Reading Prompt #3

*LEVY – Ch. 8. Technology

*BLACKBOARD - Soares, D. d.A. (2008). Understanding class blogs as a tool for language development. Language Teaching Research, 12(4), 517–533.

What challenges did Soares face when using blogs with her ESL students, and what lessons did she learn? How does she feel about using blogs with students in the future? Levy describes several types of technologies Choose one of them and describe how you might want to use it (or have used it), and discuss some of considerations that need to be taken when using this technology with ESL students

HTML Exercises Clarification - Ch. 2

The last section of Ch. 2 in the HTML book tells you to upload a file to Web Server. We don't have one set up for this class.

Instead, you will use the Assignment turn-in tool on Blackboard. Just click on HTML Exercises, and then chapter 2, and use the tools there to attach and upload the file index.htm that you modified as part of Chapter 2.

I'll provide greater clarification in class about what to turn in each week.

See you in class tomorrow! And please, I still need the blog urls for several of you (see names in posting below)

School Book Purge is Ill-fated

There is a major debate and controversy in Texas right now over the state's social studies/history standards, which are used to dictate what kids are to study, and usually influence what gets covered in textbooks sold to the schools. At issue is the State Board of Education's decision to remove a number of Latino historical figures that have contributed to the building of Texas and the United States.

Victor Landa, a columnist for the San Antonio Express News, made some poignant observations about how technology--the kinds of technology we have been discussing in this class--is providing a means around these attempts of the majority to dictate what constitutes sanctioned knowledge and what can be taught in schools. Below is part of his column. Click here to read the full column. I'd love to know your thoughts about this issue!

But what they can no longer do is control knowledge. Not in the 21st century, not in the age of the digital, electronic “press.”

The State Board of Education doesn't want the work of César Chávez in the books? Start a Wiki on the Internet with his accomplishments and a study guide and curriculum, and use that in the classrooms.

The conservatives of the state board want to include items in the texts that extol the accomplishments of Newt Gingrich and the Moral Majority? Build a Web site accessible to teachers and students that speaks of the works of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

What can they do? Take a teacher to court as if this were 1920's Tennessee?

Apparently the majority of the Texas State Board of Education hasn't noticed the revolution in their midst. The power of the press is no longer private and corporate. The power of media is now grass-roots, collaborative and accessible.

Let them burn books and think they're accomplishing something. We can always build an Internet portal and share the link.

SAISD upgrades technology

An article in today's San Antonio Express News describes efforts underway in the San Antonio Unified School District to upgrade its technology. The article notes the benefits of technology, but also describes why its so important for the district to do this -- most kids are poor and have little access to computers at home. This relates to the Digital Divide we'll be reading more about in this course. A link to the article is below. I'd love to know what you think about it!

SAISD Upgrade Technology

by Lindsay Kastner

More than half of the 30,000 computers in the San Antonio Independent School District are considered obsolete, and the district is in the midst of a massive plan to replace its outdated technology resources.

“Those units, they're good for using electricity and generating heat,” said Chief Information Officer Marcos Zarola.

To remedy the situation, the district boosted its annual technology spending by $2.5 million at the start of this fiscal year, bringing the total dedicated funds to $3 million.

Schools are getting new, specially designed laptops with rugged exteriors, extra-long battery life and anti-microbial keypads. The new laptops are housed on carts to create a mobile computer lab.

Read the rest of the Article at http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/education/SAISD_upgrades_technology.html#

Video - How to Create a Blog with Blogger

Here's a good quick overview of how to create your own blog with Blogger!

Reading Prompt #2

Prompt #2

*BLACKBOARD – Egbert, J. (2005). CALL Essentials: Principals and Practices in CALL Classrooms.—Ch. 1. Introduction: Principles of CALL.

*RICHARDSON Ch. 3. Weblogs: Getting Started

Egbert describes the optimal conditions for classroom language learning. Discuss how blogs and blogging can be a tool for achieving these conditions with ELL students. Finally, describe your own experience creating your blog this week. What topic or topics do you plan to blog about?

Software Evaluation Guidelines

The Software Evaluation Guidelines are now available on Google Docs via the link below. A link has also been added on the side under "Course Documents"

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfj9393x_86c4cgms7n

Blog Assignment and Content Guidelines

Guidelines outlining the blog assignment and the required contents are available on Google Docs at the link below. A link has also been posted to the side under "Course Documents"

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfj9393x_49h5t8rcq9

Presentation Schedule

The Presentation Schedule is now available on Google Docs. Click the link below to access it

http://docs.google.com/View?id=dfj9393x_84fjxc2bd8

Please check to make sure i have you down for the correct dates and titles for your Quickshare and Reading presentations.

I'll also post a link to the side.

Beginning HTML (XHTML) Tutorial

Suzanne found a great intro tutorial to HTML. This 30 minute video covers several of the chapters in our HTML book, but this is an excellent overview for you visual learners out there!

Reading Prompt #1

*LEVY – Ch. 3 Evaluation
*RICHARDSON Ch. 1. The Read/Write Web.
*RICHARDSON Ch. 2. Weblogs: Pedagogy & Practice

What has been your experience with blogs prior to this class? Are there any blogs you regularly visit? Do you have your own blog? Richardson describes the many potential uses of weblogs for classroom pedagogy and practice. What are some ways blogs could be used effectively with ELL students?

Levy described many different types and methods of evaluation of CALL software programs or websites. As an ESL teacher, describe at least one component you would want to see in an evaluation that would help you decided whether or not to use it.

Wright (2010) - Technology

Chapelle (2001) Presentation

Welcome to the ESL 5073 course blog!

Greetings!

This blog is for our course, ESL 5073 Computer Assisted Language Learning, Spring 2010, at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

The blog will be used for course announcements, information on assignments, weekly reading prompts, highlighting your work, and posting other relevant information.

I am excited about the course and look forward to all the wonderful projects you'll be undertaking!