Coming Back... For Peter, with love!

Coming back to this blog is painful... I know it is supposed to be a teacher's blog, but this teacher is mourning her beloved partner now...
After a long suffering, my beloved partner, Peter James, left for a better world 19 days ago.  During his long illness, house bound, Peter was still present in the world by means of his social networks. He was a proficient networker and an astute observer/researcher of the human nature and behaviour in the cyber world with its wonders and hazards. He was an early promoter of the advantages of social/professional networking; at the same time, he tirelessly warned against the numerous dangers and was always ready to give safety related tips and advice. For example, way before this blog entry by Scott Thornbury, he would perform forensic linguistics on scam e-mails and we used them as teaching materials for students to spot the mistakes!!! And that was really funny! It was also fun for him to publish photovideos done while on our little trips together on the emerging YouTube and other video sharing sites. You can have a glimpse in our life together by watching his Boffin1157 video channel. Enjoy!

I started this blog a couple of years ago. The reasons were both personal and professional:
firstly, Peter and I agreed that my journey in the "wonderland" of the Internet (started many years before) should serve as a platform for sharing with my Romanian colleagues and students my/our enthusiasm related to Internet use in teaching English for (specific) academic purposes and for tracing the learning curve I was following on a daily basis.
Secondly, because Peter was so present in the virtual world, it felt good to be together here as well and discuss its multifaceted aspects -

- and so it feels now when I follow in his footsteps and numberless questions need to be answered!...

My first workshops (2)

An old adagio: if you don't succeed at first...etc Crazily, it helps a bit to recover from the bitterness.

Yet, there is still the certainty that at least a part of the students will understand what the stakes are. It's a thrilling experience to work with them in a blended learning format - it definitely improves communication and the chances to personalise a bit more the ongoing conversation.

And because I'm currently translating Henry Miller's Colossus from Maroussi, here's a nice set of pictures from the Cyclades

Cyclades on Fotopedia

My first workshops...

 ...on integrating Web 2.0 technologies in teaching foreign languages in Romanian higher education  started last week when we gathered in the multimedia lab at the Faculty of Chemistry. It was my first attempt at organising a workshop on web 2.0 technologies for my colleagues at the Faculty of Letters (Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj, Romania).
I designed Alpha Center Wiki to

• introduce the concepts
• provide information in Romanian for all specialties
• build up a community of learners that would eventually become a community of practice

I know my colleagues are busy, as all teachers are, but I still think that there should be a way round it to start offering our students more in terms of pedagogies, resources and motivation to learn. Because it's not only about foreign languages, it's not about a leap of faith... There's plenty of proof out there that upgrading our profession is a must. Strong as it may sound, just take a brief look around...The answer is obvious.

Wordle this and Wordle that

A very inspiring presentation of the uses of Wordle for instruction. Enjoy!

Project Wiki Strikes Again

Well, not quite fresh news actually! Starting with the first semester of this academic year, I decided to continue my crusade for integrating technology in English language teaching. I have learned a lot from my first attempt last year, both in terms of general learning gains and in specific issues related to wiki usage. I'll talk in more detail about that and the current project on a special page on this blog. All I want to say now is that it is really worth the effort - mostly in terms of improved relationships with students, which is one of my major goals on the road to empowering them to learn how to learn and feel free and creative! We've still got a long way to go but I believe we are on the right track. Please feel free to visit and explore this work in progress!

 

 http://englishforacademicpurposes2.wikispaces.com/

 

http://englishforscienceandtechnology-chem.wikispaces.com/ 

Altruism - Digital!

Digital Altruism - something that instantly appealed to my lifelong commitment to doing unconditional good! Please watch the inspirational presentation below - it really makes you want to go on and find a/the meaning of so many wonderful things people think and do!

Digital altruism

View more presentations from Sorey Garcia.

Nedumeriri amânate

 Rândurile de mai jos le-am scris cândva in iunie anul acesta. Nu le-am postat fiindca mi s-au părut scrise sub imperiul unei emoţii/frustrări de moment. Dar acum, la recitire, îmi dau seama că poate unul din rosturile acestui blog ar fi să dea glas tocmai acelor observaţii, sentimente, frustrări care nu-şi au locul în/ies din cadrele seci impuse de cercetarea academică. Şi mă întreb oare nu ar fi mai igienic, mai sănătos, să împărtăşim aceste gânduri, atitudini, emoţii, reacţii cu colegii şi studenţii noştri cu care, cot la cot, vrem să aflăm soluţii pentru ieşirea din preaîncremenitul proiect al sistemului de educaţie românesc? Soluţia cea mai la îndemână (?), cred, este angajarea pasionată în proiectul personal -angajarea necondiţionată într-un sistem de valori împărtăşit cu cei ce cred în deschidere ca un gest altruist...fie că e vorba de opţiunile existenţiale, de carieră sau profesionale!

Nedumeriri am zis? A fost primul cuvânt care a ţâşnit pe când încercam să îmi potolesc neliniştea referitoare la - un oftat se strecoară, poate un neaoş "Doamne, iartă-mă!" - la "starea studentului român" în preajma sesiunii...

Să fie doar mirare şi/sau încurcătură? Sau semnul unei adevărate angoase construite de-e lungul săptămânilor de peste semestru, de peste ani... E oare profesionist să ai angoase (şi să le mai faci şi publice!) referitoare la tinerii pe care îi vezi (sau mai degrabă nu) la clasă cu figuri acoperite de un strat fin de teamă, speriaţi de nou, înfricoşaţi de a-şi trăi viaţa, purtători ai spaimelor reziduale ale părinţilor?


Se cade oare sau e doar hilar ca un dascăl să se gândească la studenţii lui cu îngrijorare, părinteşte, iar reacţia să fie doar un val de tăcere, indiferenţă asurzitoare?


Aceste panseuri/ puseuri emoţionale fac ele parte din recuzita unui profesionist sau sunt slăbiciuni nepermise: la urma urmei dascălul, în viziunea de secol 19 a studentului român trebuie să fie o autoritate, un zbir, sau, mă rog, cineva care să-l ia de mână si să-l ducă, ca pe un nevăzător pe "căile ştiinţei", să-i ierte de 77 ori câte 77 prostia, lenea, ignoranţa, nedorinţa de a învăţa, să-i dea faimoasele "cunoştinţe" rumegate gata, ce mai, să pună etichete, să-i sufoce creativitatea cu acele cuminţi şi de-a gata reţete ale fericirii...


Nedumeriri am zis? Sau poate mânia că s-ar putea ca aceia, puţini şi aleşi, pe care îi întâlneşte la clasă şi pe coridoare şi cu care poate vorbi ca şi cu vechi prieteni, să rămână prizonierii celorlalţi 90% care vor alcătui majoritatea de mâine? Majoritatea care se teme să trăiască, care e înfricoşată de nou, care se crede atot/atoateştiutoare... majoritatea care e victima fricii perpetuate peste decade, care perpetuează frica moştenită de la părinţi, otrava, neputinţa de a schimba.


Nedumeriri...şi totuşi, aceia zece la sută merită tot efortul, toată bucuria de a împărtăşi, de a învăţa împreună!...