real time audio language learning applications

From: nmste-bounces@nmsu.edu on behalf of JOHN GRIFFITHSent: Mon 6/30/2008 2:33 PMTo: nmste@nmsu.eduSubject: [Nmste] Re: Nmste Digest, Vol 10, Issue 24
Hi Jill,
I wouldn't mind hearing from NECC if there are real time audio language learning applications being offered as online application that can be used to teach literacy or ESL....ie what's the state of that art? Does NM need to develop our own online language courses that give real time feedback to the student, and adjusts the course on the fly depending on student progress etc.
Working on a few projects to provide online literacy training, and would like to know...such a big area of need for our state.
John

Everybody wants to sell you something

WOW!!!! Five football fields of vendors is a lot.  I walked up one side and down the other, and covered a lot of ground in between.  Needless to say my feet are tired.  I did get a lot of info and I am sure that I will be getting hundreds of emails from vendors.  The things that could be done with a limitless budget.  If you want to know about a specific product drop me a line and I will see if I have info to pass along.

I have a couple of free resources that I will be posting soon.

Sold, bought, and reconditioned,

Jason

Change is a good thing resources

In my last post I talked about a talk given Ian Jukes.  I noticed a lot of people were asking for additional resources on this.  The following URL has a lot of resources and is updated frequently. 

http://web.mac.com/iajukes/thecommittedsardine/Home.html 

Today for me is visit the five football fields of vendors day.  I will give your info to Mimio Jim.

A long day of walking,

Jason

NETS - T

One thing I went to today was the release of the new NETS T (National Educational Technology Standards for Students), I got the new standards and a bunch of resources that help us use them in schools with teachers!

Here is an online tool to check out to help educators measure some of the key indicators of technology integration utilizing the NETS in educational settings!! And they are blogging about it:

http://center.uoregon.edu/ISTE/NECC2008/program/search_results_details.php?sessionid=42390493&selection_id=42811997&rownumber=11&max=12&gopage=

Tool: http://icot.craftyspace.com/
What do you think about it?

I also had lunch with Kurt Steinhaus and visited with Dr. Holloway. It is nice to see some NM faces!

Change is a good thing

I had a plan for what I was going to do today, and before the day even started it was shot.  I will admit that it is partly my fault, I overslept and missed the first session (give me a break I am still getting over the flu).  So I got here in time for the second session, I was going to go to one on the NETS-S, but I decided to go to the SIGTEL annual business meeting instead (Jill told me it was the SIG for online education people).  I may not of learned as much as I would have from the NETS-S session, but I found a group of people working on the same things as I am and could use a little help in the admin area.

I was going to to go to a session on free web tools, but the line for that one was outrageously long.  So I am now in a session about Infowhelm and what kids need to be digitally and information literate.

RUP instead of AUP

As I told you earlier I attended a workshop this morning on technology policy.  One of the big areas of discussion was the difference between policy and guidelines.  As most of us know policy emanates from school boards, which are notoriously slow at getting anything done.  One way to get around having to have the school board set the policy is to create responsible use guidelines.  You may have noticed I said responsible use instead of acceptable, this was deliberate.  If we were creating good acceptable use guidelines we should be outlining everything we can do with the technology.  Implying anything not in the policy was a violation.  By saying responsible use guideline we can create guidelines that outline more of how we expect technology to be used.

As you might guess this post is for those that are in a position to influence guidelines and policy at our institutions. 

I am going to interject some personal commentary here about filtering, CIPA, and eRate.  I am all for protecting children from the unsavory elements of the Internet, but when did protecting children from pornography include blocking websites like You tube, which has a lot of excellent educational video clips.  I think what is even more reprehensible is the fact that the federal government has tied eRate funding for, already struggling, school districts to a requirement to censor information that should be available to students and would help to enrich their learning experience.  Sorry for that little rant, and please feel free to tell me that I am wrong (I definitely don't know it all, and I am always willing to hear you out).

On to tonight's social note. 

First I attended the NECC orientation for newbies.  The comedian they had was very funny, and did a great job of making the whole thing seem less overwhelming.  After that was the general member welcome, another great event.  Kurt Stienhaus was thanked for his service as an outgoing ISTE board member.  Then there was the keynote address by James Surowiecki, he spent an hour telling us how a group was more intelligent than a individual, provided they are given the right resources and conditions.  The cap on the evenings events was the general member reception, which was great fun.  It consisted of a live band, also broadcast on ISTE Island in Second Life, a poster session, and lots of food and drinks.

All in all another busy, but fun and productive day at NECC.

It is 10:09 p.m., and we should all be in bed,

Jason

P.S. Sorry if I misspell your name or anything else.

Global Connection Projects!

Check these out:
www.rockourworld.org
www.of2.iearn.org
www.zerofootprintkids.com/kids_home.aspx
flatclassrooms.com
(Digiteens) Horizonproject2008.wikispaces.com

More ideas......