The SAMR Model

Yeahh I'm a cool teacher who asks her students to hand in their compositions via email in a Microsoft Word file. 

Mmm... I don't think so... :S

Even though Microsoft Word is a helpful tool in many aspects, typing a piece of writing in it does not reflect any kind of learning process. 

SAMR is a learning model that teachers can use to effectively integrate technology in education. This short video summarizes what the model proposes:

SAMR in 120 seconds

Having learnt about the SAMR model has definitely set me thinking about my own use of technology in my classes. It is really important to become aware that we may be stuck in the substitution stage, thinking perhaps that we are "cool and modern teachers", when we are actually not making much of a difference. However, it is not always incorrect to be in the first two technological levels (known as the Enhancement levels). Teachers may need to start at these stages to transition into the higher ones (known as Transformation levels). 

My Avatar!

This is me!! well, she looks similar to me.. haha

It was sooo much fun to create my first avatar, especially with voki: I loved it! What I really liked about voki was the fact that you can make her/him/it (not sure what option to choose!) talk, you can choose the different accents and the pronunciation is not bad at all: you can totally understand most of she/he/it says. I totally recommend having a look at the website. There are lots of ideas and simple lesson plans to use speaking avatars as a learning tool. For example.....You can have your students create their own avatar and have "it" talk about their free time activities for example, and use it as a listening activity. What's more, you can have your students design a listening activity (just a few questions, or a multiple choice) about their avatars for the whole class to complete!

Speaking avatars: the techno puppets!

I think that one of the advantages about using speaking avatars in the classroom is that your students can create the most varied and creative characters they can think of, and speak through them as if they were puppets, or in other words, as if they were actors having to play a role in a movie. They can decide about their avatar's personality, routine, lifestyle, etc and take that as a starting point for any activities they are asked to do in the classroom. This helps the students to put themselves into other people's shoes and see things from other perspectives. This totally reminds me of Roger, the alien of "American Dad", who lives multiple lives and dresses up and acts a different character in each episode of the series (of course don't tell your students to do the things Roger does!)

If you want to learn more about avatars, you can read the following article about 10 ways to use avatars in education

Welcome!!

Hi, there! 
Well, this is it: my first blog :) Here I will post my reflections and thoughts as regards multimedia as an effective teaching/learning tool for teachers/students of English. 

This is a new world for me, and I'd like to learn as much as possible and make the most of it, since I truly believe that technology and multimedia must be incorporated in every ELT classroom.

HYLI, Read you soon!