Learning curve…
Posted by dmlagrone on March 2, 2009
I’m completely caught up in learning about all about new technology that is available to help ESL/ELL students and teachers. I’m going to my Delicious page to find a list of all the cool stuff I’ve been spending time exploring: Google Translate, Vocaroo, and Educational Origami.
I’m using two criteria for evaluating technology for teachers: 1) is it easy to use?, and 2) does it provide support for students? The first is obvious; teachers are too busy to use things that are time-consuming to install or use. The second SEEMS obvious but sometimes a closer look at a piece of technology makes me question the value I initially thought I saw. I’m also trying to be very broad-minded about “value” because I know we all find really different applications for the same thing. I suppose I say that as a disclaimer so that if I love it and you hate it, I’m covered!
I’m also discovering that I’m using a system as I investigate new tech. One part of that is to run trials using friends and family as to attempt to use “it”. For example, I created a Facebook page to serve as a place for our UT alumni to find me. I want to stay in their radar to continue to provide support for them in their classrooms. Simply keeping email addresses was too cumbersome. Facebook is there… I began my “friends” with my tech-savvy journalist daughter and some tech-savvy colleagues and a few of our alumni who are in the area. I’m rapidly expanding my contacts using this, and I’m seeing an increase in the posting of professional ideas and links. I think this will take time but I’m excited about the spread so far.
I’m also trying to clean up my Delicious page so that articles and sites are labeled more consistently. Learning to label has been more challenging than I realized; it forces me to rethink exactly how I was thinking about the materials as I save them to share.
This blog is providing me with a journal-type venue to share what I’m finding and to keep up with where I’ve been.
