In-class discussion on 5/11 (by Celia and Julie)

Discuss principles for designing English teaching and learning weblogs with team members.
1. The design of the whole weblog should be use-friendly. Namely, designers should use plain and easy description to tell users the objective of the weblog as well as how can people use it clearly.
2. To provide various links (hypertexts) so that users have many references.
3. Users' feedback and responses should be highly regarded and designers should reply to the users' inquiries as soon as they can.
4. Designers can use multimedia tools such as video clips, powerpoint files, audio clips and so on to complement and support their goal and attract uses' attention.
5. To offer some assessment materials so that users can know how much they learn from this website.

Discuss criteria for evaluating ESL/EFL weblogs with team members.
1. To check whether the website has the functions of comments, moderation, traceback and pinback.
2. To check if the weblog involves some multimedia tools (e.g. video clips, eye-catching pictures, audio clips and so on) to support their objectives.
3. Does the weblog use-friendly enough or too complicated to understand.
4. To value whether the content of the weblog meets their teaching goal or not.
5. Does the weblog possess other hypertexts? 6. Do the designers reply to the uses' questions or comments rapidly or for a long time?

Websites in CALL Essentials (Chap. 4)

MSN messenger (http://www.msn.com/defaultc.aspx)

When it comes to tools for communication and collaboration, MSN messenger is the last tool I would like to ignore, since it really provides people with a convenient way to communicate. It is very popular among people of all ages, especially among students in university. It is a mainly synchronous tool, but it can also have asynchronous functions seeing that it has e-mail, and also its newest revised version allows users to talk even if they are not at the same time. When you log into your MSN, it pops up a page consists of three parts: today's focus, your e-mail list, and the latest news around the world. Also the main page of MSN system provides diverse links with users, from auction to news, and from matchmaking (seek your girlfriend or boyfriend through net pals) to blogs. Most links are very useful for me!

Most people tend to think of MSN as a tool only for chatting. Indeed, its primary function is chatting. Nonetheless, users can still use them to do some serious business such as online conferences, discussion etc. You can deliver digital files to people whoever on your contact list. It also enables users to see each other through video cameras or listen to the other's voice through microphones. If my memory serves me right, MSN System can allow at most tens of participants to chat together simultaneously within a window. So I possess the experience of having a small class reunion chat on MSN, it's very interesting! Moreover, you can create your own website so that users can learn more information about you. Of course you can make your own web space private, if you want. In addition, MSN provides people with many choices. You may opt to lurk when you do not talk to others. You may block someone when you do not talk to him or her anymore. Or you may talk to someone yet your status is offline. It all up to you!

People may claim that when you chat in a non-face-to-face situation, you cannot see others' facial expression so that you cannot tell whether she or he is elated or sad, angry or smiling. Indeed. It's a demerit of chatting through MSN. But since MSN offers many lovely facial expressions and cute animations, you can choose the most appropriate one to convey your feelings when necessary and the situation may thus be improved a little. If you are still discontent with facial expressions provided there, you may prefer using the handwriting function to draw a new one. What's more, provided you really want to see the other's face, you may open the function of video camera.

Above all, all the available functions in MSN are all free. You do not have to pay any money while using it. Probably it is the most important reason why people are so fund of using it.

Websites in CALL Essentials (Chap. 7)

Cable News Network (http://edition.cnn.com/)

The internationally renowned Cable News Network website is inundated with the latest news in all aspects, such as science, sport, technology, entertainment and so on. It is a fine example of content-based website, and readers can choose items whatever they are interested in. The objective of this website is to inform people all over the world of some international affair as well as regional news, but to ESL learners, this website also serves as a good tool to train their reading mainly. The website also classifies the news by its region and category, which keeps this website neat and in order. The goal of content-based learning is to put emphasis on both content and language learning. And the instructors can adopt and adapt the content on this website according to their students’ level. From the news categorized in this website, students may also learn some lessons and inspirations. I particularly prefer one item on the left-bottom of this website called “Untold Stories.” The "World's Untold Stories" blog accompanies a new weekly documentary series on CNN, and takes users to places rarely caught on camera. I enjoy it in that gritty, powerful tales often open our eyes to a world that is both disturbing and captivating. What makes CNN so world-widely prominent is that it brings people some fresh insights.

What interests me most is the content of this website is so close to our life. I am always eager to learn the latest news around the world. And when I was in senior high school, my English teacher has strongly recommend us to listen to CNN broadcast program on televisions. We even subscribe a magazine called “CNN Interactive English” which explains the content of some significant news for ESL learners. I felt the content is slightly difficult at that time. But now the content is very appropriate for me since I am an English major presently. As a result, this website is highly helpful for me to train my reading comprehension. Though this is not an English teaching website, its content is indeed a good material for readers to learn.

Reflection on Tapped In Online Conferences (Authentic Experience)

Recently I attended two Tapped In online conferences. One is “Climate Change ─ What Can We Do about it?” It belongs to environment group. And the other one is “Special Education Forum – Assessment.” The first topic is close to our life, so I opt to attend it. As for the special education forum, well, it’s just because I am free at that time. Yet, I think I get a better hang of online discussion in the second time.

In the first Tapped In meeting, somehow, the participants are really few. It has just about five people at most. And no people greet me or ask me questions except the moderator Maggi. She is friendly and appreciates my first participation; therefore, I am so elated. Most of the participants are sophisticated teachers from different countries, such as Germany or America. I think they are all very enthusiastic environment protectors, and they urge other people to protect our environment as they do. For example, one participant says that there are few people in his campus willing to recycle garbage. And his campus also does not take recycle work seriously. So he states this with somewhat anger (I guess, from the words he types.) He urges his students to do recycle work. Another participant thinks that trucks are the primary contributing factor for the serious air pollution. And he even seldom drives cars in that it may cause air pollution. What impresses me most is the ample links provided in their group pages, so that you can find various kinds of information, links, pictures, data, films and so on if you want. They are indeed good tools for people to get a better understanding as to environmental protection. But there is a weird situation. That is, sometimes people keep talking rapidly and respectively so that you do not know which content you should respond or follow. Sometimes, however, all people fall into fully silence so you may wonder does this discussion still exist. Ha! That’s somewhat funny and strange, isn’t it? Consequently, I have a mixed feeing towards this online discussion.

In respect to the second Tapped In online conference, well, I think I am more in the situation compared with the first one. There are about eleven participants so that the discussion is intensive. I like this feeling. Even though the moderator, Paul is late for about fifty minutes, BJB breaks the ice and provokes the participants’ discussion successfully. Whenever it falls into silence for a few moments, BJB just asks questions to keep everybody talking. For example, “What is the purpose of assessment?” “What would some solutions be to providing individualized curriculum?” are all questions asked by BJB. Due to this discussion, it dawns on me that in special education, it takes different ways to teach students according to each individual. To my big surprise, two participants in this discussion have ever been a student in a special education class. Nonetheless, it does not mean that they are intelligently inferior to other students. It simply means they have difficulty in writing, reading, speaking or listening aspect, so they join special education class to improve their ability. One participant also shares a website (http://help4teachers.com/) with us for the purpose of helping us become excellent teachers. It seems that I have a better feeling in this discussion, for the participants are strongly willing to express their opinions. Also that BJB is enthusiastic about helping new participants may be another reason. What I admire Tapped In most is it helps people from different countries interact with each other. People from different cultures can present their diverse ideas to a question simultaneously. Overall speaking, I obtain an authentic learning experience outside textbooks, and this experience is definitely invaluable and fresh for me!