syllabus


 * Syllabus **

toc = Rationale = Nowadays it's absolutely obvious that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are everywhere in our daily lives, however, it's not at all obvious that they're everywhere in the world of education. On the contrary, as far as I know. Education hasn't kept up with the big and fast changes in the world beyond the four walls of the classroom and the school. There's still an enormous gap between
 * school and the world outside
 * the technological gadgets students take to school and the technologies that schools have available, and
 * what teachers know about using technologies in education and what they should know to be able to use them in the classroom.

Therefore, it's becoming ever more pressing to introduce in our lessons tools that are used every day in the real world in order to
 * reduce the "school - world outside of school" gap
 * bring school and the real world closer together
 * prepare students for a better more seamless integration in active life, above all,
 * understand the reality of our 21st century students and thus better satisfy their interests and needs to improve learning.

These students are the "digital natives", as Marc Prensky calls them, that we, the "digital immigrants" or teachers of today, have the duty to attempt to pull out of an outdated school system that means nothing to them, because it's totally disconnected from their reality.

This 8-day workshop is an attempt to give you, my trainees and colleagues, hands-on knowledge that will help you start bringing that change about for the benefit of your students.

= Target audience = This 8-day workshop is aimed at English teachers (L2) from the secondary to university levels.

= Pre-requisites = Teachers should have some experience of working online. Therefore, it's advisable that they have the following pre-requisites:
 * an email account
 * a reasonable cable or wireless connection at school/university (desirably) and at home
 * some knowledge of how to navigate the Internet, carry out searches, download, save and install applications, and upload files to a specific platform
 * be ready to use different programs and platforms
 * have a headset with a mic (or built-in speakers and mic in their laptop/netbook) and a webcam (built-in or not)
 * have Java and Flash installed in their home and institution computers.

Last but not least, teachers should have a "hearty appetite" for the world of online communications, be open to and enjoy exploring new tools, and have a creative and innovative spirit that will generate and enrich the teaching-learning process of the foreign language.

= Objectives = During the upcoming week (8 days, to be exact), trainees will explore, get familiar with and use different Web 2.0 comunication tools - wikis, chat platforms, image, audio and video tools, programs to create interactive materials... - that they will introduce to their students in a "blended learning" format in order to:
 * create an online presence
 * open the classroom to the world and bring the world into the classroom
 * broaden peer communication and collaboration
 * enhance the importance of communication, interaction, collaboration and sharing in our students' academic and professional lives
 * open our students' minds and eyes to new ways of learning the L2, namely, a student-centered strategy in which s/he has to work hands-on and learn by doing, both individually and collectively, as well as create and publish her/his own products.

The student moves from a more or less passive receiver of information to an active producer and publisher of his own creations, sharing them with his school community and the world.

At the end of this "hands-on" workshop, trainees will be able to:
 * create a wiki and use some of its features
 * capture and resize images, and insert them in the wiki
 * record audio and video files and embed them in the wiki
 * create different interactive materials
 * participate in a virtual classroom session
 * use social networking and bookmarking tools.

They should also have a very clear idea of the power and potential of chat (also in the form of audio and videoconferencing) for communication, peer support, timely help, formal and informal learning and professional development, as well be familiar with the basic features of a virtual classroom and its potential for the L2 learning process.

= Content = Over the next days trainees will be introduced to different Web 2.0 communication tools, as follows:


 * Day 1**
 * Introductions
 * Overview of the workshop Syllabus and Agenda
 * **Chat:** Using synchronous tools to enhance the 4 basic skills - reading, writing, listening and speaking - among students and emphasize the benefits of communication with native and non-native English speaking communities throughout the world (tools: Yahoo Messenger, Skype and Tapped In)


 * Day 2**
 * **Wikis:** How to create a presence online through a multimedia collaborative space that enhances the students' 4 basic skills - reading and writing, listening and speaking - at the individual and group levels (tools: Wikispaces and PBworks)
 * **Images:** How to visualize writing and reading activities and assignments in a collaborative and editable space (tools: Irfanview, MWSnap, Flickr, TagGalaxy)


 * Day 3**
 * **Audio tools:** Ways to enhance the listening and speaking skills or how to use different communicative approaches for L2 learning and practice
 * online tools: Vocaroo, Audiopal, Voxopop, Voki
 * offline tools: Windows recorder, Audacity (& Lame MP3 encoder)


 * Day 4**
 * **Video tools:** More ways to enhance real communicative skills by using audio and image all-in-one
 * online tools: Eyejot, Winkball, Voicethread
 * offline tool: webcam


 * Day 5**
 * **Creating materials:** Tips on how to create interactive materials by using different programs (tools: Hot Potatoes, EclipseCrossword, QuizRevolution, Quizlet)


 * Day 6**
 * **Virtual classrooms:** Synchronous communication between teachers and students, guest speakers... (tools: Elluminate, WiZiQ)
 * [|LearnCentral]: vRoom for 3 users/computers


 * Day 7**
 * **Miscellaneous tools:** More tools for teachers to communicate, find, store and edit materials
 * microblogging: Twitter
 * social bookmarking: Delicious, Diigo
 * browsers: Firefox, Chrome
 * working offline: HTTrack, PDFmyURL


 * Day 8**
 * Clarifying doubts, Q&A
 * Wrap-up

= Methodology = This is a practical and "hands-on" 25-hour workshop.

In the morning the trainer will show the trainees how to use the different tools and she will also ask volunteer trainees to collaborate by creating examples and uploading them to the workshop wiki.

In the afternoon, the trainees will work in computer labs to practice using some of the tools introduced in the morning. They will carry out suggested activities or activities of their own choosing.

Since most of these tools are collaborative tools, trainees are encouraged to explore them together in group activities as much as possible.

= Readings = There is a list of "suggested readings" to be done //a posteriori//, after the workshop is over and when there is time to digest them. Click the "Readings" page in the "Navigation" bar (on the left).