I just found this website, Edufire, and started thinking of using it.
http://edufire.com/
In this website, anybody can register as a tutor (or a student) and have classes (tutoring sessions with online conference software) of their favorite subjects. You set an hour rate for your tutoring session and do classes with one student or a group of people. Subjects, rate, time, and style of teaching are all up to you!
I suggest you go to the website and see what kind of class is offered now and how flexible it can be.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Web conference software?
I can't believe it's been more than a month since I posted something here last time...
I have a sort of random question.
What is a good free web conference software? and I feel like this is mentioned in one of today's tech talk. I some times use Skype but I need something else because Skype is only used for one-one web conversation, not for multiple people talk. I need this function because I have this group of Japanese conversation practice ,that I facilitate weekly in the semester and want to continue doing it even in summer when many people are out of town. I am thinking of maybe having one hour session per week where people can participate online using a software like skype except with no limitation of the number of people. What's the best way?
I guess I'll start looking right now...
I have a sort of random question.
What is a good free web conference software? and I feel like this is mentioned in one of today's tech talk. I some times use Skype but I need something else because Skype is only used for one-one web conversation, not for multiple people talk. I need this function because I have this group of Japanese conversation practice ,that I facilitate weekly in the semester and want to continue doing it even in summer when many people are out of town. I am thinking of maybe having one hour session per week where people can participate online using a software like skype except with no limitation of the number of people. What's the best way?
I guess I'll start looking right now...
Monday, March 15, 2010
Class wiki activated
I started using classwiki for JPNS class.
I did not make it requirement but optional to contribute to that page so that people can work on it when they like to improve their grade. I did this because for one I did not plan this in the beginning of the semester and because we already have so many other assignment such as tests, quiz, homework, final presentation project, and all.
It seems like people are not really active working on the class wiki page right now. But I hope this will change as the semester goes. I guess I need to keep reminding and encouraging them to work on the wiki every now and then.
By the way, I like the way we have midterm feedback for EDHI9040 and I just learned how easy and useful the survey monkey is. I would like to use it to get feedback from my JPNS class for a certain assignment that people are supposed to submit this week.
to be continued...
clicker
lecture capture
I did not make it requirement but optional to contribute to that page so that people can work on it when they like to improve their grade. I did this because for one I did not plan this in the beginning of the semester and because we already have so many other assignment such as tests, quiz, homework, final presentation project, and all.
It seems like people are not really active working on the class wiki page right now. But I hope this will change as the semester goes. I guess I need to keep reminding and encouraging them to work on the wiki every now and then.
By the way, I like the way we have midterm feedback for EDHI9040 and I just learned how easy and useful the survey monkey is. I would like to use it to get feedback from my JPNS class for a certain assignment that people are supposed to submit this week.
to be continued...
clicker
lecture capture
Monday, February 22, 2010
Class wiki
I am so impressed by the presented examples and ideas of wiki use in teaching and learning.
I am thinking of using wiki (maybe google site) for my JPNS class. Off the top of my head, I think I could make a page of vocabulary list and ask students to add any new words (along with example sentences) they come across when they learn Japanese outside of the class. This way, students and I can create our own original list of words we can all learn collaboratively. Students may be rewarded for adding many words to the list. I could even make it like a class competition: who gets the most words? This idea, as you may see, definitely comes from the example of biology class wiki presented in our class. =) I really liked it!
I am thinking of using wiki (maybe google site) for my JPNS class. Off the top of my head, I think I could make a page of vocabulary list and ask students to add any new words (along with example sentences) they come across when they learn Japanese outside of the class. This way, students and I can create our own original list of words we can all learn collaboratively. Students may be rewarded for adding many words to the list. I could even make it like a class competition: who gets the most words? This idea, as you may see, definitely comes from the example of biology class wiki presented in our class. =) I really liked it!
Monday, February 15, 2010
VD for JPNS class
Virtual Demonstration:
I took an example of VD from mathematics. I am wondering what VD would be like in my JPNS class.
Here are some examples that I used in class, which are YouTube videos.
How to talk rude
I used this one to show how people say "no" in a non-textbookish way.
I took an example of VD from mathematics. I am wondering what VD would be like in my JPNS class.
Here are some examples that I used in class, which are YouTube videos.
How to talk rude
I used this one to show how people say "no" in a non-textbookish way.
Discussion v.s. Q&A
Discussion pages:
After our class about use of eLC, I started thinking of how I can have a discussion page for my JPNS class as well as what kind of discussion would be going for such a basic language class. I then figured students do not really "discuss" things about Japanese language online because, in my opinion, language learning at this level would be more individual and personal. Students language development depends on their individual practice on their own time and effort. And social and interactive aspects of language learning should be discussed in class, at this level.
So I decided that, instead of using the discussion page feature of eLC, I would simply make a "Q&A" post in the class blog, once in a while. Whenever students have a questions in our ongoing materials they can post their questions by making a comment under the post. I often go see the blog myself and try to the answer. I like this way since the Q&A can still be in public.
After our class about use of eLC, I started thinking of how I can have a discussion page for my JPNS class as well as what kind of discussion would be going for such a basic language class. I then figured students do not really "discuss" things about Japanese language online because, in my opinion, language learning at this level would be more individual and personal. Students language development depends on their individual practice on their own time and effort. And social and interactive aspects of language learning should be discussed in class, at this level.
So I decided that, instead of using the discussion page feature of eLC, I would simply make a "Q&A" post in the class blog, once in a while. Whenever students have a questions in our ongoing materials they can post their questions by making a comment under the post. I often go see the blog myself and try to the answer. I like this way since the Q&A can still be in public.
Monday, February 8, 2010
eLearning Commons
For the elementary Japanese language class, I use eLC only to upload files of huge size. I often have PDF files of manga pages to explain Japanese grammar in class and later I upload the files in eLC so students can download if they like. I just couldn't find a better way to do this. This works well so far.
I was also thinking of using eLC to keep my grade book for quiz, tests, participation, and other assignments. But I have too many quizzes and tests and I take attendance almost everyday. So I figured it is too overwhelming to have every grade record (like the grade of every quiz and test) in a single "grade" page in eLC. I decided to stick to my old way of keeping grade, which is excel spreadsheet file. Near the end of the semester, I will use the eLC grade book feature to show students' current grade. I do this because last semester many students asked me by email about their grade and I had to tell each one every time. It was just so time consuming!
For the elementary Japanese language class, I use eLC only to upload files of huge size. I often have PDF files of manga pages to explain Japanese grammar in class and later I upload the files in eLC so students can download if they like. I just couldn't find a better way to do this. This works well so far.
I was also thinking of using eLC to keep my grade book for quiz, tests, participation, and other assignments. But I have too many quizzes and tests and I take attendance almost everyday. So I figured it is too overwhelming to have every grade record (like the grade of every quiz and test) in a single "grade" page in eLC. I decided to stick to my old way of keeping grade, which is excel spreadsheet file. Near the end of the semester, I will use the eLC grade book feature to show students' current grade. I do this because last semester many students asked me by email about their grade and I had to tell each one every time. It was just so time consuming!
Monday, February 1, 2010
The way to have teaching portfolio on line is really great way to take a first step on working on gathering and organizing my materials. I'm really glad we spend some of our class time to see how things are done in the online portfolio.
I find the social bookmarking useful, too. But I decided not to use it at the moment because it seemed a little overwhelming and because I carry my laptop everywhere all the time so I have all of my bookmarks in it. Besides, I would really like to keep things in my Google account. I wonder if Google provide similar bookmarking service. If so, I would love to start using it.
Here I would like to introduce my class blog for my elementary Japanese language class.
http://yamaguchijpns.blogspot.com/
I first started using this blog simply to make an announcement such as when is homework due and when we have a next quiz and all, just in case an email I send out is not received.
Then, I realized having a class blog is a great way to provide and keep useful learning/teaching resources such Syllabus, course calendar (with homework and other assignments due dates and tests dates. By the way we have totally 6 lesson tests besides final.), YouTube videos, and other online learning materials (online dictionaries, etc). Having a classblog helps me in that whenever I have a little idea of using, say, a YouTube video, I just make a link to it and leave it. Come back to it later and decide if I really want to use it in class or not. I just love to have everything in one place and organize materials so students and I can come back to it whenever we like, and use them many times. This also helps me as a language instructor to emphasize "repetition is the key."
I find the social bookmarking useful, too. But I decided not to use it at the moment because it seemed a little overwhelming and because I carry my laptop everywhere all the time so I have all of my bookmarks in it. Besides, I would really like to keep things in my Google account. I wonder if Google provide similar bookmarking service. If so, I would love to start using it.
Here I would like to introduce my class blog for my elementary Japanese language class.
http://yamaguchijpns.blogspot.com/
I first started using this blog simply to make an announcement such as when is homework due and when we have a next quiz and all, just in case an email I send out is not received.
Then, I realized having a class blog is a great way to provide and keep useful learning/teaching resources such Syllabus, course calendar (with homework and other assignments due dates and tests dates. By the way we have totally 6 lesson tests besides final.), YouTube videos, and other online learning materials (online dictionaries, etc). Having a classblog helps me in that whenever I have a little idea of using, say, a YouTube video, I just make a link to it and leave it. Come back to it later and decide if I really want to use it in class or not. I just love to have everything in one place and organize materials so students and I can come back to it whenever we like, and use them many times. This also helps me as a language instructor to emphasize "repetition is the key."
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Reflection
When I took TPI, I was thinking of two different disciplines of teaching: Japanese and Mathematics. I teach a first year Japanese language class at UGA, while I am a PhD student of Mathematics Education. I used to be a high school teacher in Tokyo and currently tutor college math five hours a week.
For some questions in TPI, I realized I have different answers and perspectives depending on which subject I look at myself teaching. For example, when I think of my teaching in Japanese, I would like to have individually oriented goals of teaching and learning. In other words, I am not particularly hoping my teaching activity and students improvement of Japanese language skills would change or improve the society. All I hope out of my teaching is that my students enjoy learning Japanese. However, when I think of mathematics teaching and learning. I certainly have picture society change as result of mathematics teaching and learning. I believe people learning mathematics help improve the structure of society. If, for example, elementary mathematics teachers had more mathematics knowledge, that mere fact would change people's view of mathematics and mathematics teaching and learning would be more appreciated. That would be a significant change of the world or society. This sort of story, for one, is something I think of as a goal of my mathematics teaching, which I do not picture in my Japanese language teaching.
Then, I thought how this difference influences my teaching. One thing is that when I teach mathematics on one hand, I often mention how mathematics is useful both for society and individuals. On the other hand, when I teach Japanese, I do not particularly emphasize how learning Japanese helps my students to live their life better. In other words, I usually leave how they use what they learn in Japanese class, up to students themselves. I would like my Japanese students to simply enjoy learning Japanese inside and outside of classroom. For that purpose, I often use YouTube videos, Japanese songs, and Manga skits into my instruction.
For some questions in TPI, I realized I have different answers and perspectives depending on which subject I look at myself teaching. For example, when I think of my teaching in Japanese, I would like to have individually oriented goals of teaching and learning. In other words, I am not particularly hoping my teaching activity and students improvement of Japanese language skills would change or improve the society. All I hope out of my teaching is that my students enjoy learning Japanese. However, when I think of mathematics teaching and learning. I certainly have picture society change as result of mathematics teaching and learning. I believe people learning mathematics help improve the structure of society. If, for example, elementary mathematics teachers had more mathematics knowledge, that mere fact would change people's view of mathematics and mathematics teaching and learning would be more appreciated. That would be a significant change of the world or society. This sort of story, for one, is something I think of as a goal of my mathematics teaching, which I do not picture in my Japanese language teaching.
Then, I thought how this difference influences my teaching. One thing is that when I teach mathematics on one hand, I often mention how mathematics is useful both for society and individuals. On the other hand, when I teach Japanese, I do not particularly emphasize how learning Japanese helps my students to live their life better. In other words, I usually leave how they use what they learn in Japanese class, up to students themselves. I would like my Japanese students to simply enjoy learning Japanese inside and outside of classroom. For that purpose, I often use YouTube videos, Japanese songs, and Manga skits into my instruction.
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