Integrating ICT into the MFL classroom::

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14/06/2011

How can new technology support teaching and learning?

How can new technology support teaching and learning? How_can_new_technology_support_teaching_and_learning?

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of working with the staff at Medina High School at one of their development days focusing on the use of ICT to support teaching and learning.

Assistant Headteacher Nick Krista kicked off the morning with an overview of how the school is currently using technology to enhance the curriculum and highlighted directions it now wants to explore. My job was to showcase examples of innovative practice and suggest where colleagues could find out more.

After my talk, I ran two podcasting workshops and showed delegates how easy it is to email their mp3 files to Posterous and subscribe via RSS in Google Reader.

Have a listen to what they produced and feel free to leave a comment.

Here are the links from the slidecast above:

Thanks to all those who replied to my Twitter request during my keynote. The reaction was very positive!

QR codes and Aurasma seemed to go down well too!

Posted on 14/06/2011 in Blogging, Courses, ICT Advice, Joe Blog(g)s, Podcasting, Social Networking, Wikis | Permalink | Comments (2)

10/06/2011

Podcasting with the Ed Tech Crew!

Download EDTECHCREW162

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Tony and Darrel from the Ed Tech Crew about a range of issues including blogging, podcasting and time management!

It was interesting to reflect on what has happened in the last couple of years and talk about possible new directions in the world of technology and language learning. Hope you enjoy it. Thanks again to Tony and Darrel for having me on! I had a LOTE of fun.

Posted on 10/06/2011 in Blogging, ICT Advice, Interviews, Joe Blog(g)s, Podcasting, Skype | Permalink | Comments (3)

09/06/2011

Call for proposals for ILILC 2012

Building on the buzz from February's unforgettable ICT Links into Languages Conference we are delighted to announce that ILILC 2012 will take place on 25th-26th February 2012 at Southampton University. If you would like to submit a proposal for a presentation or hands-on workshop at this exciting event, please fill in the forms below powered by Surveymonkey by midday 20th June 2011.

Priority will be given to those presenters who can offer two sessions and content does not have to be explicitly about the use of technology but should focus on good pedagogy.

Please note speakers will get free entry to both days of the conference, have their travel costs reimbursed and their accommodation paid for, but unfortunately we cannot pay a speaker fee in addition to this.

Successful candidates will be informed in early July and we will announce the programme soon afterwards.

Registration details for both days are as follows

£175 for both days
£150 early bird for both days until 23.59pm on 1st November 2011
£125 for one day
£100 for both days for Post-grad students
£75 a day Post-grad students

If you have any queries please contact Zena Hilton via Z.I.Hilton@soton.ac.uk

Posted on 09/06/2011 in Conferences, Joe Blog(g)s | Permalink | Comments (0)

08/06/2011

Social media and the Language Perfect World Championships Joe Dale promotion!

On September 9th 2011, New Zealand firm, Language Perfect are launching the largest ever online language learning competition on the planet enabling school children from the southern and northern hemispheres to compete with each other, track their own scores and drive their school up the international scoreboard! The World Championships will last a week and be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate languages worldwide! Pupils can win prizes and earn certificates the more points they accumulate for their school!

To enhance this year's global challenge, the guys from Language Perfect have asked me to experiment with the potential of social media to spread the word and encourage as many people as possible to take part. I'm thrilled at the prospect and hope you can help. Building on the strength of feedback from last year's competition, I thought it would be a good idea to set up a Posterous blog and invite participants to email in their thoughts, share their experiences and basically get involved!

All you have to do is send your contributions via email to languageperfectworldchamps@posterous.com and attach any multimedia content to your message. Posterous will then embed and resize everything for you! Feel free to start posting straight away and tell us what you thought of last year's competition. It would be great to hear from you!

You can also send a tweet to @languageperfect and please use the tag #lpwc so we can follow your messages.

As an extra incentive, the first 250 schools from anywhere in the world who put the code (JDALE) after their school's name when registering will get 50 student places for FREE. What an offer!

For more information about the Language Perfect World Championships blog go to www.languageperfectworldchamps.posterous.com

Should prove an interesting experiment.

Here's a trailer to whet your appetite!

Posted on 08/06/2011 in Joe Blog(g)s, Social Networking | Permalink | Comments (3)

03/06/2011

Twitter tips for language teachers

Download Twitter_tips_for_language_teachers

Yesterday afternoon when checking TweetDeck, I noticed @MrsAngell from Brisbane, Australia was looking for some advice on the benefits of using Twitter for language teachers as part of a training session she was giving on personal learning networks the following morning.

Wanting to help, I suggested I Skype in at midnight and talk to her delegates about the wonderful ways UK MFL teachers have been harnessing the power of Twitter and the benefits they have found for improving their own professional development as a result.

I was delighted to see when I got up this morning and launched Twitter on my iPod Touch that I had received many follow requests from the LOTE teachers who had attended the session. I duly approved and added them all to my World Language teachers list and wondered if they would find Twitter as useful as we have in the MFL Twitterati!

Hope you enjoy listening to the conversation too and you find the tips helpful.