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How
Participation in a CoP
Informs and Influences Personal Teaching? Why I Joined Webheads in Action? Week 5 , (Feb 17 - 23, 2003) Impact of the Moderation Experience, during Week 5 |
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Participating in week 5 as a co-omoderator, during the 7-week Seminars held on January 20 - March 7, 2003, was a rich experience that opened my eyes on important concepts and objectives, related to the use of group "Chat",as an effective educational tool for English learners. I found that some computer mediated communication,(CMC) tools not only capable of improving English learners language skills, including speaking, listening, reading, and writing, but they can also train them to think critically, allowing them to become discoverers while the instructor remains a facilitator.This is considered , I believe, a major step toward a better quality of e-learning; the knid of learning that can assist educators produce independent learners. This is considered an important pedagogy issue, that could create independent learners, increasing the number of long-life learners needed to participate in building a better future for our world. Moreover, I will continue particiapting in the Webheads communities, because I found that CoPs can be a great guide for teachers during this crucial time of history, when change is occuring everywhere, affecting the educational process globally. I also noticed that the more I participate in hands-on activities with Webheads, the more I gain knowledge and understanding of how things are possible to be learned easily and quickly. After each activity we did, I learned to go back to previous Internet lessons or activities, I created earlier for the use of my students, and see what was missing or what was wrong,and immediately notice what parts should be modified. Most of the Internet activities, included in the CALL prgrams I created for my students, have been imporved since I joined Webheads in Action. Furthermore,in terms of professional developmenet,I found that I began unconsciously, to transfer the teaching or learning approaches implemented or used at Webheads communities, with my students inside my face-to-face classes.This made me reconsider and improve a number of teaching techniques, such as, group activities and the importance of hands-on activities, inside the computer lab. Finally, Webheads CoPs have not been a source of knowldge to me only, but also a source of motivation, creative inspiration, and support. Therefore, I strongly believe that teachers should participate in such CoPs, if they are serious about improving their e-learning skills and using these skills to improve and benefit their students learning quality or education quality in general. This, I am positive, would aid us all to step into the 21st century, with full confidence. New Chat Experiences, I Learned, during Week 5
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