#TeachingwithTe(a)chnology - Wikiing

 

Hello to all! 

As you can understand from the title, we are going to continue the series of #TeachingwithTe(a)chnology with a new tool; Wikiing! 

I have to be honest, I was not familiar with this tool before. Therefore, that was my first time using it. At first, I thought it would be such a formal journey which will bore me but I was wrong. Because while I was Wikiing, I took pleasure writing and talking about the thing I love! 

Our task was to write a book review and I chose the book which I've recently finished; 

The Alchemist. 

While reviewing it, I posted the favorite quotes of mine and my overall decision on the 5-star scale. ✧✧✧✧✧

If you are curious about the book please click here to get to know about more!

Since we are at 21st century and I am a prospective teacher, I couldn't stop myself thinking about how can I use this tool while teaching to the students... I came with the idea of writing some kind of a travel diary in English with the photos taken by students as well as the ideas & honest opinions about the place they travelled. I believe it will be a non-tiring task since remembering the beautiful memories of the places possibly would make students enjoy the task!! 

Do you have any idea how to revive it as a educational tool? 

Please leave your comments so that we can discuss more about this series! 

See you and Take care!

#LearningwithTe(a)chnology - Podcasting

Hello all!

As the first image suggests, we are going to discuss an experience I had with such a fun way: podcasting! 

But first, let me take a selfie- of course no let me give you some background knowledge about podcasting.

pod-cast

/ˈpɒdkɑːst/ 

n. a digital audio file made available on the Internet for downloading to a computer or mobile device, typically available as a series, new installments of which can be received by subscribers automatically.

 Here we have the idea of what is podcasting! And also fun fact podcast is a blend word which actually derived from iPod and broadcast. It's time to explain my journey of podcasting... It all started with one year ago, as far as I remember, when I was searching for something and came across with an English for beginners podcast. Yes, that was our first encounter with the concept of the podcast and honestly, I didn't pay much attention to it that time since I was considering myself as an intellectual knowing English... But thanks to our Material Design course, I had a chance to make up for that mistake and actually produce a podcast! 

We had 3 opportunities to choose a topic of a podcast and I was more interested in story-telling one since I always have some sort of curiosity on story-telling. And we did it! (actually, we produced 2 podcasts but I'll explain how it turned out like that)

The Pink Little Mirror 

by Ayşe Munise TEMEL feat. Sılanaz UÇAK 

The process was easy since I'd already a program installed on my phone so it took us roughly thirty minutes. But I can't say we didn't encounter some difficulties... It was a group work but and we couldn't decide on the narrator consistency (which I believe has a powerful effect on story flow) therefore I had to think about the possible solutions. The final idea was to produce 2 podcasts with different narrators, different back-vocals but the same story. I am really glad that we solved that problem in a way like this cause I really enjoyed while producing both of them. 

If you want to check Sıla's podcast (in which she was the narrator and I was the back vocal) please click here. 

I believe podcasting improves multiple skills of a learner. You've to be prepared so it enhances your writing skills. You're the one who will be voicing thus it improves your speaking skills. You should have an idea of what did others produce so you must listen to them again upgrading your listening skills. As I said, it is like killing two birds with one stone!

Do you enjoy listening to a podcast? // If you were to create a podcast, what would be the topic of it? 

See you and take care! 

Technology Integration to the Field of Education // Teachnology

Hello to all again!

I hope you're doing fine and well. Because today we're going to talk about a subject which has a significance for most of us. Teaching and learning with technology! Yes, yes! 

So let's start with the meaning of technology, shall we? 

tech·nol·o·gy

noun

The definition of technology is science or knowledge put into practical use to solve problems or invent useful tools.

1. An example of technology is the Internet which has made up-to-date information available to anyone with access in a matter of moments and provides real time information about events around the world.

Technology is definitely widely used in lots of area but we can't deny that it's so much benefits to the area of education. Not only students but also teachers and even parents are starting to realize the effectiveness of the technological improvements in the field of education. 

I am currently a student, hence, I am going to convey my feelings and thoughts about technology use in our school. Firstly, our teachers are most likely using the miracle of PowerPoint and I can't say I am not fond of it. PowerPoints are like the savers of students since they consist lots of visual and verbal aid making the lesson much more attractive and listenable. In addition to that, as a language students, thanks to our phones we are no longer carrying the dictionaries with us which have hundreds of pages. I am thankful for the online dictionary applications since they are mobile, accessible and more fun! 

I am also currently a teacher candidate, thus, I should change the perspective a little bit. I am going to be teaching English in nearly 3 years and I can already feel the audience wouldn't be so easy in terms of they would be more familiar with technology than me. So this gives me a responsibility to learn and upgrade myself day by day. Even now, I should be planning how can I adapt technology with particular lessons to make the students feel more active in learning environment I'll create. 

Who knows what will happen to PowerPoints in the coming years but for now I am planning to use them actively like my teachers. 

I am not feeling myself at a disadvantaged position cause I also really enjoy creating things with the help of technology. It has lots of advantages! For example, I improved my speaking and writing skills with the help of creating videos for my English lessons... Not only speaking or writing but also my editing skills upgraded, either. 

Here I'll share a video which I created with my friend Reyhan Ravza Yeşiloğlu in my high school years... We were only at 10th grade (sophomore year) and thanks to our technology-lover teacher, 

we were able to taste the fun part of learning with technology! 

Edited by: Ayşe Munise TEMEL // Voiced by: Reyhan Ravza Yeşiloğlu

In those years, tasks like these weren't favored by most of the teachers, nevertheless, 

our teacher showed her difference by integrating her English lessons to teaching with technology!

I am studying at the university now but I still remember the tasks we've done in her lessons... 

Consequently, I experienced the effects of technological aids in teaching and learning by myself 

and can honestly say technology is a must in the area of education!

What do you think about technology integration to education? 

Do you have any memory of a lesson which took place with technological aids?

Thank you and take care!

What is CALL and Quick Look to Its History

Hello all!

Welcome back to another post which we will share some ideas about the history of CALL and mostly what is it about. 

Call is defined as 'The search for and study of applications on the computer in language teaching and learning.' by Levy, 1997. So to give you a quick overview of the history of CALL, I will add the timeline I created, below. 

We can simply say that with the help of technological improvement, CALL has found its place with a very significant role in the field of education. Therefore, language education is also benefiting from the advantages of using CALL. 

Starting with the individual profits, CALL firstly used in education by means of behaviouristic CALL in the 1960s. It consisted of the behavioristics approaches key concepts in it but there was a problem, there was no place for the students' creativity or letting them find themselves. 

So, communicative CALL entered the chat around the 1980s and saved the day. How did it save? Well, with this approach students were taken out of their passiveness cave and find themselves in the middle of activeness pool. They were given responsibilities not in a way waiting for them to answer the questions specifically but creatively. So the first steps were taken with the help of the communicative approach but it wasn't enough for the students since there was only computers and them. 

Integrative CALL was born in the mid-'90s and today we're embracing it as a Superman. In our day, technology accelerates more and more day by day and it's nearly impossible to make it stop. Integrative CALL enables students to connect with each other without being physically side by side. We can also give the example of what I'm doing right now... I am writing a post about education, CALL and so forth and waiting for the other people to share their ideas with me, kind of 'barter of information'. So hard to believe that it is in one click distance to communicate with each other. Also, smart boards, another great technological aid,  took their places in most of the schools and giving opportunities to integrate web tools in the education field. 

I am sure that with unstoppable changes and improvement in technology, CALL will take another shape and upgrade itself accordingly but for now, let us make our best to integrate our thoughts and ideas to web contributing to online knowledge pool of human beings. :) 

See you and take care! 

*To create a timeline like mine, simply click on mine. 

*For the articles I benefitted from; 

- https://www.wordengine.jp/research/pdf/Development_CALL.pdf

- https://www.llas.ac.uk/resources/gpg/61

21st Century and Language Education

Hello to all again! 

Hope you're doing fine and well. Today we are going to be talking about the century in which we live (yes I'm talking about the 21st century in case it's forgotten) and the essential skills which are required.

I think I should take it from back so that we can create an imaginary timeline in our minds. In the 20th century, the language education strained to the limited sources resulting in unaccomplished progress. But, in our day with the help of technological improvement, we are able to access so many different sources and upgrading the language process adapted to those changes. Hence, in this century some skills are being almost obligatory in terms of an achieved education system.

Let's talk about them, shall we? 

So this is the framework of the skills of 21st-century learning. 

These skills are needed to reach the students to achievement not only in their career but also in their personal life making them know themselves more and more.

Consequently, teachers must be familiar with the skills to be able to integrate them into their teaching program. They should be accustomed to the concept of 'learning-centered classes' rather than sticking to the ancient 'teacher-centered classes' showing their (not students') skills to the students whereas learners are struggling to focus. 

This is a word-cloud which I've created with the words of 21st century skills and the evolved language education. 

As the future teachers, being candidates of teachers who will touch the lives of children and all, 

we should be aware of these skills and upgrade ourselves day by day. 

Thank you and take care! 

*For the sources of the images, you can simply click on them.

Welcome // Hoşgeldiniz // أهلاً و سهلاً // Xoş gəlmişsiniz! // 歡迎光臨 // Aloha // ようこそ

Hello all the citizens of earth and the neighbors of them in the universe! 

Welcome all to my educational blog where I'll be posting my thoughts, contributions, ideas and so forth about education (mostly in Language Teaching) with you all. I am Ayşe (also my mother's name) Munise (my preferred name given by my father) TEMEL (the surname which all of my kin possess). 

I am currently a sophomore student at Marmara University § İstanbul, Turkey. I am struggl- pardon, studying at the department of E (English) L (Language) T (Teaching). Consequently, I am going to share so many things (I hope) related to teaching and as a student, learning. 

I would like you to continue with this anacreontic // enjoyable (we'll see) journey with you, as well. So don't forget to leave a comment down below so that I can understand I am not talking to myself and not delusional at all. 

See you, and take care!

*it should've been like a signature*

*at least I tried T.T*