are and what time people tend to be there the most. If it's not during classrooms hours, it could be difficult to use it as an ESL tool.
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