Final Reflection

 Is it easy to say which topic was the most successful? impossible. Each of them was better than the previous one. My first success was making a blog after a long time struggling. It was followed by the ABCD objectives. For a teacher like me-with zero knowledge in technology use, everything was caching- search engines, Webquest, PP presentation, creating Bookmark on Delicious which caused another struggle with technology, but I realised that it was why we were on the WIKI and I struggled. I have always wanted to know how the instructors (facilitators)work- I got it when we created our Nicenet thread. Fantastic! I will try to use it
 The readings seemed long at the beginning but then they turned out interesting and easy to follow.
I have all the links printed and know where to go when  needed. The only thing I didn't understand well was ANVIL, to be exact-how to make it. I hope it won't be a problem after some time when I become more skilled.

 I wish success to our instructor Robert and the whole group. Is it possible that we meet again sometime?

Marine

To Robert Elliott

  Dear Robert,

I would like to thank  you,  I joined the WIKI absolutely unaware of web skills. At the beginning some of our  participants' experience terrified me. Due to your kind support I felt confident and I learned so much that I'm ready to share it with the whole world. I'm happy I applied for WEB skills course, this is what I wanted and needed.
  
Thanks to Oregon University and the staff
Thanks to my WIKI friends, I learned from them a lot

Best regards

Marine Chalauri

 

Week 9

 Just one week before the wiki ends. I feel sad and I feel happy . Sad bacause I have to say good-bye to the everyday expectations what to read  and do-will it be difficult or easy?, what to post at Nicenet and curiosity what my friends post there. Happy as there is hope that I'll have some free time to relax(which I doubt, one thing finishes and immediately something else starts, we never rest).
  Max Koller and Tom Glass, editors of the Forum journal made their contribution to wiki, I feel as if it was a face to face meeting. Since then I have felt  to be Forum more active reader.
 I felt  load came off my shoulders after I posted my class project. I can't say it is perfect but I think it's all right.
This week's reading was Learning Styles, a familiar topic but enriched with technology tools. I like reading biographies and found Howard Gardner's biography very active and rich. Wow, this is life , to do so much, write so many books. I like what he says:''My colleagues and I are studying how the ethical compass of young people is affected by the new digital media". We teachers have to do a lot to achieve half of what is desirable.

Week 8

It was a busy week. First of all, we had to upload project drafts and there is always a lot ti think what to write, how to write. when I write a project. I don't like writing projects, I don't talk a lot and this reflects on my writing, I always try to make it short and get rid of it, but even this doesn't give me a satisfaction.

ANVILL made me think a lot. I like the tool, it makes so many things  easier, meaningful and useful. Unfortunately, I doubt that we are far from using it so far due to many reasons.

Creating my Nicenet class was real satisfaction to me, if I could wish something to learn it would be that, though, I need some small tips to use it well and I hope to get it.
 My third grade learners(the first year of English) will enjoy printable dice with images and text. At this age they are so active in making such things on their own. Now, when I know where to refer for such things, classroom activities will change at least a little .I could make such things myself before, now they gen be got almost ready and in such number!

Week 7

Week 7 with discussion topics: Learner autonomy and One computer classroom is almost over.We've read very interesting concepts about learner autonomy, all what the authors have observed for years. In other peoples'( especially scholars')articles you can always come across with something new which makes you think over. But I would like to say that I never thought there was a great difference between autonomous and independent learners. I wonder what my colleagues would say.
As for one computer classroom, there were so many suggested activities on teaching grammar, vocabulary, teaching videos, reading, that what we need is just develop those ideas with the help of a computer and other technologies.I don't think it will be easy to use one computer for big classes.For small classes lots of activities can be performed. Lesson planning was good verification.
A partner seeking page was like an advertisement page. We were like atoms -moving and joining. I have a partner-Petra has similar plans for her project. Time to start.

Week 6

    Finally I've made a PP presentation. I have wanted to know how to make it for so long and is seemed to me so difficult! I admit it took me hours to get statements and download pictures relevant to young learners, but: you can imagine my satisfaction! I didn't make it for just WIKI assignment, I'm going to use it with my fourth-fifth grade students, I can't wait to do it and see how the learners will react. Another encouraging thing is that while working we learn on our mistakes and when we repeat the same thing with other class, we  change to better-that's how we gain experience.
   The articles on making PP presentation provides a lot of useful tips. Especially techniques to promote interactivity. Some items from it are familiar to us and we use them for interactivity, i.e.using a picture at the beginning of the class, eliciting to promote interaction, concept questions, but there were some new items in the articles: Blank slide technique, Interpreted lecture, Quick write. Making a PP presentation according to these techniques will make it worth.

Week 5

Week 5 was pleasantly different from previous weeks. Perhaps I got used to what we are doing. PBL by Susan Gaer and WebQuest was like spices to what I have done before. It inspired me with new ideas, directions, benefits.Truly, project work develops critical thinking, independent working skills, tolerance.
 I was so happy to make my rubric that I did not pay attention how irrelevant it was for my students. Thanks to Robert I will improve it. But I don't worry-now I know it is not a problem.
 I wish I could manage technical designing as well as others can.

Week 4

  Week 4 is coming to an end. It was a busy week with four assignments which seemed a lot at the beginning, but interesting. The reading assignments familiarize me with experts' in this field ideas, new web sites. Reading of those articles encourages me to implement them in my work. Of course, impossible to use all of them because of the abundance, but even if I try, it will be encouragement for me and my co teachers, they are also eager to know how to make classes colorful.

Week 3 impressions

 Week 3 went smoother than week 2. Now I knew what it was going to be like.Robert's learning objectives for this week were a reminder of the ABCD objective formula and made me smile. We had quite a lot of work. Creating Delicious site was a problem, in spite of reading the instructions I found it difficult. Knowledge of the language is not enough , you also need to be technically   experienced and just instruction doesn't help. I asked for help but I didn't get any. Then I had to apply to someone else for assistance and I'm glad I did, now I can use it . CALL reading was full of new ideas about using computer in learning-teaching English. I just read two of the articles, hopefully I'll read the third someday, too. I like techniques and support the usage of it in teaching, but I would never say that a machine can always be a better teacher. In the articles I found many good phrases, expressions and sentences which are worth memorizing.The words segmental,  supra segmental and prosody have never been words of interest to me. Now I look at it with different eyes. As for the web sites, frankly speaking, it's impossible to have a thorough inspection for the huge amount for such a short time, just a cursory look, but at least I know where to go when needed.

My week 2

   I confess Week 2 seemed quite scary to me .The tasks , readings web search, ABCD objectives. I could not make head or tale of it because I need time to process in my mind when I am doing something new. Then I started reading and clicking on the links and step by step realized. I got to know what  search engine is, that there are many programs to search not only Google and British Council searches, like Noodle Tools page-Sweet Search for anyone to enrich their knowledge in culture, science, history; uoregon.edu search with small tips how to search; psu.edu for ABCD objectives. Lesson objectives is not a new thing for us, but it is formulated so nicely and explained that you cannot forget it.
   My coparticipants are more skilled in searching and offered other tools , I wrote down them and will be using when I need it.
   I hope I will see Week 3 with different  feeling as I understand now what the work is like,  there may be things I do not know, though,  I have never taken any computer lessons, I studied on my own or just asked someone else.

I don't want to tear myself off the computer. I want to explore more and more. I've never been interested in face book or things like this, now I see I made a mistake, it would help me.

 When I first read about this course there were several directions, "Web Skills"attracted my attention, I knew nowhere else I would learn such skills, though I was not sure of my expectations. Now I have advanced, hope to learn enough to use in my practice and share with others.

 10.01.2010


  Finally I have managed to make a blog. It took me days. I was struggling with myself whether to leave the course or not. If not Robert's patience and encouragement, I would have done it . I'm not bad at understanding but without someone's help I find it a bit difficult to gain computer skills. I overcame the first barrier and feel happy that now I have learned at least one thing and can share with others whoever needs it. I so much want to be able to use technology in my classes. We have computers at school, but I am afraid we are not using them properly.