e-Journey 2.0.
That’s how I’d call the first online listening course held at the school I work for. I had this dream some time ago, but was never able to fulfill it until earlier this year when the administrators at my school contacted me as they felt how urgent it was at that point to offer elearning opportunities for our students and for prospective learners. They realized they were missing an important part of English learners public because they didn’t have the online component. Of course, they’ve known that for a while. However, only then was the group mature and ready to give it a try.
As I was taking some courses at University of Florida, I told them I had already devised an online course for a final course project. It was an online listening course with objectives, weeks, and weekly tasks. They liked the idea and asked me what I needed to teach that course. First, I mentioned the need to have an edtech plan for the school. Planning is certainly an essential part of the game. Then, I told them that I needed technical support to install MOODLE and during the course. I got what I asked for. It seemed perfect and the course was already on paper. So, surely it would be easy to transfer the content to the online platform. Was I dreaming…
Reality is certainly different from implementing. I knew I would have some work, but not as much.
Well, things are never quite what we expect in the online sphere…Just when I started uploading the content, I realized that I needed tutorials for students, FAQ pages, as well as meaningful connectors among the tasks to add the human element to the class. I had to set up a blog, an online social bookmarking space, the forums, the online tasks. All the nodes were supposed to make sense to students in a cozy atmosphere in which cooperation and interaction would be key elements for the class success. Even the tasks, when I started adding them to the platform, I realized slideshows, photos, options of listening activities for students with different levels of proficiency, self-assessment tools were necessary for a successful online venue. I also had to make sure I knew the students from the beginning. So, surveys could certainly give me a clearer picture of my group and their level of proficiency and expectations. I spent dozens of hours preparing the course and joining the pieces of the e-puzzle.
Anyway, as the course moved along, I was pleased to see students evolution, to accompany their interest and motivation to learn. Some of them really excelled and used every single suggestion of e-tool I gave them. An e-learning course must have a direction, objectives, tasks, but there are parts that are “undesignable”. You can only add certain elements as the group progresses. It’s about listening to their queries, doubts, anxieties and providing them with the means to finding the answers. You have to tailor the course for your public according to their interests and needs. Caring is fundamental. Sharing primordial.
What you hear in this podcast is just part of what was a grand finale of this first learning stage for all. Yesterday, after six weeks of intense interaction, learning and sharing, students finally gathered in Real Life with Erika Cruvinel without whom I couldn’t have accomplished such a big job and Paula Pacheco representing the academic Coordination. Both of them were essential in this journey. Paula gave us the administrative support with Isabela Villas Boas encouragement, and Erika was always there with me for whatever I needed, be it some information about students or during our live sessions. She’s my dear partner and friend. Dennis Oliver, another fantastic partner, was online with me. We interacted with students via WiziQ. It was simply a blast. Everybody kept chatting, interacting with us online, and holding their Certificate of Attendance with deserved pride after such hard work. We were all connected and I told them that, in fact, we were connected forever in Ning, our network!
This was that kind of experience that takes us to another dimension of professional development, learning and understanding. What I’ve been apprehending through the online Communities of Practice for some time now was in full use during our course. Although my students, in general, were low-tech highly-anxious students, they started blogging, using online bookmarking, understanding the concept of podcasts and the power of e-learning to achieve their learning objectives. Some still haven’t finished the course, but, I guess, that’s the beauty of online learning, each one of us has an option and can choose our path as we wish and need. Persistence is also a key factor in the success of e-learning, on the side of the teacher as well as for the student. I tried to show them that we learn by connecting, sharing, collaborating with others. I reached them in different ways, but if just some of them see the power of the Web 2.0, my mission will have been accomplished and there will be more people joining me in this Journey 2.0!
I’m thankful for having had the chance to fully use the Web 2.0 potential and show the way to my learners together with the invaluable help of my partners, Erika and Dennis. That’s what really matters.
I learned in 2007 that no matter which e-tools you’re using, your human touch to the online environment is still what matters the most to create a meeting place that is inviting, that makes students comfortable to try out, a place in which they know they will have supportive feedback, that they will be heard. No matter what your approach is to teaching and learning online, the moderator’s facilitation can cause an impact on the learners if there’s a sense of confidence and understanding of difficulties to overcome. If dialog is established and the process is fed by feedback, then people are connected in a magic 2.0 fashion!
Now, back to Ning, my treasure of 2007, to keep sharing and learning with this fantastic group of cheerful learners!

Visit ListeningPlus

This post is in response to Learning Circuits Blog question: What did you learn about learning in 2007?

We planned, tried to predict, prepared ourselves for the first announced show. We had already had many informal ones, but it was time to go for the real one. We decided for the topic and there we were with no Skype. What seemed to be doomed to failure became a nice, lively talk full of interaction and rich of resources to share. The Skype glitch worked in our favor, at last. First, Illya brilliantly conducted the show in Sandbox B just talking to herself and interacting with Chrissy and Jose in the chat area. I was still trying a way out and had to reboot my machine at least three times.

Skype crashed my whole lessonplan! OK. The B plan in action! Not that we had one…We predicted many of the issues that might arise in a live show, but we were not counting on not having Skype. Well, Alado! Oh, yes. It was user-friendly, had voice, we could share the links. If there were nobody there, that’s where we were heading to. Illya was still there holding the stream in B. Alado was available. The group migrated to the platform and we had the most wonderful cooperative, shared live experience ever! There was so much to talk about in terms of reading, ideas popped up as each one of us shared our hidden treasures. Jose was also there giving his contributions and listening to us. We talked for a whole hour and still there was so much to be said. Certainly, other encounters will come and the synch of the group is already perpetuated in this podcast full of richness and treasures. Again, it takes a team to find workable solutions in totally unpredictable venues.

We hope you all enjoy the listening as much as we enjoyed producing and carrying out the show!

We’d also love to have one contribution of yours here. So, let us know what your hidden reading treasure is.

 Soon, we’ll have all the resources mentioned during the podcast available here.

Enjoy!

Carla, Illya, Erika, Dennis Oliver and Dennis Newson

 Reading Treasures Mentioned during the Show

 

• http://www.librarything.com/

To collect names of books you’ve read, including the ratings you give them, with discussion option

• http://www.shelfari.com

A place to share your bookshelf with friends, see what they’re reading, write your notes, be part of reading groups. 

• http://weblogs.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/bees/

blog where a class writes a guided reader together- so good that the author joined in (it’s also a very good book!)

• http://mexico.udg.mx/historia/leyendas

Folktales in Spanish

• http://www.darsie.net/talesofwonder/

More folktales and fairytales from all over the world

• http://www.pitara.com/Talespin/folktales.asp

More short folktales, stories and poems from all over the world

• http://chriscraft.pbwiki.com/

Digital Storytelling Competion project for 10-12 year olds

• http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/sites/sites062.shtml

A lot of American folklore and folktales from all over the world, including links to other sites

• http://www.candlelightstories.com/soundstoryblog/SoundStoryBlog.htm

Audiostories in MP3 format

• http://storynory.com/

More audiostories, including the tapescript

• http://andrewarticlesandstories.wordpress.com/

A collection of stories for children learning English, and articles on how to use stories in the classroom

• http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2006/09/02/podcast80-encouraging-reading-by-stephen-krashen/

Podcast from Stephen Krashen on encouraging children to read

• http://www.thomas.org.br/activities/slide_show_scrap_arquivos/frame.htm

The scrapbook projec between Brazilian and Argentinian Teenagers 

• http://www.flickr.com/photos/claudiab/

Photoshow of Brazilian/Argentinian scrapbook project

• http://www.bartleby.com

Online books and e-books

• http://newslink.org/news.html

Links to newspapers from all over the world

• http://newslink.org/mag.html

Links to magazines from all over the world

• http://mixbook.com/

A tool to make online books and the possibility to get them printed afterwards; Site suggested by Ramona, a Portuguese teacher

•  http://www.mixbook.com/books?bid=2058
  

An example of an online book.

• http://www.screencast.com/t/vE7diupo71 
  

Jing – Screencasting + Mixbook

• http://ctjonline.blogspot.com/2006_03_01_archive.html
  

The Pit and the Pendulum – Edgar Allan Poe and Blogging

• SambaEFL

Students podcast about the "Brazilian Wonders" after having read tourist brochures and worked on adjective building. 

 

Chat Transcript

Welcome
Erika Cruvinel : I can hear you Carla.
Erika Cruvinel : And I hear Illya at the same time.
CarlaA : great, erika!
CarlaA : oh. close your stream
CarlaA : probably the real player
Illya : yes I can
Illya : do I need to close thestream?
CarlaA : yes.
CarlaA : where’s Dennis N.?
Dennis-Phoenix : Ican hear fine.
Illya : CArla, can you say something?
Erika Cruvinel : I can hear you Carla.
JoseR : I guess login means login hahaha
Dennis-Phoenix : I’ll stay in the WB chatroom until everyone has migrated here.
JoseR : sound is good
JoseR : hi
JoseR : sure
Dennis-Phoenix : I can hear you fine, Illya.
CarlaA : your turn jose
Erika Cruvinel : I think everybody who was in Worldbridges is here now.
Erika Cruvinel : I can’t hear Jose.
JoseR : let me try again
Erika Cruvinel : Jose is your mic mute?
Erika Cruvinel : no sound
Erika Cruvinel : maybe it is the mic icon at alado, under the chat
Illya :
Illya : totally disconnected
Illya : you too!!
Illya : LOL
JoseR : Reading is the window to the world
Illya : http://www.librarything.com/
Dennis-Phoenix : I sent Dennis Newson e-mail.
JoseR : thanks Dennis to Dennis, cool
Dennis-Phoenix :
JoseR : I saw link, New to me
Erika Cruvinel : I didn’t know about it.
Erika Cruvinel : New for me too.
Erika Cruvinel : There was one like this suggested by Nina.
Illya : http://weblogs.hcrhs.k12.nj.us/bees/
CarlaA : can u see the page?
Erika Cruvinel : yes
Erika Cruvinel : I’m shy!
Illya : go ahead carla
JoseR : Susan and Sharon posted a webcast on books for educators; http://webcastacademy.net/node/1217
Dennis-Phoenix : Dennis Newson thought the show would be re-scheduled for later. He’s momentarily stepped out.
CarlaA : yes
Erika Cruvinel : Yes!
Illya : yes!
JoseR : sound good
CarlaA : extensive reading
CarlaA : share them with us
JoseR : say them
JoseR : folktales in Spanish are leyendas
Erika Cruvinel : Folktales tell a lot about a country’s culture.
Illya : Hi Dennis glad you found us
CarlaA : hi, denos
Illya : Denos
JoseR : http://mexico.udg.mx/historia/leyendas in Spanish
Denos : Thanks to my namesak. Thanks Dennis
Denos : No sound for me.
Illya : Thank you, Dennis
Dennis-Phoenix : Dennis-Denos! I’m glad you’re here!
Dennis-Phoenix : Good points, Carlinha.
Illya : also enact them
JoseR : use of digital stories with programs like kidpix
Denos : It says audio muted
Illya : illustrate them
Dennis-Phoenix : http://www.darsie.net/talesofwonder/
Illya : make a picture book
Dennis-Phoenix : http://www.pitara.com/Talespin/folktales…
JoseR : Chris Craft has a project uniting 10-12 year olds in competition. http://chriscraft.pbwiki.com/
JoseR : they are using photostory 3 or iphoto
Dennis-Phoenix : http://www.education-world.com/a_tech/si…
JoseR : kids are describing their home life.
JoseR : Ok back on topick
JoseR : topic, sorry
Denos : Pst…. Can you hear heach other?
Dennis-Phoenix : I remember this group of blogposts,Carlina.
Dennis-Phoenix : I can hear.
Erika Cruvinel : Yes, we can.
Illya : great idea to read at the end.
JoseR : Edgar Allen Poe?
Illya : Did they read out loud?
Dennis-Phoenix : At the bottom of the screen is a sound speaker icon. Do you see it or does it have a red line through it?
Denos : I shall leave and come back.
Dennis-Phoenix : Yes, Poe, Jose.
JoseR : that’s pretty advanced
Dennis-Phoenix : Yes, that might be better, Dennis.
Illya : wow
Illya : Poe at pre-intermediate
Dennis-Phoenix : He’ll come back, Carlinha.
JoseR : I am teaching preintermediate right now. Perhaps they can access with scaffolding of language
CarlaA : yes
JoseR : yes
Illya : yes!
Dennis-Phoenix : Yes, Erika.
Dennis-Phoenix : Great topic, Erikinha.
Denos : Can hear you, now.
Dennis-Phoenix : Wonderful, Dennis!
JoseR : As a grammar teacher I focus on a longer story as a teacher read aloud.
JoseR : I’ll read story 20min a day over a month or so, to get students excited about stories
Dennis-Phoenix : Great idea, Erikinha!
JoseR : I saw website it was good.
Dennis-Phoenix : Also a great idea, Jose.
Illya : I love this idea of having them write their own
Erika Cruvinel : They love it!
CarlaA : yes
Dennis-Phoenix : I also like that idea, Illya.
Illya : yes
Dennis-Phoenix : Yes, Jose.
Dennis-Phoenix : I like the idea of book-discussion podcasts.
Dennis-Phoenix : And I also agree that it’s important to focus on literature for enjoyment.
Erika Cruvinel : http://www.candlelightstories.com/sounds…
Illya : we hearyou
Erika Cruvinel : I like this blog too with fairy tales
JoseR : We also have for students that are older; Literature Circles.
Illya : Denos?
CarlaA : denos?
Dennis-Phoenix : Looks great, Erikinha! I’ll make a point of checking it out.
CarlaA : go on!
Illya : I can’t hear you
Erika Cruvinel : No sound
JoseR : Where they focus on a book and come together weekly to discuss
Illya : I heard you for a second there
Erika Cruvinel : yes
Illya : yes
JoseR : yes
CarlaA : yes
Dennis-Phoenix : Yes, Dennis.
Erika Cruvinel : click on the mic just once
Illya : you need to keep the button on the microphone red
CarlaA : ‘great
Dennis-Phoenix : Definitely, OK, Dennis!
Erika Cruvinel : Great now!
JoseR : I am excited about using literature with adults. I have focused so much on language mechanics and not on literature
Illya : can’t hear it
CarlaA : i can hear him
Dennis-Phoenix : Hear, hear, Jose. "Too much analysis kills the taste."
Illya : teh echo
Dennis-Phoenix : I can hear fine–and with no echo.
JoseR : Understanding text goes beyond preditermined strategies.
Dennis-Phoenix : "It kills off the joy of what this writing is all about": exactly, Dennis.
Dennis-Phoenix : I agree, Jose.
JoseR : Readers response in a free journal and commenting on class blog
Dennis-Phoenix : Excellent ideas.
Dennis-Phoenix : I used to ask my students to keep reading logs (which were basically the same idea).
CarlaA : great. noisy here. can somebody pick it up
Erika Cruvinel : Loved to hear you!
Dennis-Phoenix : Great points, Dennis.
JoseR : My wife is taking reading classes at the local college in EFL department and I do see a lot of these strategies being used
CarlaA : oh, this is nice!
Dennis-Phoenix : Andrew Wright: important name!
Illya : excellent books to use in the classroom
Illya : especially for efl
Illya : everyone needs a log
JoseR : sorry folks, I have a late lunch engagment. I’ll have to leave you soon. Great talk. available in webcast academy right?
CarlaA : yes. I’ll publish it later
Dennis-Phoenix : I have to leave for about five minutes . . . but I’ll be back. I also have more links.
Illya : Bye Jose
CarlaA : thanks for being here, jose
Illya : thanks for stopping in
JoseR : thanks for bringing us together, once again. bye
CarlaA : dennis, send me the links to add to the resources
CarlaA : http://andrewarticlesandstories.wordpres…
Illya : Carla just posted it
Illya : http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2006/09…
Illya : this is where the podcast is
Erika Cruvinel : I loved you mixbook invitation!
Erika Cruvinel : Is it free?
Erika Cruvinel : Great!
Erika Cruvinel : Can you imagine the million things we can do with that?
Erika Cruvinel : A class book!
Illya : what a lovely idea
Erika Cruvinel : A book about the students’ country to share with other country.
Erika Cruvinel : I was typing that!
Erika Cruvinel : recipes!!!
Illya : connecting classes through a book
Erika Cruvinel : places to visit…
Illya : or connecting many classes across the world
Erika Cruvinel : The fact that you can print it is really exciting. I still love printed stuff!
Illya : The hardcopy is then a real treasure!
Erika Cruvinel : http://www.thomas.org.br/activities/slid…
Erika Cruvinel : that is the brazilian scrapbook on paper.
Erika Cruvinel : yes, you can browse
Erika Cruvinel : http://www.flickr.com/photos/claudiab/
Erika Cruvinel : Carla can you push that link?
Erika Cruvinel : we are very similar!
Erika Cruvinel : yes, it was World Cup
Dennis-Phoenix : I’m back. Sorry that I had to leave.
Erika Cruvinel : that is integrating skills, reading, speaking, writing and listening
Dennis-Phoenix : Integration of skills: very important. (It’s amazing how many people follow a discrete-skills approach.)
Dennis-Phoenix : "Something that you really enjoy": very important.
CarlaA : yes
Illya : yes
Erika Cruvinel : I have screen shots of our chat in worldbridges and at Alado
Erika Cruvinel : sure
CarlaA : great erika!
CarlaA : i’m glad you remembered!!!
Illya : Wonderful!
Erika Cruvinel : that’s why you know everything about evrywhere…
Dennis-Phoenix : http://www.bartleby.com
Dennis-Phoenix : http://newslink.org/news.html
Dennis-Phoenix : http://newslink.org/mag.html
Erika Cruvinel : I need to look at all these links carefully!
Illya :
Dennis-Phoenix : Yes, indeed, Illya. Good job!
Illya :
Illya :
Erika Cruvinel : poor Illya! I would not have survived!
Illya :
Dennis-Phoenix : And Carlinha, great job of multitasking!
Dennis-Phoenix : Me, either, Erikinha!
Illya : With quite a bit of editing at the beginning!
Erika Cruvinel : She drinks a lot of coffee!
Illya :
Dennis-Phoenix : Yes, please thank Andy Pincon for his generosity!
Erika Cruvinel :
Dennis-Phoenix : Ditto for Jeff Lebow!
Illya : Yes, thank you webcast folks for all the background support!!!
Dennis-Phoenix : And she probably has a lot of chocolate, too (brigadeiros, casadeiros, . . . .)
Illya : You are so amazing Erika!!
Dennis-Phoenix : Do you have six arms, Erikinha?
CarlaA : hahahah!
Illya : Ah Coffee!
CarlaA : Brazilian coffee
Dennis-Phoenix : Abracos, Erikinha!
Erika Cruvinel : Brazilian Coffee!
Erika Cruvinel : Abraços!
CarlaA : abraços
Erika Cruvinel : yes
CarlaA : yeahhhh
Dennis-Phoenix : I can’t type the c with a cedilla on this computer, unfortunately.
CarlaA : we did it!
Dennis-Phoenix : Yay, team!
Illya : clap clap clap

Dennis-Phoenix :
Erika Cruvinel :
Dennis-Phoenix : clap clap clap clap clap
CarlaA : does anybody want to say anything?
Dennis-Phoenix :
Denos :
Erika Cruvinel :
Illya : so, let’s go out for a coffee together now
CarlaA : yeah, illya!
Denos :
Denos :
CarlaA : so true, dennis
Denos :
Erika Cruvinel : Kisses (in Brazil everybody kisses!)
Illya : biejos
Erika Cruvinel : Let’s think about poetry!
CarlaA : all of us!!!
CarlaA : thanks guys for being here with us!
Erika Cruvinel : you are great and sweet!
CarlaA : it was great!
Dennis-Phoenix : Erikinha: You, too!
Illya : next time will be even better!
Dennis-Phoenix : I’m sure of that, Illya!
CarlaA : I’m glad we could connect even without skype!!!
Dennis-Phoenix : Me, too.
CarlaA : bye, guys. will post the material soon.
CarlaA : yes
Dennis-Phoenix : This all pulled together in true Webheads fashion: when plans go awry, try something else!
Dennis-Phoenix : Dennis-Denos, I forgot to give kudos to you. You’re an amazing resource–and a terrific person as well.
CarlaA : great!
Denos : Well, thanks, Dennis-P. I felt pretty uselewss, though, when Skype did not work. I’m such a novice in these areas.

This podcast was part of the WebcastAcademy assignment of recording a Telephony Call. I talked to Erika Cruvinal via Skype and I used Audacity to record the conversation, as well as the Audio Repeater.
Our intent was to talk about something that is really part of our Brazilian culture. Brigadeiros are part of every Brazilian childhood’s memory. However, adults enjoy them, too. Birthday parties are not good enough without these sweet treats!


Ingredients:
1 can of Condensed Milk 2/3 tablespoons of cocoa 1 tablespoon of butter
Recipe:
Stir all the ingredients in a pan in medium heat. Keep stirring it until the caramel starts to get off the sides of the pan. Let it cool, then roll them with sprinkles. Grease your clean hands with butter, use a teaspoon, get a bit of the caramel, and roll them. Then, pass them on the sprinkles.
webheadsinaction