Creating A Wiki

In this characteristic I'd similar to exhibit y'all how to practise your ain complimentary wiki using 'Wetpaint' in addition to await at closed to of the reasons for using wikis to make educational goals.

First, for those of y'all who don't know what a wiki is, here's a quick Definition which comes from 1 of the almost famous wikis, Using wikis alongside EFL students

Using wikis for instructor development

Using Wikis Alongside Efl Students

In this characteristic I desire to part some other tutorial that yous tin purpose amongst your students showing how to edit your wiki too convey a await at a alive demo wiki that yous too your students tin play unopen to with.

In my previous postal service I looked at how to practise a wiki using WetPaint too a few of the reasons for using one.

This tutorial shows yous how uncomplicated it is to edit the wiki. As a demonstration I've gear upwards a wiki using the How to practise a wiki

Using wikis for instructor development

Using Wikis For Instructor Development

In my 2 previous features, I've looked at how to practise a wiki together with how to role them amongst EFL students. In this posting I'd similar to await at a dyad of technical aspects, how to embed video inward the wiki together with how to add together hyperlinks, together with how nosotros tin sack role them for instructor development.

Let's start amongst the technical bit. Here are 2 video tutorials. The starting fourth dimension shows how nosotros tin sack embed videos into a How to practise a wiki

Using wikis amongst EFL students

To convey a closer await at WetPaint together with practise your ain wiki become to: http://www.wetpaint.com/

Dictation Goes Spider Web 2.0

Yes too why not? Seems hard to come across how this would live on accomplished precisely it sure enough does seem to live on the illustration at the Listen too Write - Dictation website. What's to a greater extent than it seems to create got been done inward a pretty impressive agency too.

This site features quite a seat out of good files all of which tin live on accessed through quite a cleverly designed dictation activity. The users larn to head to parts of a judgement too they too hence create got to type inward the words of the judgement to a text champaign which alone allows the words if they are correct. They are able to head over too also larn some assistance yesteryear setting the activity to automobile consummate the words every bit they type them inward (cuts downwardly on the frustration for EFL students of non beingness able to piece what yous tin hear).

The other overnice seem of it is that yous larn a score every bit yous larn too hence yous tin move against yourself to attempt to ameliorate the score.

But where's the Web 2.0 bit?
Well anyone who registers tin link to an good file for role inward the activities. As a registered user yous tin also accept on the business of adding the transcript etc. This tin live on a smashing agency of sharing what must live on quite a lot of work. Anyway, sentry this video to come across it inward action.



How to role this amongst students

• Just your EFL students registered too sit down them amongst some headphones to move through a few dictations
• Get your students to add together some good files that they would similar turned into dictation activities
• Add some of your ain good too transcripts that yous desire students to move on

What I similar nigh it

• This is actually practiced complimentary listening do for students
• Great for role inward a media see or to gear upward listening homework for students to produce on their ain (they tin enjoin yous their scores inward class)
• Nicely designed activity amongst good sentiment out prompts
• Great that it plans to include other languages
• Great that the move charge is beingness shared out too that users tin add together links to audios they desire somebody to transcribe
• The texts create got been leveled according to difficulty

What I'm non hence sure about

• I didn't care to detect a privacy policy on the site, hence I wonder what they produce amongst my information 1 time they create got it!
• Most of the texts are quite high score too grabbed from Voice of America news, hence are also on some quite heavy intelligence topics.
  
• Some to a greater extent than exercise types would live on great, though they may live on coming
• I wonder who is going to live on willing to seat the fourth dimension into transcribing the good files (bit cynical I know precisely teachers are seldom sitting around amongst a lot of fourth dimension on their hands)

On the whole I mean value this is a actually simple, precisely actually smashing idea. This site has huge potential for linguistic communication evolution too I promise the the people at Listen too Write tin croak on this going too that your students detect it actually useful.

Best

Nik Peachey

Skype Endure Two Online Workspace

Anyone who uses their whiteboard for ELT / EFL classes volition know what a actually useful teaching aid it tin john be, thus how nigh using 1 amongst your distance learners?

In Part 1 of this serial on Skype plugins, I looked at how in addition to where to detect in addition to install plugins for Skype in addition to I also looked at how to exercise Pamela to tape well materials in addition to interviews amongst Skype.

In this posting I'd similar to direct maintain a expect at an online collaboration tool called Yugma which allows you lot to percentage files, percentage your desktop, brand alive presentations in addition to direct maintain a shared online whiteboard all running along side your Skype application.

This quick tutorial takes you lot through some of the basic features.


You tin john download a version for your figurer inwards Quick Time here.
Or
Open the tutorial inwards a new window here.

How to exercise this amongst ELT / EFL students
Well I intend this is definitely a distance learning back upward tool rather than some matter to exercise inwards the classroom / multi media lab amongst students. It could last ideal for instructor who wants to learn online 1 to 1 peculiarly if you lot are doing this independently in addition to don't direct maintain the back upward of a companionship to supply you lot amongst specialist software. I intend it's also a pretty useful tool for instructor preparation in addition to evolution if you lot direct maintain groups of teachers spread around the province or the solid seat down even.

• You tin john demonstrate students how to exercise specific software for their course of didactics in addition to verbalize them through the diverse processes.
• You tin john demonstrate students around websites in addition to exercise them every bit the footing for online discussion
• You tin john percentage documents amongst your students in addition to acquire them to piece of job on them collaboratively
• Students tin john percentage projects they direct maintain been working on amongst other grouping members
• You tin john play games online such every bit Pictionary (a game where 1 thespian draws a painting in addition to the others direct maintain to justice the news it represents)
• You tin john percentage notes every bit you lot deliver presentations
• You tin john tape presentations in addition to reuse them
• You tin john gear upward a whole programme of dissimilar online line of piece of job organisation simulations such as
• Presenting data nigh a company
• Presenting a sales study of the results of survey findings
• Students drive to sell a fictional production to investors (your other students would last the investors)
• Carrying out online interviews, amongst students presenting in addition to talking nigh their CVs

• The mightiness to tape these presentations would enter much easier for your students to review them in addition to for you lot to offering feedback on their work.

What I similar nigh Yugma

• As tools similar this acquire a to a greater extent than widely used in addition to accepted portion of international business, developing the mightiness to exercise such tools is going to acquire a valuable 'real life' skill.
• It's costless (at to the lowest degree some parts are) in addition to quite slow in addition to quick to install in addition to use.
• I actually similar that you lot tin john tape your meetings to spotter after etc.
• Great that this integrates amongst Skype
• It seems to offering a pretty comprehensive packet of functions

What I wasn't thus certain about

• Some of the functionality is express after the commencement fifteen days, unless you lot direct to pay for an account.
• You direct maintain to last certain that your firewall / anti-virus doesn't block it, thus if you lot direct maintain whatsoever problems getting it started, in addition to thus that's the commencement matter to check.
• You'll also postulate to acquire your students to download in addition to install it.

Well I promise you lot detect this tool useful. As I said, this is actually 1 for the distance / online tutor in addition to I'd dearest to take away heed from anyone who has tried it out amongst their students.

Best

Nik Peachey

Create Your Ain Social Network Seven Steps

Social networking is i of the fundamental concepts that is driving Web 2.0 these days. With the opportunities social networks offering for collaboration as well as communication, this is sure something nosotros every bit educators should hold upwards thinking nearly beingness involved in.


In this tutorial I'd similar to exhibit you lot how to do your ain social network on Ning, simply past times next 7 steps. I've published these every bit a downloadable PDF alongside hide shots, then that you lot tin impress them upwards as well as follow them / percentage them.

• 7 steps to creating a social network>> (944k pdf)
  

Perhaps though, to a greater extent than importantly it's worth thinking nearly some of the issues, as well as pros as well as cons surrounding the utilisation of social networks.

Some advantages of creating your ain network.

• Control over the content
  You tin brand sure nobody posts anything inappropriate or irrelevant.
  
• Control of who joins as well as the powerfulness to block or ban people
  You tin protect your members, ban anyone who doesn't bear or simply bound membership to people you lot desire to invite.
• Increased reach
  You tin increase the accomplish of your F2F activities as well as acquire to a greater extent than people involved inwards the collaborative / collective evolution of your project.
  
• Good for your personal / career development
  You tin larn a lot through beingness an administrator as well as develop some useful skills as well as knowledge.
  

Things to consider earlier you lot launch your network

• Closed (just people you lot invite) or Open (anyone who wants to join)
  I would advise starting off alongside simply people you lot invite start to encounter how things receive got off. Deciding to brand the network opened upwards could receive got a lot of consideration as well as demand much to a greater extent than 'policing' moderation from you.
  
• Do you lot receive got the fourth dimension to deal the network?
  This is ever a fundamental interrogation for teachers. Keeping the network active as well as upwards to appointment is going to receive got time. If you lot don't receive got the fourth dimension / resources to set into it, best non to start.
  
• Do you lot receive got or tin you lot detect content to input to the network?
  Content is withal the original motivation for teachers / students to acquire involved, fifty-fifty if it's simply every bit stimulation for communication / collaborative work, you lot demand to receive got something to offering as well as your members are going to demand to 'get something' from visiting your network, or they won't hold upwards coming back.
  
• How / Will you lot hold upwards able to rear collaboration betwixt the members?
  Bit similar the betoken above. Just providing a network isn't going to do collaboration. Ning is simply a platform, you lot receive got to render reasons, tasks, activities for members to collaborate on, or it simply won't happen.
  
• What functionality (groups, forums, video as well as photograph sharing) do you lot desire to brand available?
  Providing all of these on Ning is easy, but don't render anything you lot can't use. If you lot render the powerfulness to percentage photos / videos, brand sure you lot receive got something to percentage as well as reasons for sharing those things. You'll too demand to recollect nearly who tin percentage add together as well as create. Are you lot going to proceed consummate command or percentage it alongside your members?
  
• Will you lot desire to include advertising or enquire it to hold upwards removed?
  If you lot are using Ning for educational purposes you lot tin contact them as well as enquire for advertising to hold upwards removed. You tin too pay for a Ning platform as well as generate some coin from the advertising yourself. I wouldn't recommend this every bit the amount may good non justify what you lot receive got to set upwards alongside from the advertisers. It's too amend to acquire the advertising removed earlier you lot invite people to join, every bit some of the links tin hold upwards inappropriate.
  
• What data volition you lot desire members to add together when joining?
  You tin determine what data members demand to submit when they bring together as well as determine who sees the information. You detect out a lot nearly them this way, but people tin hold upwards set off past times having to give away their information, then it could hold upwards best simply to allow them decide.
  
• How long volition you lot desire to proceed the network live? (limited menstruation or indefinitely)
  If you lot exclusively intend to utilisation the network for a specific fourth dimension express projection it mightiness hold upwards goodness to brand this clear to your members, then they proceed records of anything they develop inside the network. Then when the projection ends you lot tin delete it alongside a clear conscience as well as proceed the spider web tidy.

Looking at other networks
Before you lot start your ain social network it's a goodness thought to receive got a await circular at what others are doing. You mightiness acquire some goodness ideas, encounter some potential pitfalls you lot desire to avoid, or fifty-fifty determine someone already has your expanse covered as well as simply determine to bring together them instead of recreating the wheel. Here a 4 networks for teachers that are good worth checking out.

• Mexico English linguistic communication Teachers' Alliance
  http://metamexico.ning.com/
• Teachers helping teachers
  http://teachershelpingteachers.ning.com/
• EFL Classroom 2.0
  http://eflclassroom.ning.com/
• Classroom 2.0
  http://www.classroom20.com/

Evaluation criteria
Deciding whether you lot desire to bring together or recommend a network tin hold upwards a tricky process, but every bit I've been looking closed to for ones I desire to hold upwards component subdivision of I've built upwards a listing of criteria that I detect quite useful to receive got inwards the dorsum of my mind.

• What features / functionality does the network offer? (Groups forums etc.)
  If there's no interaction, is it worth beingness a component subdivision of this network?
  
• Are the groups / forums active alongside a number of members exchanging information?
  Just because it has them doesn't hateful they are beingness used. Have a await as well as brand sure at that spot is something at that spot to larn as well as somebody at that spot to larn with.
  
• Are these features beingness used? (If the network offers the utilisation of photograph or video sharing is this beingness used?)
  This is a goodness house to await to encounter what members are actually sharing. Is at that spot original content or is it all grabbed from YouTube / Flickr?
  
• Can you lot detect out when the network was concluding active?
  Some networks are withal online, but receive got died. Either the members or creator has lost interest. No betoken joining an inactive network.
  
• How many members does it have?
  Open networks that exclusively receive got a minor number of members, may hold upwards less worthwhile. Most networks demand a critical volume to proceed them moving, unless the members are really committed.
  
• Are whatsoever of the members’ photographs inappropriate?
  Many people bring together networks to describe traffic to their / unsuitable sites. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 quick await at their avatar icon could good give you lot a clue to which these are.
  
• Check out some of the fellow member profiles. Does the profile reveal the member’s electronic mail address or other personal information that you lot wouldn't desire to share?
  Make sure that the network isn't forcing you lot to reveal to a greater extent than data than you lot would experience happy with.
  
• Are at that spot whatsoever ‘Google Ads’ on the site? Are these suitable or potentially offensive?
  Especially when recommending networks to others, it's goodness to banking enterprise tally this first.
  
• Is at that spot whatsoever interesting content on the site?
  Again, I withal believe that content is king. Content + collaboration = learning! No content, don't join.
  
• Who is behind the network?
  Always wise to know who you lot are dealing alongside as well as sharing your data / cognition with. Is it a grouping of similar minded individuals, or a faceless companionship alongside dubious motivations?
  

Why do your ain network for teachers?
Some suggestions:

• To back upwards item dispersed groups doing specific projects / preparation courses
  
• To tape as well as percentage examples of exercise as well as expertise specific to their context
• To aid prepare as well as develop teachers inwards the utilisation of ICT / Learning Technology

Why do your ain network for students?
Some suggestions:

• Class enquiry projects – do a network for your students based closed to a item subject that they demand to research.
• Inter-class projection – do a network for sharing data alongside students inwards some other schoolhouse / country.
• Create a fan site alongside your students dedicated to a item celebrity they like.
• Create a site to inform visitors nearly Kingdom of Morocco / your town or city, your civilization etc.
• Create an online classroom as well as add together links to materials, activities as well as tasks the students should do.
• Create a network to showcase students piece of job as well as proceed inwards contact alongside as well as involve parents.

Important

• You should non utilisation Ning alongside students below the historic menstruation of 13.
• Always protect your members’ privacy as well as brand sure their electronic mail isn’t displayed as well as they don’t percentage addresses or telephone numbers alongside people.

Well if later on all this you lot are withal interested inwards creating your ain network, hither are the 7 steps again:

• 7 steps to creating a social network>> (944k pdf)

I've created i myself for a preparation course of report for teachers that I'm involved with. Personally I've works life it actually valuable then far.
For to a greater extent than opinions as well as to detect out nearly choice platforms, watch Larry Ferlazzo's blog post on Social Networks for the Classroom

Good luck alongside your networking as well as delight do utilisation the comments below to percentage your experience of using social networks.

Best

Nik Peachey

Teaching Speaking Inwards 2Nd Life

For me, 1 of the principal blocks to actually developing online linguistic communication learning courses has been the inability to furnish existent communicative speaking practice. Materials blueprint for Virtual Worlds

Teaching English linguistic communication inwards Second Life

Second Life Teacher Training Videos

Looking at There.com

Machinima amongst Moviestorm

3B Village 3D browser

Visit my YouTube Channel to picket to a greater extent than of my videos
http://youtube.com/NikPeachey

Microsoft's Gratis Learning Content Evolution System

When Microsoft firstly giving stuff away for free, it ever makes me curious, as well as when I spotted this gratis LCDS (Learning Content Development System) a spell dorsum I decided to download it as well as give it a try.

If similar me you've never had the patience (or the fourth dimension as well as money) to genuinely main a tool similar Flash, but similar the thought of creating interactive materials that tin run online (SCORM compliant to run inward an LMS), thus this could hold out a handy tool for you. I spent the best business office of a solar daytime working out how to operate it as well as creating some materials amongst it for a instructor preparation session as well as yesteryear the goal of the solar daytime I had 2 'modules' each of iv -5 unlike action types combining images, audio, video as well as swf animation. Considering that I hadn't used this earlier as well as I had to genuinely write all the materials to pose into it, I intend that's pretty skillful for simply i day, as well as having pose the fourth dimension into learning the program, I'm pretty certain that my side yesteryear side efforts volition hold out much quicker.

What I liked close it

• It wasn't hard to larn how to use. The interface is quite intuitive as well as I didn't demand to consult the assist or whatever back upwards documentation.
• It's all signal as well as click, no programming languages to learn.
• The results hold off quite professional
• It's SCORM compliant
  
• It has some overnice chore types. These are a few of my favourites:

This i is grouping type action played against a timer. Users bring to click the right bucket to driblet each particular into.

This is i of my favourites, it's called 'Adventure' but I know it every bit a reading maze. User are shown a province of affairs as well as given some options, They thus meet the lawsuit of the alternative they guide as well as bring to brand some other selection as well as thus on until they discovery the 'correct' means to resolve th problem. These tin hold out genuinely complex to write as well as arrange, but this i was quite slow to practise as well as to review as well as brand changes. I was also able to add together unlike images to each page.


Another chore type I liked was this tile flip activity. It's a new variation on pelmanism, but it combines the matching pairs amongst a form of truthful faux activity. Basically each tile has a truthful contestation on i side as well as a faux i on the other, as well as the user has to work upwards rows of truthful statements. They also bring a express amount of cards they tin plough to acquire it right as well as if they transcend the issue of turns they bring to firstly all over again.


Lastly, I liked that yous tin also prepare tasks using either video or swf files. This is i I created using a Flash tutorial as well as the built inward Note taking business office of the interface.


What I wasn't thus certain about

• It entirely seems to back upwards swf as well as wmv files for video, which is a flake annoying, peculiarly for MAC users.
• When I came to 'publish' / upload the materials to run online, it turned out that they wouldn't piece of work without beingness uploaded to an LMS (with its ain viewer)
• You demand IE vii amongst Silverlight installed to stance the files (though at that spot does seem to hold out a means to configure the files to run inward Flash instead, which I'm assuming would allow yous to stance them inward Firefox too).

Despite all of this, Microsoft's LCDS does seem to bring huge potential for people similar me who fighting amongst coding, but desire to attain something that looks skillful as well as industrial plant well.

If yous piece of work inward an establishment that has its ain LMS as well as yous desire to digitise some shape materials to run online, thus it could good hold out worth looking at every bit a inexpensive (free) solution.

If you'd similar to attempt out the materials I created for preparation teachers inward the operate of information technology as well as evaluating unlike chore types, yous tin download the null file of the whole session (9.4Mb) from here.

As I said inward a higher house though, you'll demand to bring MS's Silverlight installed, thus become to the file named 'wrapper.htm' as well as opened upwards it to start out working through the materials.

If yous desire to download the gratis LCDS as well as bring a play yourself, thus become here: https://www.microsoft.com/learning/tools/lcds/default.mspx

I'd hold out genuinely interested to listen from anyone else who's tried this, peculiarly if they've managed to acquire some working examples upwards online, thus practise driblet me a work as well as part your experiences.

Best

Nik Peachy

Creating A Personal Homepage

Creating your ain personal homepage / feed reader tin hold upward actually unproblematic to practise together with tin also assistance you lot to relieve fourth dimension together with rest inwards touching on alongside what's going on inwards your professional person together with personal life.


My ain personal dwelling menage page is something I work everyday together with cause got opened upward for most of the day. It brings me the tidings from all my favourite websites, blogs together with yahoo groups together with allows me to scan content from twenty -30 unlike sources inside a few moments. This would otherwise accept me a few hours!

So when I was asked to pattern a class to assistance instructor trainers work Web 2.0 technology scientific discipline inwards their teaching, I decided that a session on RSS together with personal dwelling menage pages was an essential.

I've been using a yahoo reader for to a greater extent than than iv years now, only I've croak increasingly impressed alongside some of the other readers on offering together with and thus I decided to cause got a await roughly at what else was available. Some of the primary ones that impressed me were:

• http://www.pageflakes.com/
• http://www.netvibes.com
• http://www.igoogle.com
• http://www.google.com/reader

Of these my favourites turned out to hold upward Netvibes. So I produced this chore listing to assistance teachers ready their ain homepage together with explore some of the capabilities of Netvibes. Feel costless to impress together with work this yourself if you lot desire to ready your ain homepage or work it alongside other instructor if you lot would similar to assistance them ready their ain page.

• Creating a personal homepage alongside Netvibes: Six tasks >> (1.3Mb pdf)
  

What I similar close Netvibes

• It is quite tardily to add together feeds from sites together with blogs
  
• The visual pattern is actually overnice together with quite build clean together with modern alongside unproblematic block colours
• There is a overnice assortment of widgets to add together including ones to enable me to cheque both my Apple DotMac electronic mail concern human relationship together with my Yahoo electronic mail concern human relationship from the same page.
• There is some overnice localisation of content
• The interface is to a greater extent than ofttimes than non pretty unproblematic together with intuitive together with thus a proficient 1 to work alongside people who aren't also information technology savvy
• I specially similar that you lot tin ready the 'Web search' widget to search across multiple search engines together with a diversity of unlike formats from text to video.
• You tin add together together with lift unlike pages for unlike topics (one for ELT together with a dissever 1 for technology scientific discipline etc.)
• You tin cause got individual pages together with also cause got populace pages to portion alongside your students.

So why should teachers work a personal homepage?

• There's lots of functionality all inwards 1 place, together with thus it tin relieve you lot loads of time
• You tin proceed inwards touching on together with upward to appointment alongside blogs together with other sites that modify almost every 24-hour interval / few hours.
• The Flickr creative green feed is a peachy beginning of images / flashcards to work inwards shape or online.
  

So how tin you lot work this alongside students?

• You tin cause got your ain personal homepage together with add together populace pages for unlike students / classes to feed them data or seat out their piece of work or links to their projects. There's a peachy example of this which Gladys Baya created http://www.pageflakes.com/gladysbaya
• You tin acquire students to practise their ain dwelling menage pages together with work the arrive at of resources together with widgets to assistance back upward their learning. Things similar 'to practise list' tin assistance to laid learning goals together with recall homework. Sticky / spider web notes tin hold upward used to assistance them recall novel vocabulary words together with definitions.
• There are a host of unlike widgets from lexicon / thesaurus ones to discussion of the day, idiom of the 24-hour interval etc which tin assistance our students learn.
• They tin ready their homepage to render them alongside the sort of English linguistic communication language content they are interested in, from sport to lifestyle.
  

Well I promise you lot detect the task sheet useful together with if you lot don't already cause got a personal homepage, you lot drive this out. It actually is a fourth dimension saver.

I'd also hold upward rattling interested to listen comments from anyone else who has their ain personal homepage together with to listen what you lot are using to practise it. Any other Netvibes fans???

Best

Nik Peachey

Karaoke Alongside A Social Network

Well it had to happen! As every other sort of site these days has a social network attached to it, why non karaoke too?The site I've been looking at is called RedKaraoke together with it has quite a few useful features. There isn't a huge gain of songs in that place yet, exactly users tin upload their own, it also has a spider web cam characteristic thus for potential singers who desire to hold upwardly seen equally good equally heard you lot tin direct maintain your spider web cam hooked upwardly land you lot sing.

As amongst most karaoke, in that place are background tracks together with you lot run into the words of the lyrics highlighted equally you lot are supposed to sing them. You tin charge per unit of measurement other singers also together with direct maintain your ain profile equally good equally direct maintain role inwards forums (mainly used for technical back upwardly yesteryear the looks of things) together with there's also synchronous chat too.

Click ikon to enlarge

The high ranking singers acquire pushed to the top, together with if you lot similar someone you lot tin exit encouraging messages of support.

So why work this amongst EFL students?
Anyone who has ever taught a EFL / ELT volition know how powerful together with motivating music together with vocal tin hold upwardly to assistance students acquire language, thus sites similar this tin hold upwardly actually useful.

• If your students are interested inwards music together with singing, you lot tin acquire them along to the site to tape a few of their favourite songs (Onlye the to a greater extent than confident students though)
• You tin acquire students to psyche together with charge per unit of measurement other singers also together with exit messages for them if they similar them (though don't encourage messages to singers they don't like)
• The site has the words together with music to quite few songs, thus fifty-fifty if your students don't experience confident plenty to tape themsleves, they could even thus acquire some practise inwards the privacy of their ain homes.
• If students create tape themselves you lot tin acquire them to charge per unit of measurement each other together with run into if whatever of your students tin acquire into the locomote yesteryear ranking list.

What I similar almost it

• Well equally ever for me the root attraction is that it's free.
• There are a gain of songs together with it's non all inwards English, thus if you lot are education or learning other languages together with then in that place is potential cloth here.
• I similar that you lot tin direct maintain the spider web cam recording too.
• The interface is quite slow to acquire around uncomplicated to use.

What I wasn't thus certain about

• I intend this is going to hold upwardly pretty bandwidth hungry, peculiarly if you lot are using a spider web cam too, thus solely ane for broadband users working lone from home.
• The character of some of the audio files wasn't thus great, exactly that's e'er going to hold upwardly the illustration amongst Web 2.0 type content.
• Looks from the forum similar a few people direct maintain had problems amongst getting their recording synchronised, though I'm guessing that switching off the wqebcam would assistance amongst this.
• As amongst whatever site where students are asked to register together with add together a profile, hold upwardly certain your students know how to protect their pivacy together with personal information.

In theory, if you lot direct maintain students who similar karaoke, this could hold upwardly a potentially rattling useful site. To hold upwardly honest I'm non a bang-up fan of the fine art together with direct maintain to acknowledge that I didn't brand recording myslef, exactly idea I would part the site anyway, equally I know some teachers together with students actually relish it.

Hers the ful URL of the site: http://www.redkaraoke.com/

Hope you lot uncovering this useful

Best

Nik Peachey

Naming My Sources: Business Office 1

I've decided to firstly naming some of the sources I role to locate novel together with interesting websites together with information. I've decided to produce this for a seat out of reasons

• I merely don't bring fourth dimension to write most everything I find, then this gives people the chance to notice things for themselves together with mayhap write most them.
• I ever experience guilty that I don't admit the sources of much of the data I get. This isn't because I'm guarding my sources, it has to a greater extent than to produce amongst non working inwards a rattling organised way. I tend to compass interesting sites together with come upwards dorsum to them later, yesteryear which fourth dimension I can't recall the master copy source.
• I don't bring a weblog roll, but I would similar to transportation some kudos to some of the sites together with site owners that I experience bring actually helped me.
• A seat out of people bring asked me how together with where I notice swell sites to write about.
  

If you lot bring a weblog together with it doesn't seem on this list, delight don't survive offended, I volition endeavor to brand this a regular characteristic equally at that spot are then many that I don't intend it's useful for readers to seat them all into 1 post.

Lastly, earlier I larn started I would too similar to enjoin that the listing is non inwards guild of importance, then I'm non proverb that whatever 1 source is improve than another. Anyway, hither goes:

Creating a personal hompage using Netvibes equally that tin transportation away actually salve you lot some time.

Hope you lot relish these sources together with notice something useful. More coming inwards the adjacent calendar week or two.

Best

Nik Peachey

Video Conferencing For Efl

It's non oftentimes that you lot expect at a production as well as intend 'Ah! That's just what I've been looking for! And it's free!' But SnapYap which I reviewed a calendar week or 2 back, when I saw Make your ain chat room

Microblogging For Efl Alongside Plurk

Well I never idea I'd enjoin this, but I've travel a fan of Twitter vs Plurk comparison. Now almost half-dozen weeks later, I convey to enjoin that for me Plurk has come upwards out every bit a clear winner. Watch this exhibit to encounter why.

Here's a quick exhibit of Plurk together with some of the features.

• To sentiment the demo inwards a novel window click here (2.7Mb)
• Download the exhibit every bit Quicktime movie (4Mb)
• Download the movie for i-pod (5Mb)

What I similar near microblogging

• One employment that I constantly convey is the amount of data together with novel things I honour that I'd similar to portion but simply don't convey fourth dimension to enquiry together with write about. What I convey institute over the final few weeks is that mircoblogging allows me to portion this information, admittedly amongst less depth, but I've been able to portion links to resources that people powerfulness honour useful, but which I don't convey the fourth dimension to explore inwards depth.
  
• See my Plurk business hither if you'd similar to banking corporation fit out the sites I don't convey fourth dimension to write about: http://www.plurk.com/user/NikPeachey
  

What I similar near Plurk

• For me the best Plurk characteristic is the powerfulness to embed video from YouTube together with images into the Plurk. This enable users to scout the clip or picture without leaving the Plurk interface.
• I too actually similar the horizontal fourth dimension business together with the agency you lot tin scroll dorsum through fourth dimension lines together with thread inwards comments. Threaded give-and-take tin oft travel real disjointed together with difficult to follow on Twitter, but Plurk makes it much clearer which comments are related.
• I similar the distinction betwixt friends together with fans (friends Plurks tin too seem on your line, whereas fans simply subscribe to your feed)
• I similar the feel of accumulating 'karma' every bit you lot educate your plurk presence.
• I dear the Plurk widget (you tin encounter it embedded towards the bottom of the right manus column on this page).
• I actually similar that Plurk gives a alternative of verbs for the message
  

So how near using microblogging amongst EFL studnts
As a instructor you lot could operate microblogging to:

• Share resources together with links to useful websites or videos (they opened upwards inwards the interface together with then students don't convey to search around YouTube for them.
• Send out prompts together with reminders to students near assignments together with due dates.
• You could simply operate the social facial expression to portion a chip of what you lot exercise each twenty-four hours amongst them
• Send students images to comment on / describe
  
• Send out words together with inquire students to answer amongst a definition.
• Create unmarried judgement assignments that students answer to wit unmarried sentences.
• Create sentences for the students to correct.
• Create a collaborative story. You outset the floor amongst i business together with each educatee has to add together some other using the response feature.
  

Your students could operate microblogging to:

• Create a learner diary, recording briefly their linguistic communication learning activities together with insights through the day.
• Ask questions to the groups together with acquire back upwards amongst novel words they honour or things they don't understand.
• Post a brusque judgement each twenty-four hours using a dissimilar i of the verbs inwards the Plurk line
• Share expert websites etc.
• Share a footling of their the world together with what they exercise when they aren't inwards class.
  

What I'm non together with then certain about

• It's actually difficult for a contender similar Plurk to interruption into a marketplace that Twitter almost invented, together with then despite the fact that I operate Plurk to a greater extent than oft together with it seems to me a much improve product, I've got far to a greater extent than followers on Twitter than I convey on Plurk, together with then the audience potential is much greater amongst Twitter.
• As ever privacy is something you lot postulate to hold upwards careful of, together with I've institute that a few people who convey requested friendship exclusively exercise together with then to 'spam' my fourth dimension line. Though that's slow to form out together with stop.

Well which ever you lot use, whether it's Twitter, Plurk or something else I promise you lot relish your microblogging experience.

Drop me a business if you lot know of other alternatives, or if you lot convey used these microblogging applications inwards other ways. As ever you lot comments are welcome (though moderated!).

Best

Nik Peachey

Related links:
See Wikipedia's Definition of microblogging
See My Plurk microblog
See My Twitter microblog
See My Plurk exhibit video on YouTube together with catch an embed code.

Sending Bubble Joy To Your Efl / Esl Students

It's amazing how y'all tin pass ages looking for something y'all desire in addition to hence when y'all discovery it a whole bunch of other things come upwards along amongst it. That seems to hold upwards the mode things bring happened for me amongst video conferencing. I industrial plant life in addition to posted near tokbox terminal calendar week in addition to hence came Bubble Comment this calendar week which I wrote near on my Video conferencing for EFL volition besides piece of occupation amongst Bubble Joy, only hold upwards certain to think that amongst Bubble Joy y'all exclusively bring threescore seconds, in addition to the video carte expires subsequently it has been viewed fifty times.

You could besides endeavour using it for specific occasions (there are cards specifically for Christmas, Easter, Valentines etc.)

You could besides larn students to practise messages that check the other themes (What would y'all tell from within a lion's mouth, within a shark, on safari) in addition to hence construct a even out to become amongst the cards explaining why this happened.

Students could besides computer program an imaginary vacation in addition to hence ship a carte to order other equally near it (on safari, riding inwards a hot air balloon etc.)

Students could operate i of the TV or phase designs to plow over a brief intelligence report. They could each written report on their 24-hour interval inwards bird or what they did on holiday, at the weekend or on a bird visit.

They could operate the phase or TV designs to tape a joke each in addition to hence ship them circular in addition to vote on the best one.

The cocktail drinking glass carte could hold upwards used to practise warnings against the dangers of alcohol.

Great Video Commenting Tool
Video conferencing for EFL
Send Free Video Messages

Best

Nik Peachey

My Personal Best

I've been blogging on this site instantly for merely over a year, in addition to thence I stance that merely earlier I caput off on my vacation for a duo of weeks, I would acquire out y'all amongst what I experience were some of my best postings over the final twelvemonth or so.

Creating audio-visual monologues
Back inwards Apr 2007 I wrote close a prissy chip of gratuitous recording in addition to lip syncing software that enables students in addition to teachers to practise modest animated flash characters similar this one.