Module 2 Section 3 , Activity 2: Writing and social networking

1- Situation

It seems to be very interesting to reflect upon a previous experience. I am keen on writing since I was in primary school. It has been my favorite hobby. I have kept my old dairies, which I do not have enough time to translate or put them in a booklet. I have published three books and have other projects. In addition, I am keen on using social networking. I would say I live in my emails, which is sometimes annoying for my family members. I moderate a number of Yahoo Groups. I always want my students to make a difference at school. Therefore, I try to come with innovations and apply them in my classroom.

The situation is that my students lack skills and techniques to come up with a good piece of writing. Their writing is terrible. It is full of mistakes: grammar, style, word choice… Writing appears to be “An invisible ghost”. It is a threat that have always made students: fail in their exams, be promoted, or set for an institution’s recruitment successfully. Students are afraid to share their written production, even if they are doing well orally in the classroom. Their marks are not as both teachers and parents expect. This situation is recurrent wherever you go. It is not only for second language learners, but it is the same problem for native speakers of any language. I experienced this with my students in Moroccan and with native speakers students is the States, Crestwood High School, Ohio.

Students like to use the internet. It is part and parcel of their daily activities. They would use it for chatting, playing games, for business, or use it for things that have nothing to do with their studies. Then, they are doomed to use social networking wether teachers or parents like or not, openly or secretly. Therefore, there should be a way to make use of their tendency to use social set of connections.


2- Task

I would like my students to improve their writing skills and do well in their exams through some activities that they are keen on. They would be involving them to participate in lessons and do their exercises effectively. Consequently, I set up a yahoo group for each class. The results were amazing:

Students discuss, comment, answer their classmates’ questions in due time
Students teach each other
Shy students in the classroom express themselves better through writing
Less good students learn better
Gifted students make wonderful production to be shared with the whole class
Grammar, style and word choice have been improved
Students’ writing skills have tremendously improved

These activities have resulted in many useful performances. They have always reinforced everything students have learned in the classroom. Students have learned to work in teams and time management. Most of them said they would capitalize on what they had learnt for future use. However, they are too demanding owing to time constraints and the requirement of the syllabus. The majority of students prefer immediate feedback. Moreover, there is more written skills than spoken one.


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http://www.muvenation.org/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=1564#p7320

Module 2 Section 3 , Activity 2: Writing and social networking

1- Situation

It seems to be very interesting to reflect upon a previous experience. I am keen on writing since I was in primary school. It has been my favorite hobby. I have kept my old dairies, which I do not have enough time to translate or put them in a booklet. I have published three books and have other projects. In addition, I am keen on using social networking. I would say I live in my emails, which is sometimes annoying for my family members. I moderate a number of Yahoo Groups. I always want my students to make a difference at school. Therefore, I try to come with innovations and apply them in my classroom.

The situation is that my students lack skills and techniques to come up with a good piece of writing. Their writing is terrible. It is full of mistakes: grammar, style, word choice… Writing appears to be “An invisible ghost”. It is a threat that have always made students: fail in their exams, be promoted, or set for an institution’s recruitment successfully. Students are afraid to share their written production, even if they are doing well orally in the classroom. Their marks are not as both teachers and parents expect. This situation is recurrent wherever you go. It is not only for second language learners, but it is the same problem for native speakers of any language. I experienced this with my students in Moroccan and with native speakers students is the States, Crestwood High School, Ohio.

Students like to use the internet. It is part and parcel of their daily activities. They would use it for chatting, playing games, for business, or use it for things that have nothing to do with their studies. Then, they are doomed to use social networking wether teachers or parents like or not, openly or secretly. Therefore, there should be a way to make use of their tendency to use social set of connections.


2- Task

I would like my students to improve their writing skills and do well in their exams through some activities that they are keen on. They would be involving them to participate in lessons and do their exercises effectively. Consequently, I set up a yahoo group for each class. The results were amazing:

Students discuss, comment, answer their classmates’ questions in due time
Students teach each other
Shy students in the classroom express themselves better through writing
Less good students learn better
Gifted students make wonderful production to be shared with the whole class
Grammar, style and word choice have been improved
Students’ writing skills have tremendously improved

These activities have resulted in many useful performances. They have always reinforced everything students have learned in the classroom. Students have learned to work in teams and time management. Most of them said they would capitalize on what they had learnt for future use. However, they are too demanding owing to time constraints and the requirement of the syllabus. The majority of students prefer immediate feedback. Moreover, there is more written skills than spoken one.

http://www.muvenation.org/moodle/mod/forum/discuss.php?d=1564#p7320

Creating an educational scene

The quest of learning has never stopped. Whenever I am in SL, learning takes place. I was trying to build this scene on the Muvenation, when I was requested to take to my platform.

Inspiring moments

The above picture is outside my holodeck
The one bellow is inside my holodeck:

My second story:

Thinking of the good success I have so far achieved would be a reflection bout about the previous stages of learning. I remember how terrible I was at the beginning of exploring second life. Stumbling to move any little step, it has been a severe headache. I tried hard not to make whatever mistakes inword would disqualify me from the learning process. Of course, there had been moments when I would feel nervous for not connecting or doing any given assignments. There had been time of stress whenever you have your school and family needs to carry out before anything else.

However, thanks to the cooperative work that has been led in the Moodle and inword, I always feel satisfied and given power to contribute and never to stop this learning journey. Whenever, I felt like learning, I would log into my account and there is always someone to lend a hand. One thing that I have learned is never ever one should hesitate to ask questions despite being stupid ones. I have asked too many trivial ones throughout this trip of knowledge. I have never felt that I have to quit the course. I have learned a lot, including creating my educational scene which is equipped with some furniture.

My happiest moments have always been to know, explore, and master a new skill in second life. The later was just an idea crossing my mind in Kent State University. I have considered it being software that could be used to enhance a good performance of computer apparatus. In fact, it is enriching the learner’s involvement and creating a welcoming educational environment for the coming generations.

My story, then, is a reflection about my funny and happy moments in second life. I am afraid; would it become my first life? How much second life can be draw on in favor of first life?