Internet-based project work

Internet-based project work involve the use of the Internet over a series of lessons. There are many compelling reasons for using Internet-based project work in the classroom:

• they are a structured way for teachers to begin to incorporate the Internet into the language classroom
• as more often than not they are group activities, they encourage cooperative learning and stimulate interaction
• they give a more "real-world" look and feel, and provide greater motivation for the learner
• they encourage critical thinking skills

How to prepare an Internet-based project work?

1. CHOOSE THE PROJECT TOPIC
2. MAKE THE TASK CLEAR
3. FIND THE RESOURCES
4. DECIDE ON THE OUTCOME

How to create a blog

Create your blog using the following addresses:

http://www.blogger.com/

wordpress.org

http://www.ezblogworl.com/

http://www.bahraichblogs.com/

www.getablog.net/portal3.php

Online reference tools

Students may benefit from the use of online reference tools, you can visit the following sites:


http://dictionary.cambridge.org/
http://m-w.com/
http://yourdictionary.com/

How to use mail and chat

Mail: one of the most used and useful Information and Communication Technology tools.

The benefits of mail:

• To keep in touch with other teachers, students, outside the classroom. For instance,setting, receiving, marking, and returning homework and other written assignments
• Reading and writing emails either in or outside the class time gives the learner more exposure to the target language
• Via mail learners are exposed to real interaction because they are writing to real people

Using email with learners out of class:

• Learners can share assignments by mail
• The teacher can email learners extra homework, material
• Learners can use email te prepare topics in pairs before class
• Email can be used as a collaborative writing tool. Learners can be asked to produce a story in groups

Using emails with learners during class:

• It is a worthy resource to set up complex projects

- Data collection project: learners have mails to real companmies, individuals, organizations or websites to solicit information. then a presentation or a written report on the topic is presented

Chat: im´portant tool which allows real time communication between students, teachers, and everyone around the world

Types of chat:

• Text chat
• Audio voice chat
• Public chat
• Private chat

Educational chat:

• Free topic chat
• Informative or academic chats
• Practice chats

The kind of English used in the chat:

• Common abbreviations
• Basic rules of netiquette
• Basic conventions for turn-taking

HOW TO WORK WITH "TRACKCHANGES"

First you have to go to Tools and click on TrackChanges. Once you have done that, click on the icon “TrackChanges”. Now you can start working with TrackChanges.


The different options you have with TrackChanges are:
* Inserting comments: this allows you to insert comments for the author or another editor can check, accept or decline.
+ To do this place the cursor where you want to insert the comment and click on the icon “Insert comment” now you can start writing.
* Highlighting: This permits you to highlight from a single letter to complete paragraphs. You can also change the different colours to highlight.
+ To do this select the part you want to highlight and then click on the icon “highlight”
* Delete or Add: You can also delete or add from words to paragraphs.
+ To do this just delete or write what you feel necessary.
*Accepting or Declining Changes: You can accept or decline one by one the changes. But you can also accept or decline all the changes together.
+ To accept or decline only one change place the cursor on the bubble that contains the change you want to decline or accept and click on the corresponding icon (either “Accept change” or “Decline change”)
+ To accept or decline all the changes click on the icon “Accept or decline changes” this will open a pop-up that will guide you on how decline or accept changes.


Translation of useful vocabulary.
Tools: Herramientas.
TrackChanges: Control de cambios.
Accept changes: Aceptar cambio.
Decline changes: rechazar cambios.
Inserting comments: insertar comentario.
Highlight: resaltar.

Tip:
If by chance you discover that the tools are not available in your computer you can find them in "Formato extendido"

Webquests

Webquests are mini projects in which a large percentage of the input and material is supplied from the Internet.

You can visit a webquest at:
http://questgarden.com/47/05/9/070222082601/

There are four main sections in a webquest:

1. Introduction: introduce the overall theme. It involves giving background information on the topic and, in the language learning context, often includes key vocabulary and concepts.
2. Task: explains clearly and precisely what the learners will have to do as they work their way through the webquest.
3. Process: guides the learners through a set of activities and research tasks, using a set of predefined resources.
4. Evaluation: can involve learners in self-evaluation and a teacher evaluation.

Concordances and corpuses for language analysis

Check these sites, please:

http://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/
http://www.edict.com.hk/concordance/WWWConcappE.htm

How to set up a wiki

A wiki is like a public website started by one person, but which subsequent can add to, delete or change as they wish.

You can visit our wiki at: http://lense4to.pbwiki.com/Thesauruses

There are several free sites for setting up wikis, and some of the best known are:

Pbwiki http://www.pbwiki.com/
Media Wiki http://www.mediawiki.org/
Wikihosthttp://wikihost.org/

Advantage:

• When a web page in a wiki is edited, changed or deleted by mistake, previous versions of the page are automatically saved.
• By giving the wiki a password, only those who know the password can edit it, which gives your wiki some measure of security, but it allows it to be accessed and read on the Internet.
• Knowing that the wiki will be viewed by readers outside the classroom, and will be available on the Internet for public scrutiny, is an added incentive for learners.