Blog Day Event

To see more information about this event in Spanish, click on:

http://www.diadelblog.com/

Nik Peachey speaking about Web 2.0 for EFL

Nik Peachey is a freelance learning technology consultant, writer and teacher trainer. He specialises in learning technology and social media for language development and teacher training. He was here in Argentina last January as a coordinator and teacher trainer for Hornby School (More about the event in this blog? Click HERE)

We can see and listen to him in a YouTube video speaking about Web 2.0 for EFL.
The following is a recording of a presentation he prepared for teacher trainers in Morocco.
Enjoy it.

Are Social Networks Dangerous? Part II

After having uploaded "Are Social networks Dangerous? Part I, I started looking for further information about the attack to the use of social networkings such as Facebook, Hi5, Myspace, Sonico, etc. carried out by Televisa. The funniest thing is that Televisa did not mention their own social network, called Gyggs and that J.L. Dórigo has an account in Facebook!

Articles in Spanish related to the topic:
· http://www.periodismodeverdad.com.ar/2008/10/29/la-verdad-sobre-facebook-hi5-myspace-sonico-etc-etc/
· http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/533846.html
· http://cyberholocausto.blogspot.com/2008/08/lopez-doriga-un-peligro-hi5-facebook-y.html
· http://lapoliticamexicana.blogspot.com/2008/08/lpez-driga-quiere-que-cierre-mi.html

Then I asked some collegues who are ICT specialists for their opinions. Most of them agree on the necessity of using Facebook because it is a popular tool, specially among young people:

“I have avoided FB for a long time but this has become almost impossible. If I want to stay in touch with my younger family members and relatives, FB seems to be the best way. They don't read email..."

Although they like the way Facebook keeps them in touch with friends, family and/or students, they insist on the fact that, as with every online application, caution should be used when using social media sites.

"Anytime anyone invites me to take a quiz or send a gift or plant a flower or whatever--zap! I block it."

Here is a website which tells you about 10 privacy settings you can use to use Facebookmore safely: http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy

I will be posting more about the use Facebook soon from the Net generation point of view. And what about you? Do you have a Facebook account? What for?

15 Free Hi-Tech Language Learning Tools by

This post was written by Karen Schweitzer who kindly offered herself to contribute to this blog. Karen Schweitzer, Business School Guide for About.com, writes about online colleges for OnlineColleges.net. Thank you, Karen for this contribution!!!

"Incorporating hi-tech learning aids and applications into a study regimen can sometimes make it easier for language learners to learn and retain new information.

You can order many of these products for a cost from catalogs or from companies who provide such services. You can also find free options online. Most of the free options work just as well as the paid options and can be used indefinitely without incurring any costs.

This list provides information about 5 free online tools that can be used for language learning. ( I will be including more online tools suggested by Karen in future posts, don´t miss them ) :

1- FreeRice - Language learners can give free rice to hungry people by playing this English vocabulary game from the UN Food Program. For every multiple choice vocabulary question that's answered correctly the UN donates ten grains of rice to hungry people.

2- RIA - The Center for Language Education And Research at Michigan State University provides many free rich Internet applications (RIA) for language learners. The applications can be used to record, upload, mix, and broadcast audio.

3- Palabea - Palabea is a social language learning network where learners can chat with native speakers and improve their writing and grammar skills with hi-tech online tools.

4- SharedTalk - SharedTalk is a language exchange network that provides free web tools for language learning. Members of this free community can find language partners, voice chat, and text chat online.

5- MyHappyPlanet - MyHappyPlanet was created for language learners who want to connect with other learners and make friends online. Users can take free lessons online and find language partners all over the world.

Are Social Networks dangerous? Part I

Some days ago I got a mail pointing out the dangers of networks. The mail quoted the attack to the use of social networks such as Facebook, Hi5, Myspace, Sonico, etc. carried out by Televisa.

Televisa said that social networks are not safe because they provide information to kidnappers. The Mexican journalist Joaquín López Dórigo criticized the security measures of social networks due to the kinapping of an important businessman’s daughter. A video about facebook came to the e-mail I mentioned before which I found really scary.