And learning takes place...

During our bonus week, we had the opportunity to participate in a short digital project,  the EdTech Academy, in which we would be using video tricks. The video could be about anything, as long as it could be used for pedagogical purposes. The teachers who decided to participate had a week and they could do it anywhere and at any time, as long as they did it and posted it in the Youtube. I loved the opportunity to learn how to use one more digital tool, by the way, easy to be used and perfect to make videos with the students´work. This video in particular could be used when the topic is family or growing up. Students may write about their own childhood or someone in their family.

And learning takes place...

During our bonus week, we had the opportunity to participate in a short digital project,  the EdTech Academy, in which we would be using video tricks. The video could be about anything, as long as it could be used for pedagogical purposes. The teachers who decided to participate had a week and they could do it anywhere and at any time, as long as they did it and posted it in the Youtube. I loved the opportunity to learn how to use one more digital tool, by the way, easy to be used and perfect to make videos with the students´work. This video in particular could be used when the topic is family or growing up. Students may write about their own childhood or someone in their family.

Why teachers tend to avoid digital tools

We created this video to introduce our presentation in the 8th CTJ TEFL seminar. It was suppose to be our "hook". We liked this idea because it perfectly illustrates why teachers tend to avoid using technology in class. I was one of these people. However, if you stop to think about it, these reasons are not really obstacles for you to use webtols in class. Let´s see, shall we? Reason 1: It´s too difficult. (Well, actually, it doesn´t need to be. There is always someone who knows the tools and uses them effectively and who is generous enough to teach you. All you need to do is ask. Besides, there are online courses, take advantage of the courses offered in your school, for example.) Reason 2: It´s too slow. (Of course that you can´t always count on the internet in class, so choose activities that are downloadable. Keep them in a flashdrive and your problems are gone). Reason 3: I don´t have the time. (A possibility here is to adapt an activity you have already planned to assign, by adding a webtool). As you can see, you can at least try.

Why teachers tend to avoid digital tools

We created this video to introduce our presentation in the 8th CTJ TEFL seminar. It was suppose to be our "hook". We liked this idea because it perfectly illustrates why teachers tend to avoid using technology in class. I was one of these people. However, if you stop to think about it, these reasons are not really obstacles for you to use webtols in class. Let´s see, shall we? Reason 1: It´s too difficult. (Well, actually, it doesn´t need to be. There is always someone who knows the tools and uses them effectively and who is generous enough to teach you. All you need to do is ask. Besides, there are online courses, take advantage of the courses offered in your school, for example.) Reason 2: It´s too slow. (Of course that you can´t always count on the internet in class, so choose activities that are downloadable. Keep them in a flashdrive and your problems are gone). Reason 3: I don´t have the time. (A possibility here is to adapt an activity you have already planned to assign, by adding a webtool). As you can see, you can at least try.

The beginning

Here´s the video I made for my final project in the "Webtools for Educators" online course. Participants were supposed to make a storytelling project using a digital tool. It´s funny because I don´t like sports, but at the time I was teaching an advanced group and the topic of the unit was soccer. I made this activity for our blog, the blog I had just started, so they could write about a game they had watched. It was originally just the text, so students could read and understand what they were expected to do. The idea of making a video with illustrations was Carla Arena´s, who suggested that I should do what I could do best, which was drawing. It took me the whole day to draw everything, but it was worth it to see the result. I made the video and a lesson plan for it to be posted in our wiki (a space for the participant teachers to share their final projects). Funny how things started out. It was then that I had a glimpse of what I could do with webtools. My colleagues, the ones that saw the video, strongly advised me to post it in this blog.  I should have done it right after I finished the course, but I never did...go figure. I think that it was because I didn´t see any relation between the video and  the blog at the time. Anyways, since the whole digital journey started then, I think it´s fair to post it now, at last. Hope you like it.

Text: I´m not a sports fan and I have never been. However, in 1994, I was lucky enough to watch what I consider the best game ever! The whole family was gathered at my grandma´s porch. On TV, Brazil and Italy played in the World Cup Final, held in the United States. I had never seen Brazil win a Cup before that day. I was born in 1970, when they won their third Cup, so 1994 was my chance to see it happen. At the time, we had Romário, Bebeto, Dunga and Taffarel, to name just a few. The Brazilian players entered the field holding hands "again", a ritual they had been repeating for awhile and which they believed had brought them luck up to that moment. We loved to think that their holding hands had something to do with their getting to the finals. It was kinda magical! We sat on the edge of our chairs, bit our nails, prayed and suffered. Despite all that and the breathtaking moves and dribbling, they ended up in the extra time. That was it. I will never forget that moment and I believe no one will. The streets outside were all quiet. Everyone was in front of a TV at that very moment. Roberto Baggio kicked the ball out of the net and it was a thrill impossible to describe. "We" had won the game. "We" beat the Italians. "We" were four times the best. "We" were so proud of our country. The players were like children crying, screaming, celebrating, running around the field and also praying, a mixture of different reactions. The crowd invaded the field wanting to be part of that, wanting to hug, touch, talk to the players. Finally, that glorious event was crowned when Dunga kissed and held up the trophy, the "cup" they deserved to win after playing so beautifully and winning every single game. For these reasons, I think the 1994 World Cup Final is the best game I have ever watched in my entire life.

I simply couldn´t resist and posted the soccer game. Although I don´t watch soccer games, I get goose bumps whenever I watch this one ( for sentimental reasons, of course, I mean, impossible not to get emotional when you see your country´s soccer team win the World cup for the first time). C´mon, wouldn´t you?

The beginning

Here´s the video I made for my final project in the "Webtools for Educators" online course. Participants were supposed to make a storytelling project using a digital tool. It´s funny because I don´t like sports, but at the time I was teaching an advanced group and the topic of the unit was soccer. I made this activity for our blog, the blog I had just started, so they could write about a game they had watched. It was originally just the text, so students could read and understand what they were expected to do. The idea of making a video with illustrations was Carla Arena´s, who suggested that I should do what I could do best, which was drawing. It took me the whole day to draw everything, but it was worth it to see the result. I made the video and a lesson plan for it to be posted in our wiki (a space for the participant teachers to share their final projects). Funny how things started out. It was then that I had a glimpse of what I could do with webtools. My colleagues, the ones that saw the video, strongly advised me to post it in this blog.  I should have done it right after I finished the course, but I never did...go figure. I think that it was because I didn´t see any relation between the video and  the blog at the time. Anyways, since the whole digital journey started then, I think it´s fair to post it now, at last. Hope you like it.

Text: I´m not a sports fan and I have never been. However, in 1994, I was lucky enough to watch what I consider the best game ever! The whole family was gathered at my grandma´s porch. On TV, Brazil and Italy played in the World Cup Final, held in the United States. I had never seen Brazil win a Cup before that day. I was born in 1970, when they won their third Cup, so 1994 was my chance to see it happen. At the time, we had Romário, Bebeto, Dunga and Taffarel, to name just a few. The Brazilian players entered the field holding hands "again", a ritual they had been repeating for awhile and which they believed had brought them luck up to that moment. We loved to think that their holding hands had something to do with their getting to the finals. It was kinda magical! We sat on the edge of our chairs, bit our nails, prayed and suffered. Despite all that and the breathtaking moves and dribbling, they ended up in the extra time. That was it. I will never forget that moment and I believe no one will. The streets outside were all quiet. Everyone was in front of a TV at that very moment. Roberto Baggio kicked the ball out of the net and it was a thrill impossible to describe. "We" had won the game. "We" beat the Italians. "We" were four times the best. "We" were so proud of our country. The players were like children crying, screaming, celebrating, running around the field and also praying, a mixture of different reactions. The crowd invaded the field wanting to be part of that, wanting to hug, touch, talk to the players. Finally, that glorious event was crowned when Dunga kissed and held up the trophy, the "cup" they deserved to win after playing so beautifully and winning every single game. For these reasons, I think the 1994 World Cup Final is the best game I have ever watched in my entire life.

I simply couldn´t resist and posted the soccer game. Although I don´t watch soccer games, I get goose bumps whenever I watch this one ( for sentimental reasons, of course, I mean, impossible not to get emotional when you see your country´s soccer team win the World cup for the first time). C´mon, wouldn´t you?