Category Archives: Resources

Mobile

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Remember Christmas? The fragrance of roast and the Christmas tree gently mingled with the slight but pervasive smoke of sparkle throwers, beigli and potato salad, mayonnaise, red and gold everywhere, Home Alone on TV, the silence of souls and kids’ joyful expressions of delight and surprise over the presents under the tree: “Mom! Wow! A tablet/iPad/smartphone/iPod touch!!!”, shouted out loud into the sacred night?

But seriously, I bet the little angel’s bag (or pocket) was heavy with mobile devices in the holiday season. (One of my pre-school students got a cheap tablet. I hear the public outcry “a 5-year-old shouldn’t be given a tablet.” What I think is … well … she could have been given a decent Barbie house with a garden, same price. I’d rather go for the tablet, get at me …)
Most probably your students also have new gadgets and chances are they use them for anything but learning.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing but I feel there is a lot to do here.

You may want to know more about how to use these and what cool apps there are available.
Earlier on Mary already presented the fantastic tool ‘Explain Everything‘. She really convinced me, I downloaded it, although not for free. It has proved to be a silver bullet, I use it nearly every day, with various types of learners and in many ways, thank you for that!

Where can we get more information on apps available and how to use them? Google?

Search keywords:
Mobile learning
iPad for schools
Android for schools
BYOD (bring your own device)

Household names:
Nicky Hockly
Gavin Dudeney
Isil Boy
Elinda Gjondedaj
Ozge Karaouglu
Shelly Terrell
Nik Peachey

Some inks:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/learningmobile/?fref=ts

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Educational-Technology/202077286473233?ref=ts&fref=ts
http://www.freetech4teachers.com/
http://ipadapps4school.com/
http://android4schools.com/
http://www.scoop.it/search?q=mobile+learning&type=topic&page=1&limit=24

photo (7)

Made with apps Phoster and Skitch


If you have already implemented using mobile devices in ELT please share your adventures with us. Also feel free to add search keywords, names, links to the ones above. Don’t hesitate to ask questions, not sure we can answer. Hmm … what if yes?

 

P.S.
I nearly forgot the cats! This is a photo of my living room. No, I don’t have cats nor a tiger. It’s a picture dictation activity with young learners. You know, “there’s a tiger on the sofa”.
The app is Cat Effects.

photo (3)

Shepherding cool links: Content Curation

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Do you know why I’m into ICT in ELT? Because I love cool links! It is definitely cool links that keep me going. Finding a cool link is like a birthday present each.
I mean not only funny cat videos but also classroom resources, articles on topics of my interests (learner autonomy, cooperation, etc.) and all sorts of web-based digital multimedia content.

Great! The only problem with cool links is that they just seem to flood at random (not when you would actually need them) making you feel suffocated in the multitude of cool links, which is obviously an uncool condition.

How on earth can you handle this overload of cool links after all?

One option is bookmarking, either in your browser or social bookmarking, another one is using content curation tools. (The two are of course totally different functions, it’s about how to survive the flood mentioned above.) I prefer the latter option, it has to do with my nature. (Chaotic.)

In very simple, content curation is when … let’s see … there is a bunch of cooool links, there is someone who is kind and motivated enough to categorize and filter content and compile it in an easy to handle and attractive (magazine-like) format with the help of a handy tool. This someone can actually be you yourself.

Ok, before getting lost in that explanation, let’s go to my favourite content curation tool: Scoop.it!

Let’s say you have a brand new tablet and you want to know about apps. Write your search term ‘apps ELT’ in the search box.

You will find three tabs as marked by the orange arrows: scoops (compilations), nice and helpful people, and topics. You can register and follow the topics, thus ensuring you will always be well informed.

 

Photo Skitch Document

Do you want to be nice too? You can curate your own content if you like by clicking on ‘my topics’ and ‘create a topic’.

If you want to know more about it and find other content curation tools, just ask us or don’t hesitate to ask your friend: Google.

Feel free to comment and share your experience and thoughts on content curation or anything else ICT ELT related, funny cat videos are also welcome. (Just kidding. Mmmm.)

 

Explain everything!

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I know there are plenty of free apps for teachers, but ExplainEverything is so cheap at USD 2.99, maybe others will want to pay the reasonable price and get some good tools. I use it to create grammar explanations about specific questions students ask–it’s colorful and really helps them understand. Recently, when the spring flowers started blooming, I used ExplainEverything and Google Images downloaded to my photo roll to put together a few photos of snowdrops, violets, etc with some prompt questions, then used the recording feature with students while they chatted and it worked great, too.  ExplainEverything’s website has some nice examples made by teachers.

From the developer:

Explain Everything is an easy-to-use design tool that lets you annotate, animate, and narrate explanations and presentations. You can create dynamic interactive lessons, activities, assessments, and tutorials using Explain Everything’s flexible and integrated design. Use Explain Everything as an interactive whiteboard using the iPad2 video display.

Explain Everything records on-screen drawing, annotation, object movement and captures audio via the iPad microphone. Import Photos, PDF, PPT, and Keynote from Dropbox, Evernote, Email, iPad photo roll and iPad2 camera. Export MP4 movie files, PNG image files, and share the .XPL project file with others for collaboration.

For more information please visit www.explaineverything.com
Here is a video introduction to the ExplainEverything app
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoL2goi8fxU&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoL2goi8fxU&feature=relmfu
And, this is the ExplainEverything channel, where you can see examples of presentations and other things people have done with it.

Google+ hangout with extras

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Originally I wanted to use the title “Spend time with minor characters” (feeble joke on “hangout with extras”), but then I decided to settle for a more traditional and perhaps more descriptive one.

So, a couple of months ago Google unveiled some extra features to complement their “Hangout” within Google+. Basically, it’s an advanced videoconferencing tool, but don’t let this description frighten you. It’s like Skype on steroids, to use an analogy. It can do everything that Skype does and more. Not only do you get to see the other person while talking, but you can also share notes, use a sketchpad together and work on the same Google document. In Skype, videoconferencing for free is limited to two people; here you can have ten, which is more than one can realistically handle.

All you need is a Google+ account, which comes free with a Google account, and you need a Google account anyway, since it can be used for so many things, especially in ELT. Once you’re in Google+, click on Start a hangout (top right, with a small camera icon), and make sure you choose Hangout with extras on the login screen. Then choose your contacts you want to hang out with, and you’re there.

On the left you’ll see the navigation bar, on the right the people you’re hanging out with, while the middle of the screen is reserved for stuff you’re working on together.

screenshot of a Google+ hangout

Using the sketchpad

The screenshot above shows the sketchpad in use – please forgive my drawing skills; I’m sure you still get the idea. Basically, you can draw lines, shapes of any kind, insert images or text and change the look of all the above.

screenshot of the notes feature

Using notes in Google+ Hangout with extras

For sharing or working on documents, click on Notes – again, the example above doesn’t do the software justice.

You can also share your Google Documents and work on them together: lots of potential for teaching English.

One of the best features is screen sharing: if you need to explain something, you can choose which window on your desktop you want your partner to see – it’s like working on the same computer. Your students can also ask for your help by showing you their screen – if you’ve ever had the experience of having to explain how to do something on the computer, you’ll know why it is a godsend.

Using Google Docs in teaching English

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One issue that came up during the ICT SIG Afternoon was using Google Docs in teaching English. Here’s a video about what you can do with this brilliant tool:

Here’s Google’s own introduction for educators interested in using Google Docs: http://www.google.com/educators/p_docs.html

And another one, on teaching collaborative revision: http://www.google.com/educators/weeklyreader.html

Have you used Google Docs in your lessons? What were your experiences? Do you have any questions about it? Or some links you’d like to share?