Last time I wrote about what keeps us from using games for language learning purposes more often. Now that the hectic weeks of the semester start are behind me and the routine of mid-semester kicks in, I’d like to write about what works in practice. First of all, the user/learner has to enjoy the game.(…)
I haven’t written here for a while (I focused on my own blog), so it’s about time… Everyone one who has played a computer game knows a few basic things: they are fun, sometimes to the point of addiction: “Just one more round, then I’ll stop!” Great games lead to a state of flow, when(…)
SmartBoards are great for language teachers – if you happen to have one in the classroom you’re teaching in. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. I’m lucky to have one in my new language center, but I don’t always teach there. sometimes I wish during a conference presentation that I could draw over my(…)
Summer is a great time to finally tackle some of the issues that I added to my “do later” list in my to-do manager throughout the year. One such item was: Find ways to make scheduling meetings with students, faculty, and staff easier. I’ve been using timebridge for about two years now, and have been(…)
It’s been while… You might be wondering whether this blog is dead or if the recession has made its mark on our language centers. Rest assured, we’re just working too hard. Well, it’s Friday and I’m finding a minute to finally write a post. I like web 2.0 tools because they’re interactive, communicative, creative, and…(…)
Summers are great because I have more time to try out new software. With the work on the upcoming language technology boot camp manual (released next Friday! more on that soon), I learned a lot more about inDesign CS3. But that program is a behemoth, sometimes overly complicated. So I am also a big fan(…)
I wanted to inform you of an exciting project that we are currently working on: the Language Technology Boot Camp project. Everybody can join us or just use the materials that will be made available. Those of you from NITLE institutions can attend the grant-funded conference: Language Technology Boot Camp With this grant-funded project, the(…)
This semester I have the pleasure of teaching a 5th semester “Introduction to German Media and Film” course. I like teaching all kinds of levels, but this course has never been taught before. You can imagine that this is the perfect playground for a language technologist and teacher! I can try out new technologies that(…)
City Creator is such a fun little web app, it’s too cool to not mention on LLU. Check it out. I’m planning on creating a few teaching materials with it… Okay, okay, it’s mainly just a lot of fun. Thanks to Larry Ferlazzo’s blog for providing the link. Also check out the Virtual Village.
Greetings from the SWALLT Fall 2007 conference at Stanford University. If you couldn’t make it, please check out the SWALLT blog.
According to Macworld, the popular social networking site MySpace will use Skype as its VOIP service. I wouldn’t be surprised to see more of these web 2.0 service merge in the future. iChat and Voicethread? Skype and Chinswing? Skype and …? What would be your ideal combination?
For all you windows users out there, the wonderful Comic Life by Plasq is no longer Mac-only. What a great program for language learning and creating teaching materials. If you haven’t used it, make sure to download the 30-day trial version. Enjoy! By the way, as an introductory offer they give out this $5 coupon.
