Desire 2 Learn

I like to use web-based software for the academic purpose because it provides easy-to-use course tools and on-line communicative environments. I realize that it is very convenient to have an on-line learning tools for courses in terms of communication. I can pose questions anytime to the course instructor or even to the whole class, and I can get feed-backs from all without time constraints. The benefit for on-line community is that I don't have to wait for next class time to get some responses from everybody, and I can have open discussions as well, which I prefer most of the times. This way is better than e-mail exchanges because all course discussions can be stored in one spot, which enables students to access to those records way much easier. In addition, I can access to various files on D2L; it has content of course materials, drop box with feed-back function, downloadable quizzes, and grade tap which includes class averages information. All those facilitate or replace well a lot of physical interactions in classrooms.

Google Docs & ZOHO

I liked ZOHO document service better than the Google one. As far as I found, ZOHO provided more functions and options in its document programs. It was also very similar to MS office programs. Both programs were very easy to use even at the first time, and offered enough functions to create a basic document.
I couldn't find a way to print Google docs directly from the web page, but I was able to do it with the ZOHO one. Also, document export button allows you to save your documents as different file formats in ZOHO, whereas Google only offers pdf file format. ZOHO certainly gave me more options to choose font styles, sizes, colors as well as design aspect of options. Yet, I was not satisfied with my chart in sheets because I wasn't able to specify labels directly to the chart, to add more information, or to adjust any font styles.

RSS

It is a revolutionary way to get information over the web. The idea is awesome that one can get updated notice or the information piece by one log-in. I would like to use it for class for keeping up information from different web-sites. ELL students need to know background information and vocabulary from the different fields of studies. They can add something they're interested in reading, but I would recommend useful sites for them because I'm afraid to have too many reading list at one time. RSS is a good way to approach information at once, still it is reader's job to choose what to read.

iPhoto

Calling to Jim, originally uploaded by Kay0610.

Smart Board was actually smarter than me! It was a very interesting tool to play with. I wish I have more chances to learn how to use it.

Trading Card - K

Multicultural Education

"Multicultural education is a field of study and an emerging discipline whose major aim is to create equal educational opportunities for students from diverse racial, ethnic, social-class, and cultural groups. One of its important goals is to help all students to acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to function effectively in a pluralistic democratic society and to interact, negotiate, and communicate with peoples from diverse groups in order to create a civic and moral community that works for the common good."
Banks and Banks (1995)
There are many ways to use online image generators as a supplemantary tool for multicultural education.

Hello, Flicker!

Flicker is a good image storage that I can use in the ESL classroom.
There are many cultural topics in the ESL classroom since students are from different cultural backgrounds. ELL students can use real pictures to introduce their cultures to the classmates by actually showing it. They also can develop using computer skills while playing with it. It is important to know basic skills and to familiar with it because many English tests are Internet-based in nowadays.

Diversity

The use of 3rd party tools are not directly related to language learning; however, we still can use it as supplementary learning tools. Students can use those tools for their portfolios or presentations. Teacher can simplify or edit images for appropriate learning purposes. In language learning, it is possible to create a lesson for teaching "instructions" as using those tools, too.