Blogger vs Moodle, Web 2.0 vs CMS, Open vs Closed

One of the most popular tools for CALL (Computer-assisted Language Learning) and blending learning (classes that combine a face-to-face component with a computer/online component) is Moodle. Moodle's website offers this introduction of their tool:

Moodle is an Open Source Course Management System (CMS), also known as a Learning Management System (LMS) or a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). It has become very popular among educators around the world as a tool for creating online dynamic web sites for their students. To work, it needs to be installed on a web server somewhere, either on one of your own computers or one at a web hosting company.

While there are commercial CMS/LMS/VLE services out there, I will use Moodle in this post to represent them since it is rather popular among TESOL teachers who embrace technology. The popularity of Moodle is not difficult to understand. It is an open-source project, so enthusiasts around the world contribute to improving the system as well as developing add-ons and plug-ins that enhance the capabilities of Moodle. It includes components for blogging, content management, calendars, chats, quizzes, and more. And, the cost for operating Moodle is low (the software itself is free, but a server is needed). For institutions that wish to have an institution-wide system, and/or wish or require protection of students' privacy, Moodle seems like a fine solution.

But it's on the area of privacy that I have trouble with. Our students are already using Web 2.0 tools. The are already participating in the read/write web using sites like Facebook, Twitter, Mixi (a popular social networking site in Japan), YouTube, etc... The concern over privacy is moot, in my opinion. The problem is, there is no supervision for them regarding appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Not only are students prone to posting compromising photographs, telephone numbers, and addresses, but they are also prone to vent and rant on public sites. Recently, there was a news story about an employee who was fired for venting on Facebook. This goes to show that our students need to learn that there are consequences to their online behavior.

This is one of the reasons I believe it is not only acceptable, but even responsible and moral for teachers to adopt these tools for the classroom so that appropriate behavior can be addressed and learned. Information becomes more and more open and available. When possible, I believe we should move toward openness with appropriate caution.

This is one the reasons I began this blog. I want to encourage TESOL professionals to learn to use Web 2.0 tools and then to adopt and adapt these tools for classroom and extra-classroom use. My reason for using Blogger in the title of this post is that it is one of the easiest and useful web 2.0 tools to use. Of course other blogging platforms (WordPress, TypePad, etc...) have advantages over Blogger, but Blogger may be the best for novices, whether teacher or student. And, if you have a Google account, your ID and password can be used with Blogger (as well as YouTube and Picassa as well).

Regardless of the blogging platform, I recommend using blogs with students. In addition, in future posts, I'll also suggest microblogging (Twitter, Buzz), social networks (Facebook, Ning), podcasting, video sharing, and more. With each tool, where ones institution allows, I hope you will consider more of an open approach. I will address concerns about privacy and appropriate behavior as well.

I hope you'll post your comments including questions, suggestions, and feedback of any kind. And, if you are interested in reading a good book that covers this issue, I suggest Will Richardson's

Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts, and Other Powerful Web Tools for Classrooms.

Xtranomal Introduction Video for Comics Class

As I described in my earlier post on Xtranormal.com, their Text-to-Speech app has much to offer both for giving instructions and for encouraging another form of production from students. In the following video, I give instructions for my Comics class at Togaku using Xtranormal to introduce Xtranormal. And, as Sylvan explained (via his avatar, Broccoliman) one of the advantages is that students can re-watch the video as much as they need or want to. This is a great advantage as some students in my class "get it" on the first play, while others need greater repetition in order to understand fully. And, others, even when they understand, just enjoy the video itself. I hope you will too.

Trance States

Thanks for the sweet introduction, Daniel!

As an NLP Practitioner I'm interested in suggestion. You can suggest that students find learning easy, or fun, or that they can speak fluently. Ask: '...and which parts of the text do you want to understand?' and the students feel that there are parts they want to understand. To maximize this effect, you can get students into a trance state. There are NLP techniques for this, but if you haven't been on an NLP course yet, there are other ways. Recently, I've been using:

http://taggalaxy.com/

Webhead Dennis Newson drew my attention to the site. Type in a word, and pictures from Flickr fly in and attach themselves to a spinning globe. It's mesmerizing. You can introduce the lesson's theme like that, or have students type in words, practicing spelling and reinforcing vocabulary. The effect is to send students into a trance state perfect for suggestion. Mind your language!

Introducing Clair Taylor

The first contributor to join my on the TESOL 2.0 blog is my colleague and friend, Clair Taylor. Clair is a TESOL professional and emerging technology enthusiast. She has used many online tools in the classroom, notably Smart.fm and EnglishCentral.com and written about her projects and has helped bring along many of us at Togaku to implement these tools and others into our classes. I look forward to her contributions and invite you to do the same.

Image from http://pheakdey2u.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/dsc00409.jpg

Xtranormal (online animations) for TESOL

One of my favorite tools for teaching and learning right now is Text-to-Movie by Xtranormal.com. The by-line on their website says "If you can type, you can make movies." This was my topic for my presentation at KOTESOL last weekend. My co-presenter, Sylvan Payne of International Christian University in Tokyo, could not make it to the conference. So, he prepared his parts of the presentation using an avatar in Text-to-Movie. Below is the video he used to explain the TESOL principles supported by using Text-to-Movie. The participants of the presentation were blown away.

Getting Started

Ken Beatty (left)

I recently returned from the PAC-KOTESOL 2010 International Conference in Seoul. There was a panel of illustrious TESOL experts at the end of Saturday's program. One of the panelists was Ken Beatty. He has been writing on CALL. After the session was over, I went over and introduced myself and asked if he was on Twitter or was blogging. He said he wasn't, but probably should be. He also asked if I was. As some of you know, I am a fairly active Twitterer (@gtb). And although I use blogs a lot, I have not consistently blogged about TESOL and web tools, despite having a passion for it. And so, this is an attempt to get things started. I hope people will read, leave comments and share. And, depending on how things develop, I hope to have guest bloggers or even invite others to be regular contributors. Please leave feedback.




Image from Daniel Beck ©2010
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