Networking on the Net

Intro/Background

Much is said about the potential of ICT in education and yet many teachers still view the Internet only as a tool for obtaining information and authentic language material, ignoring the professional development opportunities created through the use of social and collaborative tools, and networking in virtual environments and communities of practice. Very few step outside their classrooms or local academic communities, build a presence online to interact and collaborate with the national and international community at large.

This presentation aims at introducing these tools, platforms and communities so as to encourage teachers
• to adopt ICT where appropriate in their professional lives as classroom practitioners, as planners and managers and as learners;
• to join interest groups online to make connections, share resources and experience;
• to create and develop an online digital identity.

We will first start by examining a number of synchronous and asynchronous tools and how their use can facilitate exchange, interaction, collaboration and build a presence online. (Yahoo Groups, Instant Messenger, Skype, personal learning environments, blogs, tagging, social and collaboration tools like wikis, etc)

Then, we will make a virtual tour of learning platforms like Tappedin, Learning Times, Alado and Worldbridges and meet some members of the Webheads in Action, a community of practice started in 2002, who will share with us how belonging and interacting in such community has helped them in their professional development and practice. Reference will be made to the January Electronic Village Online Sessions (EVO).

Finally, participants will be introduced to the newly created Braz-Tesol EduTech SIG and invited to join it.

schedule

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