Here, in Vietnam, it is not surprising to see a person with 2 or even more smart phones, an ipad and a laptop. And it is also a shock to a lot of foreigners to know that they can access free wireless Internet at every corner of the big cities. In my university, free wireless connection was offered since 2006 to provide the students with the best conditions of searching and browsing our Libol (library online). I was told about blogging dozens of times with lots of invitations to join some social communities like yahoo 360, twitter, facebook... from my students and friends.
Yet, I never thought about joining one before registered this webskills course. I thought it would be a waste of time sitting in front of the laptop talking to people I do not know much. My key prupose of surfing was to look for the teaching resources and reading articles and news.
A bit funny when I started to creat my own blog today as I did what I assumed nonsense just a few days ago. To be honest, the feeling of my first date was recalled. I am excited with a bit nervous writing the first blog of my life.
Well, This is my New Experience.
Personally, I suppose that blogging could be a good way to approach students. Why I use the term of "Approach"? There has been a GAP between the students and the teachers for long in Vietnam. In some schools in big cities, "student-centeredness" was talked, new methods were applied, "prolem-based learning" was introduced and brought into practice elsewhere. However, in most parts, "Grammar-focused", "teacher-centered" "Teacher - students - Board and Chalk" ... are still dominant. Reluctant speakers, Grammar-contented tests, exam-passing motivation.... are the issues and topics of thousands of talks, discussions. The situation of English teaching is gradually improved. And if we look at the bright side, there have been a number of positively remarkable changes. And since the students can share and can be shared with the blogs, it helps teachers to have a closer look on "need analysis" and "learners' psychology" to form flexible teaching methods that suit both the core curriculum with the institution's objectives and the expectations from the learners' perspectives.
It is a little bit too much for a new blogger right? Hope to have your frank comments.
Welcome to the world of blogging, The! Great looking blog, and nice post. I totally agree that we need to "approach" are students, find them where they are at. I'm very impressed that Vietnam is wired as well as you describe. I think these are investments that will pay off for the country.
ReplyDeleteRobert
Thank you Robert,
DeleteI really appreciate the way of conducting this course. At the same time of learning, we have good friends worldwide. I assume I could accumulate a lot from others sharing and experience.
Hello The!
ReplyDeleteI have always resisted blogging myself as I explained before, but for different reasons. Maybe it will be good to work with students and I sure hope it will be good for our group. I feel, however, that social media are great to bridge the gap between students and teachers that you were talking about. Most of my students are on facebook and we interact a lot there. I have created groups or pages for more specific work and others are simply my friends, but it's great to keep in touch with them and show them some interesting things.
I guess all media can be used to our advantage. We just have to find out how.
Luísa
Thank you Luisa,
DeleteYou are right. I am getting familiar with blogging after the first week of our class. It is quite interesting. I think blogging will keep me busier when I use it for teacher-student interacts.
Nice post, The. You are a good writer. I like the way you compare this New Experience to your first date. It is strange when you post something online for the first time, for the whole world to see. A little scary.
ReplyDeleteLuisa, I communicate with my students via Facebook. They are all there anyway.
Thank you Natasa,
ReplyDeleteI do expect to have your sharing on the analysis of bros and cons of using social media.
Hi, The. Thanks for leaving comment in my blog. Good to have a fellow Vietnamese in this course. I am originally from Hai Phong, too, but now live and work in Hanoi. I still have family in Hai Phong, though, and therefore come back quite often.
ReplyDelete