Use Dvolver to Make Movies

what is it? What does it do?

This is a very  simple tool for making short and interesting movie. You can choose background, character, music and add lines.

Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?

This tool is extremely easy and users just need to follow the step by step guidance and the movie is done. This tool will be very attractive to studenst with its colorful interface and it can be a great way for the comprehensible output and better student's sommunicative competence.

• Step one, open the website and a lovely interface will come in front of you.

• Step two, just click make a moive and start your movie-making journey. You can choose the scene and background of the movie.

• Step three, choose the type of the scene.

• Step four, choose the characters of the movie and make up their conversation.

• Movie is fninshed and it can be sent to friends. The following one is a movie directed by myself as an example.  

 

How might you use this to foster language leaning in class/outside class?

• Teachers can show students new vocabluary in the conversation and teach them how to use these words in apscific context.

• Teachers can ask students to work in pairs to make a movie on a topic and use as many words and sentence patterns they've learned as they can in this movie.

Limitations:

• Only a few choices on background, characters, music, etc.
• Limits for the number of script.

 

Use Bubblr to Enrich the Story

What is it? What does it work?

Bubblr is an web photo-based tool which is easy to search for a wide range of photos on flickr and add comments on the photos to make the comic-strip.

Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?

• Step one, just type the keyword in tag box and relevant photos will show up in a slidable line.

• Step two, click anyone of the photos and choose the shape of bubble. Then drag it into a proper position and size. you can add your comments into it. You can drag the bubble and make it more fit into the photos. After finish this photo, you can choose another one as the follow-up.

• Step three, press done button and fill in the title and name. Then you are free to send this to different email addresses.

 It's obvious that Bubblr is very easy and interesting to use with loads of pictures to choose from. Students can choose pictures they like and add comments on within bubbles.

How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?

This  tool can be widely used in classroom in the classroom for the speaking activities. Teachers can design a attractive topic and students will be motivated into doing this task. Some activities are shown in the following:

• Students can use Bubblr to make a self-introduction with showing their photos of their hometown, school, tourist attractions or etc. Their short conversations could make this introduction more elaboratly and vividly.
• Students can use Bubblr to make a storytelling in class.

Limitations:

• Limited and no copy right photos
• The interface is not so attractive and  no choices for the size or color of the font.
• No other available options for the adding stuff like Mp3 file or other forms.

WEBQUEST

http://webquest.org/

What is webquest? What does it do?

Webquest is an inquiry-oriented lesson model in which most or all the information that learners deal with are from the web. This can be used for integrating information technology with lesson activities.
Questgarden is a online place for teachers to designing their task-based webquests under the direction of lots of example templates and guidelines out there. Additionally, the webquest can be built together by several co-authorr or search for the specific ones and adapt them into corresponding teaching context.

Why is this particular tool or technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?

Webquest definitely provides a new way of the language teaching. First, let's take a look at the composition of webquest.

Composition of Webquest:

.Introduction
.Task
.Process
.Resources
.Evaluation
.Conclusion

The layout of the webquest is clear and teachers or students can design and accomplish this task step by step. The aim of webquest is to encourage students to work together to learn the language while they are searching for the information and solving the task. The materials usually are authentic and attractive than the coursebook. According to thses, teachers set the goal and can scafford students during their learning.

How might you use it to forster language learning in class/outside class?

To do the webquest, students are required to explore information and cope with the task apart from English learning. This kind of creative activity compared to the traditional methods can effectively stimulates learner's intrinsic autonomy. Especially when it comes to the teamwork, students probably get more actively involved in the process with mutual interations. I prefer to use this within the class targeting on scaffroding them properly while they are dealing with this. Besides, teacher can start with introducing this elaboratively and end with concluding this activity breifly in class.


Here is the example for a webquest: Dinosaurs Before Dark

The advabtages of webquest:

• The aim of the task is clear
• The format is explicit and can help learners think and research by themselves
•  Lots of information are availvable on the web
•  Promote learners motivation and autonomy with choosing the stimulating topic, doing reaearch indepently or within a team.

Limitations of webquest:

• The evaluation criterion is not clear
• The process of planning and designing a suitable webquest is very time-consuming with loads of preparation works even adapting an existing webquest.
• Age limit

Todays Meet

An Great Platform for the Online Group Discussion

What is it? What does it do?

Todays Meet is a convenient online website for posting different kinds of ideas in a online room which can be simply built. This website is extremely suitable for the group discussion in class.

Why is this particular toolor technology relevant to language learning? What approaches to language learning or research underpin the use of this technology?

In a classroom, teahers always try to encourage students to speak out their own thoughts. However, owing to the limited time, only a few can get the chances to express their ideas. Todays Meet can make everyone in class have the opportunity to convey what's in their minds on Todays Meet. Additionally, for those who don't have the courage to deliver their opinions in  front of people, this is also an absolutly great tool to them. Most importantly, via this tool, the organiser can get all the messsages from all participants without missing any.

How might you use it to foster language learning in class/outside class?

The biggest advantage of it is it's so simple to use. Just name your room, set the time for deleting the room and yolur room is ready to use. All participants only need to enter the built room and they are free to post their ideas out there. I prefer to use it within the class in the purpose of encouraging all of them to have their own thoughts expressed freely.

Limitations:

•  Limits of 140 characters of each comment.
•  Todays Meet have the only function of posting messages.