3.3 Reflection: Using Web 2.0 Tools

• Briefly describes an activity you would create.

The activity I would create is called "Explanation Video."

At the end of the lesson, after the students have had time to learn and practice the vocabulary words and grammar structures,  I could assign translation or Q&A questions to each student or student group, and have the student or student group create an "explanation video" on how s/he or the group come up with the answers.

• State how you might minimize possible challenges students and the teacher might have to address.

 Here are some of the challenges that the teacher and students might face:

1. The use of technology to make the video. The teacher must make sure that the students have sufficient equipment and knowledge/skills to create the video. I taught my students how to use Screencastify to make screencasts. I also allow them to use their cell phones to make the video recording. While the qualities are different, I focus more on the result than the cosmetics of the videos.
   
2.  Hosting the video: Some of the videos are going to be too large for email communication, so the videos might need to be hosted somewhere before they can be shared. I've taught students to upload their videos to Google Drive if the videos are too large. Some other options are YouTube and Vimeo.
   
   It's a good practice to ask ALL students to upload their videos to Google Drive, especially if the video is made on their phones and/or is small enough for direct email. After the students have uploaded the videos to their drive, then they can safely delete the videos from their phones. This way, if the teacher does not receive or can not open the video for any reason, there is always a backup copy.
   
3. Organization/Collection: Teacher also needs to think about how s/he would like to collect the videos, and stay organized on checking off the students. Emailing the link or the video directly to the teacher is an option. I use Edmodo, so I can create an assignment, and see which student/student group has submitted the assignment. If you use Google Classroom, you can collect and stay organized the same way.
   
4. Patience & Flexibility: Whenever you use technology, there will always be problems that you can and can not anticipate. It's best to be prepared and be patient, and be flexible.
   
5. Example: It's best to share the rubrics upfront, and go over an example with the students so they know what the teacher is looking for in terms of quality and length.

• Align your activity to a learning objective that uses verbs from the top three levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
  
  A learning objective for this activity could be: Students will be able to explain how they break down the question and develop the answers by applying the vocabulary and grammar structures they have acquired in this lesson.

Future of PD

While atteding the Google GAFE Summit in CA earlier this month, I had an interesting conversation with another teacher. She actually is not a classroom teacher, she's something like a technology integrator who coaches teachers on using technology.

We were talking about the technology in education, and how the integration is progressing. Then we started talking about different ways teachers learn technology.  Traditionally, teachers attend conferences and workshops to learn about new technology, then they go home and either (1) try to learn it on their own, or (2) forget about what they heard. Frequently the school/district will also host professional development workshops on technology. Some of them have hands-on component, while others don't.  So, how has it worked out so far? What works, and why?

This teacher-coach works with teachers on an one-on-one basis. She believes that works best, when compared it with a large-group workshops.  However, it's not always possible, especially in this time of budget crunch. So what to do?

I personally think that one-on-one is effective, but very expensive.  The compromise might be smaller groups with hands-on learning. I think another way will be for teachers to coach each other.

What works for you?

薑紅茶的作法

製作薑紅茶使用老薑的效果最好，方法有三種：

1. 老薑在磨成泥狀之後，再經過濾的步驟，使用過濾的薑汁沖泡熱紅茶飲用。
2. 薑泥不必經過濾的步驟，就直接沖泡熱紅茶喝。採用哪一種方式都可以，因為都一樣的有效。
3. 把紅茶包和生薑五片一起放入杯中，用九十度以上的水沖泡，等稍溫後放入蜂蜜。

不管早上是喝紅茶或是牛奶，只要加入1小匙的薑泥，風味宜人，形成薑汁紅茶或薑汁牛奶，不僅減低熱量，而薑中的薑黃素能促進血液循環，還能紓解心情、健胃整腸！如果嫌每次磨薑泥很麻煩，可以一次多磨一些，用裝湯圓的盒子冷凍，要用時剝一枚沖泡即可。如果感覺肚子有灼熱的感覺時，要考慮減少生薑的用量，一天飲用2至6杯就好。

牢騷

最近開始覺得有點精疲力盡、心力交瘁。雖說教書，尤其是在美國，本身就是很費神費心的工作，但是前幾年都還可以，即使有難纏的事，也都還能應付得來。可是這一年，尤其是這個星期，真的讓我覺得有點支撐不住。

說是有什麼特別難纏的事、人，那也不是。但是許許多多瑣瑣碎碎的繁雜事連續不斷地襲擊而來，我就有點招架不住了。總覺得自己再怎麼努力，再怎麼為學生們想，都沒有人理會。以前聽說過教書是沒人感謝會的工作，可是偶爾總是還有貼心的學生會讓我覺得所有花費的時間和精神是值得的，但是為什麼今年開始有點覺得不值呢？

說得好像很嚴重，其實靜下心來想想，還是有不錯的學生的。最小的同學們真的很努力，最踴躍發言，最準時交功課了。再高一級的，今年第二年跟我的，也都還是算聽話，除了英文說得太多，交功課有點賴皮外，都總是會惹我笑。最高班的就比較麻煩。覺得他們有的是來混的，覺得自己的程度夠，無論我出任何功課，他們都敷衍了事。最過分的居然還理直氣壯地說我給的基本要求都做到的，覺得我太挑剔了。既然如此，來上什麼課呢？直接說是來混ㄉ，就算了呀，大家都不心煩，不是嗎？我也省得老花時間去找補充教材，每天絞盡腦汁地去找聽力練習材料，剪接成題目，做講義，做學習單等等。

牢騷暫時發完了。

Can not download Open Vanilla

Since I've gottan my G4 iBook, I've been experimenting with Chinese text input. Not very satisfied with the default input systmes, I am looking for new ways/better ways to enter Chinese text.

I spent the afternoo searching and reading posts and finally came across Open Vanilla. It seems that this is a good way to go. However, I can not download the darn application from the links (http://www.openfoundry.org and http://www.openvanilla.org). Every other link I got from postings all refer to those two sites.

I am not too sure if it's an issue with my side or it's an issue with these two sites. I've asked friends/friends to try and access those sites from their computers, all to no avail. I am running out of options. This is truly frustrating.

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