New Tools in Language Learning

lunes, 23 de enero de 2012

VUVOX

Actividad realizada por María Julia y Ana María.

Para hacer presentaciones. Pueden ser tan largas como se desee.
La forma en que se pasan la fotos se puede elegir entre varias opciones.

Here's a summary of some digital tools made by Karen in her blog.

Creative writing tools
Creative writing prompts - a site providing thought provoking questions to stimulate writing. Could equally be used for discussion. For me they could be expecially useful in the journalism classes, but less applicable with my business students although with some guidance they could be used to highlight the different registers used for different types of writing.

Zooburst - a site to create 3D pop-up books that can have information attached to them. I think this would be an excellent site for young learners but I am not sure if my business adults would be so enthusiastic about it. They would prefer to work with Prezi I think.

Oh life - this site sends you an email each day asking you how your day was which you reply to with a story about your day. You will end up with a collection of stories similar to diary entries posing as a chronical of your day to day life. I see how this is a useful tool but don't think that my students are commited enough to use it! I think I could have more success with this (which actually reminds you to write each day) than with the likes of Penzu where students would have to remember to write. I am not sure if there is a function to make diaries collaborative, but students could email their stories to me every two weeks for checking and comments.

Storybird - Create stories using pictures and words. The pictures are big and look great on your screen, and there are lots of already made stories which could be used in class. Again I see lots of potential here for younger learners and teen learners, but I am not sure that my business people would be so impressed. Unfortunately creative writing isn't something that we usually focus on in our business courses, where if there is a focus on writing it is a focus on using the correct register for different types of texts. Nice site just for a play though!

Collaborative writing tools
GoogleDocs - I already use this extensively for work and sometimes in class. Love it. I hadn't though about doing writing using other forms, but one of the group participants has set up a collaborative writing exercise using powerpoint (so that you can add pictures). What a fantastic idea! With my classes we could write collaborative business reports... using an imaginary business that we explore all parts of (marketing, sales, accounting, risk etc) to creat one massive report that is a summary of our entire business course!

Bubbl.us - a really easy to use brainstorming site. I have used 'visio' from the MS Office collection before for flow charts and brainstorming and I find this tool infinitely easier. I am not sure if it is collaborative - that would make it really powerful for revision of ideas studies in class. These images are easy to export and could then be used in a collaborative ppt such as suggested above.

MixedInk - I had a look at this site and it looks useful if you are managing multiple projects and classes. I haven't got my head completely around it yet, and for my needs Google Docs are probably sophisticated enough (I am not managing big classes of students or significant numbers of projects).

Writeboard - this is a simpler tool than MixedInk. It also leaves a diary of who has comtributed what which is one of the weaknesses of using Google Docs in the classroom as a collaborative writing tool.

Entri - another simple collaborative writing tool that I like because it leaves a log of the different versions fdown the right hand side of the page. For straight collaborative writing this would be the tool I would choose.

Although writing is rarely a focus in my classroom, there are tools here that could be used for homework (I am thinking of students using smartphones on the metro) to improve register and foster more collaboration in and out of the classroom. Thanks ClassDigitools for all the ideas!

Stress InterviewStress interviews are used to see how the jobseeker handle himself. You may be sarcastic or argumentative, or may keep him waiting. You may also lapse into silence at some point during the questioning, this is used as an attempt to unnerve the jobseeker.

Screening Interview
Typically this is the first step a company takes after the resumes have been scrutinized. The purpose of this meeting is to assess the skills and personality traits of the potential candidates. The objective ultimately is to "screen out" those applicants the interviewer feels should not be hired due to lack of skills or bad first impressions. The interviewer must also "screen in" those candidates she/he feels would make a valuable contribution to the company. Your job during this preliminary meeting is to convince this person you are worthy to take the next step.

One-On-One Interview

In a one-on-one interview, it has been established that the jobseeker has the skills and education necessary for the position. You want to see if the jobseeker will fit in with the company, and how his/her skills complement the rest of the department. In a one-on-one interview the jobseeker's goal is to establish rapport with the interviewer and to show that his/her qualifications will benefit the company.

Lunch Interview

The same rules apply in lunch interviews as in those held at the office. The setting may be more casual, but it is a business lunch and the jobseeker has to be watched carefully. The jobseeker must use the lunch interview to develop common ground with your interviewer.

Committee Interview

Committee interviews are a common practice. Jobseeker will have to face several members of the company who have a say in whether he/she is hired. In some committee interviews, you can ask the jobseeker to demonstrate his/her problem-solving skills. The committee will outline a situation and ask him/her to formulate a plan that deals with the problem. The interviewers are looking for how the jobseeker apply his/her knowledge and skills to a real-life situation.

Group Interview

A group interview is usually designed to uncover the leadership potential of prospective managers and employees who will be dealing with the public. The front-runner candidates are gathered together in an informal, discussion-type interview. A subject is introduced and the interviewer will start off the discussion. The goal of the group interview is to see how the jobseeker interact with others and how use him/her knowledge and reasoning powers to win others over.

Telephone Interview

Telephone interviews are merely screening interviews meant to eliminate poorly qualified candidates so that only a few are left for personal interviews. The jobseeker's mission in this interview is to be invited for a personal face-to-face interview.

Informational Interview

Typically this is an interview set up at the jobseeker's request with a Human Resources Manager or a departmental supervisor in the career field he/she is interested in. The purpose of this interview is to help the jobseeker find out more about a particular career, position or company. He/she is seeking information from these people in hopes that they might refer him/her to someone else in their company or to somebody they may know outside their company who could use your skills.

The General/Structured Interview

Frequently the Screening Interview is combined with the General Interview due to time constraints many companies have during the hiring process. Often the jobseeker will meet with the supervisor over the position for which he/she is applying. During this interview he/she will be discussing the specifics of the position, the company and industry.

To read more, click here
What kind of interview have you had? Tell us about it.

Power Point used in Class:

Una herramienta que puede ser usada para que los alumnos escriban unlibro con imágenes en Flickr. Es de http://www.pimpampum.net/ y se puede insertar en el blog o enviar el enlace.

Aquí un ejemplo: