Week 5: Rounding off

(February 6th-February 12th)

This week, we will focus on your podcast project and e-portfolio (blog) to showcase what you have done in the podcasting for the ESL/EFL classroom session. 
Also, You will become familiar with Itunes. To finish this session, you will provide feedback and say goodbye by sharing virtual presents.



Learning about podcasting with Wesly Fryer  


1. Go to our weekly reading blog.

 
 Becoming familiar with Itunes


Itunes is one of the most popular podcatchers to download podcasts ( audio and  video). Most audio and videos are free. Some of them like music are paid. In Itunes, you can find excellent “authentic” or “EFL/ESL material to use in class. Before you watch this tutorial, do the following:
1) download Itunes 
2) Open Itunes.
3) Listen to Russelll Stunnard and try to follow his instructions on how to use Itunes.  
4) Explore and let us know in comments what your experience was and if you see in Itunes a potential repository of ESL-EFL material to develop listening and speaking in class. This screencast has been recorded by Russell Stunnard. He has a website on wonderful tutorials related to web tools and ELT. Click on Russel Stunnard´s picture to go to this tutorial on Itunes.
 


 
Promoting your blog for the podcasting fair

This week you will record a podcast promoting your blog and share the blog link in Twitter, Facebook or any other network you are part of. You will also invite people to attend our last live session (February 12th) in Wiziq moderated by Evelyn Izquierdo, Teadira Pérez and Miguel Mendoza.

1. Record a podcast similar to this one:






Here´s a script sample: 




2. Follow these steps to record your promotional audio. Click on the image to enlarge.
 


Optional. You can also upload your promo to Podomatic.


3. Embed this audio in your "My Podcast Project" page in Blogger like this:




Note: You can click on the image to go to this page.   


4. Spread the word in your network (Facebook, Google+, Twitter) with a message similar to this one:

Here´s an invitation to visit my blog (http://tellit2011.blogspot.com/) created for the Podcasting for theESL-EFL classroom EVO session 2012.


Tweaking your blog



1. Embed the audio you recorded about yourself  in the About me page of your blog as shown in the picture. This is the same audio file you added to your glog in Week 2.




Note: You can click on the image to go to this page.

 2. Keep in mind that your blog should only have the following pages: About me, My podcasts  and My Podcast Project.


3. Optional: Add a picture that´s related to your podcast project as shown in the picture:



 
5. Check out in this sample Blog how your e-portfolio should look like:







Voicethread: Session Feedback


Since this is week 5, it is time to let us know what you think about the Podcasting for ESL-EFL Classroom session. Your feedback is important to the moderators and the people behind EVO2012 to offer this session again in this free annual event sponsored by TESOL CALL-IS. Follow these instructions to give us your feedback:


1. Create an account in Voicethread and upload your profile picture.
2. Get prepared your PC/laptop/Mac audio settings.
3. Click on the image below to listen to our intro message:


 


4. Now, click on the “record” button, record your comment and click on “stop recording” when ready.
5. Wait some seconds while the audio is retrieved.
6. Click on “save” if you like your audio or “cancel” to record again.
7.Click on the “play” button to listen to the recording.




 Virtual presents


It is always sad to say goodbye when you have enjoyed so much working with such enthusiastic crowd. We hope we can keep in touch or share in some other sessions in the future, though. Now what a better way to say goodbye than sharing a virtual present with your colleagues 6 e-moderators. So, go to our Wallwisher and share a video, poem, picture whatever you would like to share to say goodbye.


1. Watch this tutorial on how to add your gift:






2. Click here to go to Wallwisher and add your present. If you want your name to be displayed above your message, create your account in Wallwisher. Slideshare.com or Picassa slideshows cannot be added. You may add/share YouTube videos, JPG images, or URLs.

Note: It is always a good idea to try different browsers if you have problems to edit or open Wallwisher. 




  Getting ready for the Podcasting fair


During the Podcasting Fair, Saturday 11th,  you will do the talking this time. You will describe your project in less than 5 minutes. 


What will you need to do this?


1. Must have you blog ready having the three pages requested in Activity 4, number 2. Click on the image to enlarge.






2. Make a Powerpoint presentantion with THREE slides ONLY with images from each page. Be as creative as you'd like to.
3. This Powerpoint presentation should be sent to Evelyn Izquierdo's email (evelyn.izquierdo@gmail.com) before Saturday 11th. Please, save it as PPT for XP (Office 2003)  to be uploaded to Wiziq. 
4. Use earphones like the ones shown in the picture.
Note: Using inbuilt microphone from laptop may cause feedback during the presentation. So it is better if you use the headphones we recommend.














1. checked the reading session. 
2. become familiar with Itunes. 
3. recorded promo podcast for your blog. 
4. spread the word on your blog and the podcasting fair.
5. embedded a podcast about yourself in the About me page and a podcast promo in the podcast project page. 
6. become familiar with new online venue for last live session.

5 comments:

  1. Russell Stannard's webcast on itunes - I just finished watching it. Wow. I definitely think it has amazing potential. During Russell's presentation I started subscribing and downloading. It has now joined my list of tings to investigate further and to start using. I also liked that it can help you promote learner autonomy. One of the things I downloaded was for learning Czech :-)

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  2. Hey Michelle...One of my Internet addictions: Itunes especially viodecasts!:)

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  3. Like Michelle, I also started subscribing to podcasts as a result of viewing the tutorials. I've had iTunes installed on my computer for ages but had never really been curious to investigate further. The potential for language learning is enormous and it's amazing that there is so much free stuff available to enjoy.

    I'm looking forward to listening to some short stories about Charles Dickens. A TED talk on prison philosophy also caught my eye. My brother-in-law has written a book about dealing with young offenders in prison and it also contained references to philosophy, which I find fascinating.

    The wide range of materials on offer on iTunes is fantastic, so many thanks for including it in this session

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  4. Regarding our class, it also made me dive deeper into iTunes and I've started to use it to stream the PBS channel right to my computer. Other very useful things, not directly related to class material will make me more effective at "life". Thanks again.

    The other thing our class made apparent is my internet connection (slow DSL) needs upgrading to faster DSL or cable.

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    1. Your welcome, Steve. It's so rewarding to read your comment. It's not only the ESL classroom but how useful these tools can be for own own lives.
      Kudos!

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