Getting the Most out of the Social Web to Create New Cultures of

Learning & Guiding in the EFL Classroom

A 2-Day Workshop for EFL Teachers at the Foundation Program of Qatar University

by Buthaina Al Othman Doha, Qatar - February 25-26, 2009

Much Obliged America & Allies - God Bless You ALL – February 26, 2009 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherbuth_summer04/3304207991/

Agenda What is Learning Learning theories & approaches Informal Learning Formal Learning vs. Informal Learning The Social Web / Web 2.0 Communities of practice & Multiliteracy (Webhead Guest

Speaker) The new role of teachers – Be a Multilit. To Fit Wikis & Ning (Webhead Guest Speaker) Flickr & Twitter (Webhead Guest Speaker)

AlOthman, B.

What is Learning?

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“Learning can be defined formally as the act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skills – Learning helps us move from novices to experts and allows us to gain new knowledge and abilities”

Marcia L. Conner, (2007)

http://www.agelesslearner.com/intros/adultlearning.htmlThis site is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

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“Learning is seen as something that you do in order to understand the real world”; so, “learning how or improving an ability is not like learning that or acquiring information” Gilbert Ryle (1900-1967)

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“knowing that” and “knowing how”

Gilbert Ryle (1949)

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“Knowing that”

11“Learning as a quantitative increase in knowledge. Learning is acquiring information or ‘knowing a lot’. Learning as memorizing” http://www.infed.org/biblio/b-learn.htm

“knowing how”

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“Learning as making sense or abstracting meaning. Learning involves relating parts of the subject matter to each other and to the real world”

Learning vs Memory

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Education is a social process; education is growth; education is not a preparation for life but is life itself.

John Dewey (1859-1952)

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The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change.

Carl Rogers (1902-1987)

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• Students should not be Forced to Memorize

• Education should be Practical

Ibn Khaldun (1332 - 1406 )

Learning Approaches

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Informal learning – is the source of most of what we learn from other people

We discover how to do our jobs through observing others, asking the person in the next cubicle, calling the help desk, trial and error, and simply working with people in the know

Jay Cross (2003)

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Formal Learning vs Informal Learning

Formal learning = Push

learning Informal Learning =

Pull learning

LEARNING

FORMAL: 20% INFORMAL: 80% INFORMAL: 80%

Family Gathering

Diwaniyah / Majlis

Coffee Break

Courses

Online Events

Classrooms

“eLearning must become social learning” 6 minutes video: http://www.informl.com/2009/02/23/elearning-must-be-social/

Jay Cross (Feb. 23, 2009)

http://www.informl.com/2009/02/23/elearning-must-be-social/

Connectivism: A Learning Theory for the Digital Age• To learn is to create meaningful connections • Technology allows us to leave the office and yet stay connected

George Siemens (2004) 11

Communities of Practice

Communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and Learn how to do it better as they interact regularly Etienne Wenger (2004)

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Communities of PracticeWebheads

WEBHEADS COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE ONLINEhttp://tinyurl.com/26afzh

Communities of Practice & Multilitracies

Vance Stevens• Lecturer in Computing at the Petroleum Institute in Abu Dhabi, UAE• CALL Coordinator and eLearning – IT/• CMC Specialist

More about Vance at: http://www.vancestevens.com/vance.htm

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For the Participants of Day 1, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009

Communities of Practice & Multilitracies

Michael CoghlanAn online instructor for the Graduate Certificate in eLearning delivered by Adelaide Institute of TAFE. More about Michael at: http://mikecogh.blogspot.com/

Michael sent us this podcast: http://michaelc.podomatic.com prepared for theParticipants of Day 2, Feb. 26, 2009

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The Social Web/Web 2.0 tools?

http://www.banksy.co.uk/indoors/ele02.html

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How Technology Changed the Way We Learn & Teach

Ning & Wikis

Nellie Deutsch• EFL Instructor for more than 30 years• She is a Canadian, currently residing in Israel• A researcher in Building Relationship and

International Collaboration• More about Nellie at: http://tinyurl.com/3wumyh

9/27/2008

For the Participants of Day 1, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009

Doris Molero• EFL Professor at Universidad Dr. Rafael

Belloso Chacin in Maracaibo Venezuela• Doris's EFL Center at:

www.doris3meflcenter.bravehost.com• More about Doris at:

http://tinyurl.com/46swmd

Ning & Wikis

For the Participants of Day 2, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2009

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Using Web 2.0 Tools to Support Just in Time Learning

MicrobloggingPhoto Sharing / Photo Blogging

Flickr & Twitter

Cristina Costa Blog: http://knowmansland.com/learningpath/

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For the Participants of Day 1, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009

Flickr & Twitter

Carla ArenaA believer in the transformational power of education. A wonderer, learner,

curious Brazilian EFL educator.

http://collablogatorium.blogspot.com

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For the Participants of Day 2, Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2009

Michael Coghlan (Jan. 25, 2009) for the EVO 09, Images4education

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Twitter: Just In Time Learning

A Twit by Jay Cross via @andresauwaerter (Feb. 23, 2009)

Blogs Tags

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Using the Social Web to Support Working & Learning

Social Bookmarking

Cross-Cultural EFL Projects: Kuwaiti & Argentinean Students Talk about Cultural Differences Via Blogging

http://tinyurl.com/3dbydu

Cultural Topics: Religion, Clothes, Greetings, Places, Music, Social Freedom

http://tinyurl.com/3dbydu

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Using Web 2.0 Tools to Support Pull Learning

Really Simple Syndication Aggregators

Collaborative Student-Projects Using Social Web Tools: Facebook Groups

Building Collaborative Communities of Learners to Support Creativity, Productivity, & Performance

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Wikis for Collaborative Student-Projects

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http://buthaina.wikispaces.com

Wikis as Learning Management Systems

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Skype AFL Projects: Bringing Arabic Language to Oberlin Live & Online

USA, Kuwait, KSA

http://tinyurl.com/4527eh

Promoting Informal learning through International Audio Conversation with Authentic Audience

http://buthaina.blip.tv/?file_type=flv;skin=blip#28775Venue: Arab Planning Institute (API)

Barbara SawhillBarbara Sawhill

Abeer BouftainAbeer Bouftain

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Q & A

Thank you!

buthaina.alothman (at) gmail.com

http://quniv-workshop0902.wikispaces.com/