woops!
Sorry, that last post was meant for http://vancestevens.posterous.com/
Probably doesn't hurt to leave it here (but feel free to delete it, it's at that URL above :-)
Webheads at the WorldCALL 2008 Conference in Japan
Professional development: Free, online, incessant!
Someone asked on the ilearn2 Google Group: Is there any body out there who knows of interesting online PD resources for teachers at all levels?
My answer:
One of the most professionally mounted PD events available for free to TESOL members and non-members alike is the Electronic Village Online sessions that take place in January and February each year. Visit http://evosessions.pbworks.com/ for details.
You can see last year's session links here: http://evosessions.pbworks.com/Call_for_Participation09
These sessions are a full 6 weeks and offer interaction with peers and experts for all that time on a range of topics. You can see that whereas technology was the focus of many of these sessions, there are many where the focus is not on tech, such as Teaching English through drama, what's in the library for ESL/EFL students, Images for education, Interactive activities for young learners, Planning Video Projects ...
Speaking of planning video projects, I was at a K12 online preplanning session the other evening (at http://k12onlineconference.org/?p=387 ) and Mathew Needleman, Apple Distinguished Educator, was presenting on video production in the classroom. It was like a film director, only it was a bright young teacher, explaining how to shoot camera angles, lighting, composition, etc. etc. illustrated with video material in a synchronous online environment. When you visit that site, the event I was referring to is the first event at the LAN party (doesn't look like these were recorded, unless they're up at the EdtechTalk site). That's just a smattering of what is coming up and comes up each year at the http://k12onlineconference.org/ conference. Check out the past (archived) and
upcoming conferences for vast PD possibilities.
upcoming conferences for vast PD possibilities.
Speaking of http://edtechtalk.com/, another excellent base for online professional development. In synchronous mode you can participate in conversations that are going on at the rate of several a day (Skype in). Asynchronously you can subscribe to the podcast feeds. This is my preferred mode. You can subscribe to the megafeed of many more such podcasts at http://worldbridges.net/
Many people see me wandering around the halls with an mp3 player in my ear and they assume I'm listening to music perhaps, but in fact I'm just tuning in to some of these podcasts. It's like learning a language, if you want to pick one up you need to be running raw data through your head as much as possible. Listening to podcasts is like that. There is so much time, while driving or exercising, doing housework (marking some kinds of papers) where you can be listening to something worthwhile, and at these times you can just absorb what the conversations are about.
Speaking of absorbing, try Twitter. This blog post http://advanceducation.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-webheads.html tells you how to identify experts on Twitter and use Twitter Mosaic to follow their followers. This will feed a steady stream of information your way. You might say, but I don't want a steady stream of information coming my way, I have enough coming my way as it is. Twitter is different, try it if you haven't already. This would work with experts
in any subject, not just technology related ones.
in any subject, not just technology related ones.
If you want to FIND experts in your subjects, try http://edublogawards.com/ , a good resource for locating the best
edubloggers in many academic subjects.
edubloggers in many academic subjects.
Hope this helps (someone)
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Some more pictures from the WorldCALL 2008 Congress.
There are some more pictures from the WorldCALL 2008 Congress.
We had a great chance to attend the pre-conference workshops run by the leaders in CALL around the world. We enjoyed meeting each other f2f at the hotel a day before the Conference. It was an exciting experience!
We used to take a metro while attending workshops at Fukuoka University. We had our lunch at the university canteen. It was strange that we had to choose the meals which were displayed and then pay for at the paying machine. Then we were served by the waiters. Lots of vending machines were in good help for us to buy beverage and spring water to keep us out of thirsty feeling. It was dead hot outsides, but cool enough insides.
More later.
Nina,
one of the scholarship recipients.
Posted by worldcall2008 webheads
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Nelba reporting about Webheads in Japan!
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Dear webfriends:
Today was a super day. Congress started,The place is very nice -even though Vance does not like the decoration
There were 8 presentations every hour, so you can choose the one you like best. obviously the best presentation was Vance's. He gave the audience a lot eof information about Internet tools... I ask myself if the audience was able to follow such a load of data, slides, elluminate participation (Rita ,Sasha and other Webheads were there) .
After the congress we attended a dinner party where the Webheads ladies were dressed as geishas hahaha. We wore beautiful kimonos - you will see the pictures in flicker, blogs, etc, etc.)
Summing up, it was a very good beginning even though I keep on loosing weight because I dont like Japanese food. I miss a good "asado".
I thiam sure Vance and the girls will post things, too.So, that is all 4 now.
Sayounara , Nelba from Fukkuoka.
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--
Nelba Quintana
http://nelbaq.googlepages.com/home
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Be sure and tag your photos worldcall08 when uploading to the web :-))
Hi again everyone,I've just uploaded photos taken by Vance Stevens today at WorldCALL 2008 in Fukuoka, Japan and tagged them worldcall08. The url for photos with this tag is http://flickr.com/search/?q=worldcall08&m=text If you upload photos from the conference to Flickr or other onlne sites, be sure and tag them worldcall08 and (if at Flickr) they will aggregate here.Nite nite all, from dark and pleasantly cool Fukuoka Japan (yawn) --
Vance Stevens
http://adVancEducation.blogspot.com
Vance Stevens
http://adVancEducation.blogspot.com
Posted by worldcall2008 webheads
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Penultimate update on Vance's WorldCALL session from Fukuoka
Hi folks, regarding my session tomorrow, details here: http://vancestevens.com/papers/index.html#next
and my preliminary announcement here: http://webheadatwc3.posterous.com/well-try-to-connect-via-wiziq
I'm now in Fukuoka but not yet at the site where the presentation will be. We spent the day today in workshops at Fukuoka University, where the webheads ladies and I were twittering happily away, but unfortunately this is not where we will be Aug 6, the day of my presentation (tomorrow).
Of course I have asked the conference organizers if there is wireless access? (answer: I think so), is it robust (answer: depends on how well set up they are?) etc. There is no way really to find out how a convention center has configured for laptops of presenters, esp if the presenters need access to the LAN well before their presentations, without going there and seeing what is up with the network. And I can't do that till tomorrow.
So tomorrow I will go in as early as possible and start playing with the network. I'll see what I can get working. If I can Ustream I might do that, or if I WiZiQ seems ok I might try and record my presentation that way. I might go with Elluminate (highly reliable) ... checking now it seems fine; last test from UAE on my new laptop there was a network problem. I'll just have to see what works and then announce to the onlne community in which venue the event will be.
Tomorrow Aug 6 I'll send mail to the webheads list and on twitter in advance of the event (or try to, assuming I can connect from the convention center) and I'll let you know what I will do.
In case you're available and want to join us, the event is Aug 6 from 17:25 to 18:10 Tokyo time, or Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 08:15 GMT http://tinyurl.com/6bjk7r;
I'm hoping we'll get something working
--
Vance Stevens
http://adVancEducation.blogspot.com
and my preliminary announcement here: http://webheadatwc3.posterous.com/well-try-to-connect-via-wiziq
I'm now in Fukuoka but not yet at the site where the presentation will be. We spent the day today in workshops at Fukuoka University, where the webheads ladies and I were twittering happily away, but unfortunately this is not where we will be Aug 6, the day of my presentation (tomorrow).
Of course I have asked the conference organizers if there is wireless access? (answer: I think so), is it robust (answer: depends on how well set up they are?) etc. There is no way really to find out how a convention center has configured for laptops of presenters, esp if the presenters need access to the LAN well before their presentations, without going there and seeing what is up with the network. And I can't do that till tomorrow.
So tomorrow I will go in as early as possible and start playing with the network. I'll see what I can get working. If I can Ustream I might do that, or if I WiZiQ seems ok I might try and record my presentation that way. I might go with Elluminate (highly reliable) ... checking now it seems fine; last test from UAE on my new laptop there was a network problem. I'll just have to see what works and then announce to the onlne community in which venue the event will be.
Tomorrow Aug 6 I'll send mail to the webheads list and on twitter in advance of the event (or try to, assuming I can connect from the convention center) and I'll let you know what I will do.
In case you're available and want to join us, the event is Aug 6 from 17:25 to 18:10 Tokyo time, or Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 08:15 GMT http://tinyurl.com/6bjk7r;
I'm hoping we'll get something working
--
Vance Stevens
http://adVancEducation.blogspot.com
Posted by worldcall2008 webheads
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Nelba in Fukuoka
Hi, dear Webheads. This is unbelievable, cannot sleep looking foward to meeting friends here.
This post is just to check, posterous. Hugs, Nelba in kimono :-)
Posted by worldcall2008 webheads
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Webheads meeting webheads
Dear webheads, colleagues, friends around the world,
We are all have arrived to Fukuoka for now, but Vance will come from Seul tomorrow evening. These days are full of joy, happiness to meet so many webheads f2f, hug them and kiss in reality. But these days are very sad for all of us because we have lost a wonderful member of our big and friendly family - Lee Baber. She will be always with us in our hearts and in our thoughts.
Below one of the meeting at the hotel in Fukuoka: Nina, Hala, Susan and Neny.
More will come soon.
Hugs to all of you from us.
Hala, Susan and Neny, Nina plus all the rest who walked and got tired are sleeping tight.
Tomorrow workshops.
Posted by worldcall2008 webheads
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The last attempt of testing Posterous possibilities
This is the last attempt of testing how Autopost to Everywhere works from e-mail through Posterous.
The last minutes of getting things together before leaving. It sounds exciting and amazing. Can't wait to see all the webheads together. It should be a superb meeting with popular educators around the world, to learn from them and with them. Have a hope to get an access to the Internet (no other way) in Japan.
So, getting to work.
In my bag already: a camera(borrowed from a friend ;-) ) , an MP3 player, a voice recorder, badges for webheads, an umbrella from flaming sun (the worst thing for me - I might melt in Fukuoka), no lap top (somebody will bring), and some private things... and, of course, passport, electronic tickets for the flight to and fro.
We'll definitely post our impressions, pictures, and coverage of the WorldCALL Conference. God bless you and us. {{{{BIG HUG}}}}
Posted by worldcall2008 webheads
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