Week 7: One Computer Options

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One Computer Options

Hello All
After reading from some people who are using one computer in their classes and having a look at the “Wordprocessingand Internet ideas” I am reflecting on it.
First, why use word processor? I think word processor can be used in many ways, for instance; both teacher and students. Teachers can prepare, create, store, share and so on materials for their classes. Learners can use aword processor both in and outside the classroom to practice grammar, writing skills, filling in and other language points; they can also present their work.
I got to know that Microsoft Officehas got more than 300 million users? Wow! Is it true?
Secondly, what activities can be done with one computer in a class? All those ideas by Dr. Judi Harris are simply great. I think those 25 ideas could solve many problems for those who do not have computers labs or lack of them and at the same time became what some of us need to motivate our students through teaching them something very interesting and may be  totally new to some. What i have been doing the most in classes with one computer is what ELT people call “Technology-based courseware”, for example; CD-ROMs, these are primarily designed for learners to work on alone as follow-up to a lesson, either at schools or homes, i have got many of them, for all levels and different ages, for example, face2face, English in mind, cutting edge, skyline and tunes just to mention few. How I use them in class is simple, just set the compute with a projector and do one class where all student participle and interact, at the I take some minutes to explain that all we did in class can be done home by themselves and that the class was just to make them realize of how to use the CD-ROMs and to promote autonomy.
Another type of activity I do is DVDs, where we can preview and or review language from the student´s book, provide natural conversation in realistic situations, expand students´ cultural awareness, provide engaging and motivating entertainment. The ones I use come with the video resource books (VRBs) great material, such as, worksheets, teaching notes, cultural notes, highlighted in the video quizzes, scripts, answer keys and much more.
E-Portfolios is what I am doing as well, before I used to keep traditional paper-based portfolios but from last semester I tried the digital ones out, it did not work perfectly the first one but I am sure the second is going to be a lot better. Before I just tried it via emails but this time around I would like to try Google sites/docs, WIKIs and/or Nicenet, let see how it goes.

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