Posting 4 – My experience about using the blog

                  To me, blogging is a fresh and interesting activity. Through my blog, I felt my writing skills have improved whether in vocabulary and also grammar. That can prove it from another course that is SKBE 1033 Written Communication. That course requires us to write some kind of essays such as cause and effect essay, contrast/comparison essay and others. I said my writing skills have improved that is because through my postings, I need to find some information from internet websites and also online databases. Take for example that is computer assisted writing. I have found that many websites teach us how to write a good essay and provide some useful examples and practices for us. I have learnt through those websites and of course in my Writing Academic Skill Book that when we want write a good essay, we must use brainstorming skill to write down our idea first. Brainstorming has 3 types that are listing, clustering and free writing. After we choose one of the types of brainstorming, we can write an outline that must included thesis statement and also concluding sentence. I have also learnt more about some writing tips like summarizing and paraphrase and so on. When I’m doing this activity, I always check my grammar by use grammar checker and another SKBE 1023 Structures in Context’s notes. Blogging provide a treasure opportunity to let me know the useful of Internet and also computer. I just can say that we will improve our writing skill through the blog!

             Actually, blog gives me a useful learning experience. If without this course, I think I will not have my own blog because I am so lazy to write down my opinion and feeling. So this course really helped me a lot in master my language. It makes me to search information about computer, writing skill, online database and etc. I also need to seek help from my friends to upload the photo, music and music video. This information really extends and improves my knowledge. I just know that actually what I have learnt before are not enough and need to continue improve again. I think blogging is a practical and effective activity to improve our language.

            I think that I need to know how to make my blog become an interesting and popular blog before I can complete the blogging activity successfully. I think that my blog is quite bored, maybe my postings are too long. This problem I will try to avoid again. I hope that my blog have more and more people to visit it.

             The problem that I face is I do not know how to upload music and music video and slide show. Also, recently my laptop maybe got virus attack, so it can’t upload any thing to wordpress and also friendster. It really gives many problems for me. Luckily, I got the help from my friends, they teached me how to upload these things. I really appreciate their kindness.

           I will recommend them to create their own blog that is because they can have a space to express their feeling and opinion and make me know more about them. I think that this way can interact with other person and most importantly that can improve our friendship. The blog also can help them to master their language again.

          After this course SKBP 1023 finished, I feel that I will continue the blogging, but the time of posting will become less. Because I think that I maybe have not enough time to write down my feeling because everyone says second year will be a busy year. I just hope that next semester I do not too busy, so I can write my posting when I got the free time

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My video music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ25-gl

http://www.youtube.com/watchv=Dsnkdwzu334GRzI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y7WDWP8WMs

LYRICS: My life is brilliant.

My life is brilliant.
My love is pure.
I saw an angel.
Of that I’m sure.
She smiled at me on the subway.
She was with another man.
But I won’t lose no sleep on that,
‘Cause I’ve got a plan.

You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful.
You’re beautiful, it’s true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don’t know what to do,
‘Cause I’ll never be with you.

Yeah, she caught my eye,
As we walked on by.
She could see from my face that I was,
Flying high,
And I don’t think that I’ll see her again,
But we shared a moment that will last till the end.

You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful.
You’re beautiful, it’s true.
I saw your face in a crowded place,
And I don’t know what to do,
‘Cause I’ll never be with you.

You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful.
You’re beautiful, it’s true.
There must be an angel with a smile on her face,
When she thought up that I should be with you.
But it’s time to face the truth,
I will never be with you.

Worry husband(funny!!!)

Message:

4 husbands were sitting at the waiting room in a hospital while waiting for their wives birth giving. Then a nurse came out and told to the first daddy, “congratulation, you got twins!”. “Ohh.. maybe its a coincident” said the daddy. “I am working with the Petronas Twin Towers “. Then another nurse came out and told to the second daddy, “congratulation! you have triplets!” “Wooow!, this is a coincident too” said the second daddy. “I am working for 3M Corporation” Another nurse came out and told the third daddy, “Congratulation! Isteri you dapat kembar empat,” “Alhamdulillah! Maybe this is also a coincident”. “I kerja di Four Season Hotel!” While, the fourth daddy-to-be were in uncontrolled worry. All the 3 daddies asked him, why are you seems so worry??” He answered, “I am working with Seven-Eleven!”

Posting 3 – The Impact Of Using ICT In Education

           In this constantly change and innovative technology era, we have many challenges that waiting for us to face it. So we need to equip ourselves with many skills like ICT skills to survive and compete with other people. We cannot lack of one thing that is technology product such as computer, hand phone, PDA, Bluetooth and satellites. We use information and communication technology (ICT) everyday to communicate and also assist us in other aspects. Without ICT, we can do a few things only and our life will become boring and incurious. ICT has an influence on business, economy and also our living. Moreover, the ICT has far-reaching and important impacts in education that are inarguable and unassailable.

            The first impact of using ICT in education is ICT changes the role of teachers. Now, ICT already became an effective teaching tool for the teachers to enhance the teaching of the academic like language, science and so on. Hence, teachers will more aware about ICT in general and also become more knowledgeable of how to use ICT and how to manage their time by the using of ICT. Teacher can use ICT to enhance and develop their abilities just for have professional skills in ICT to instruct students in a better way. With the help of ICT, the teachers’ role has shifted from controllers to facilitators. This does not mean that the teachers are become less important. In contrary, the teachers’ role still important in education, that they assist students to become good and effective learners. In the past, the teachers were decided what kinds of knowledge students needed and what students should to do. They just impacted the basic knowledge to students in this way. But now, everything is changes. Teachers give the chances to students to explore the knowledge and information themselves with the guide of facilitators. Teachers also need to learn more about ICT compare with the past. According to Jonassen, the teachers have learned to use many ICT equipment and materials that can facilitate their teaching process. Among of these are the uses of lab stimulators, educational software, CBL sensors, electronic blackboards and the Internet. Teachers use the teaching strategies for active, authentic, collaborative, constructive and also reflective learning. Students will more interesting and initiative to receive information rather than wait for the teachers’ guide passively. As facilitators, teachers must help students create a stronger relationship between the subject of the study and concrete reality and then assist students putting this information in a more relevant context. This will save the time and effort of students and make them find the correct skills to find the information they wanted quickly. In fact, ICT bring many benefits for the teachers such as increase enthusiasm for teaching, improve efficiency in lesson plan creation and also enable structured approaches to research, but does not try to replace the teachers. According to Delphi study by Robinson, he says, “Although it may be difficult to determine whether technology instructs better than teachers, technology will be responsible for major changes in the types and methods of instruction. Teachers, however, will not be replaced by technology. They will remain necessary to fulfill the essential emotional needs of students: love, affection, motivation, discipline, and counseling. Furthermore, teachers will remain necessary to fulfill essential societal needs of custody and socialization: babysitting children during the day, keeping them occupied while they are out of labor force, and transmitting cultural values and goals of the society to the children. There will be little support for replacing teachers with technology, even when doing so would lower costs. On the other hand, there will be a great deal of support for using a combination of teachers and technology to do a better job of education, even if it means higher costs. The role of the teacher will be modified to include being a resource person and learning manager, and teachers will have numerous assistants (e.g., para-professionals, multi-media experts, teacher’s aides, and student teachers).”  

            The second impact is changes the students learning style. ICT become natural tools in education that is because learning is largely based on handle with information. In fact, listening, talking, reading, writing, reassuring, evaluating, analyzing and solving mathematical problems are examples of computer information processing. Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) is a good example of using the computer to make the students to learn effectively. In this way, students not only through drill and practice to get the knowledge but also allowed them to progress at their own space and also work individually or problem solving in a group. Students are enthusiastic and easily become attracted with ICT because computer program can impact the knowledge through animation, sound and demonstration. So students often keep a good performance for a task with great concentration. Students can search the Internet to find what information they really need and improve their knowledge through the online game or quizzes. Through this learning style, students will become more creative and willing to learn. Also, students can use ICT to interact with teachers, peer course mates and also educators to seek the opinions of them. ICT is a popular way to communicate with friends, family and also lecturer without any barrier of time and distance. Many online courses can find in the Internet, so students can take and learn the course by themselves. Online courses unlike normal learning style that need to face to face with lecturers, it just conferencing point of view and questions with lecturer or advance learners. ICT also has a positive effect that is students will get used to interact with better quality programming as a substitute for current TV dramas which absorbs their time and attention. But ICT maybe bring a negative effect that is information overload, if the students cannot arrange and accept the information well. So students need the guide of teachers as facilitators to assist them in certain ways.

           Technology product like hand phone, Bluetooth and wireless toward us are improve our communication, get the information easily and etc. According to Wikipedia, hand phone is also called a mobile phone that is used for mobile communication that uses a network of specialized base stations known as cell sites. Hand phone support many additional services and accessories, such as SMS for text messaging, e-mail, packet switching access to the Internet and so on. Students always use SMS and e-mail to discuss the assignments with friends and this will save the time because no need to find a suitable time to meet together. Through this way, students have enough time to think the questions and answers detailed because this way is asynchronous. Students also can use hand phone to access the Internet to search the whole world of information and materials, collect/send e-mails, download game and music. Most schools have prohibited hand phone in the classroom due to the lecture and students will be disturb by the hand phone. During examination, students do not allow to bring a hand phone into a classroom because the hand phone maybe use for cheating on examination. Another technology is Bluetooth that provides a way to connect and exchange information between devices such as hand phone and laptops. Bluetooth allows these devices to communicate with each other when they are in range. So students can transfer and exchange information and study material quickly and free on charge. Another popular technology in students especially university students is wireless. The wireless use is growing in the academic now due to the development of demand of the laptops and also the development of affordable wireless technologies. Students always require a wireless campus, so that they can connect to the Internet easily. Many assignments are waiting for students to find the online information or some internet tools to complete it. Actually the Internet and other technology like satellite and PDA already opened up the possibilities for the local and global collaboration. Wireless technology can make this collaboration become more convenient and faster. Wireless also has the potential to be an excellent tool to make learning become a fun adventure.

          The impact of using ICT in education is numberless as the sand that we cannot elaborate every point thoroughly. ICT has a great influence in education or ICT already became a part of our life. But ICT is a double-edged sword, we must use it in a correct way; otherwise it will bring a serious and scary consequences to us. As long as we use ICT in a good way like use it as a teaching and learning tool, it will bring many and many benefits to the students and teachers!

 

REFERENCES / RESOUCES

1. www.scopus.com.ezplib.ukm.my
2. www.unescobkk.org
3. www.proquest.umi.com.ezplib.ukm.my
4. www.encarta.msn.com
5. www.web.archieve.org
6. www.wikipedia.org
7. Alexey Semenov, 2005, Information And Communication Technologies In Schools: A Hand For Teachers or How ICT Can Create New, Open Learning Environments, http://unesdoc.unesco.org
8. Robert J.Seidel, Martin L.Rubin, 1977, Computers and Communications Implications for  Education (LB 1028.3.C65 1975)
9. Barreto-Marrero, Luz N., Ed.D, Rio Piedras (Puerto Rico), 2008, Use of

      information and communication technologies (ICT) in science education: The

      views and experiences of three high school teachers (pg 261, AAT 3285704)

        

10. Hilberg, J. Scott, Ed.D., 2007, Fluency with information and communication technology: Assessing undergraduate students (pg111, AAT 3275273)

      11.  HARRIS, S. and KINGTON, A., 2002, Innovative Classroom Practices Using

             ICT in England: the Second Information Technology in Education Study (SITES) 

 

Posting 2 – Computer Assisted Writing

          Our society has changed the form in writing style from handwriting become to computerized writing. Computerized writing is a good way to write the essay, composition and other writings with the assistance of computer to make the writer more effective and accuracy. Computerized writing is suitable for everyone and the students always use it when doing assignments. We have many activities like blogging, electronic mail, chat-rooms, forums, games and etc are also using computerized writing. Take from examples like e-mail, it is a message or a file sent via the Internet. E-mail is a convenient way to communicate with each other. When we create an e-mail, we use a word processor to make our feeling and thinking into words to convey to our friends and family. We can interactive with each other any time and any place. We can always edit, revise and also publish text in a word processor. Computerized writing helps us increase the speed of writing and also our writing skills. It is a good tool for effective writing and gives us a chance to experience different styles of writing. We can use a word processor to write down our ideas and also inspiration quickly. With the help of Internet, students can practice various forms of electronic communication with computerized writing. Another good activity is blogging. Blogging is time-stamped articles or posts that in a diary or journal format and usually listed in reverse chronological order. Blog is a place to express and share our feeling and also write/ receive a comment on it. Blogging can improve our writing skills and also language that is because of through the writing over an extended period of time to master our skills. Blogging has proven a significant affect in the success of computerized writing.

   

There have some examples of software we can use in computerized writing.

1. Word Processor

This software is widely used by everyone. A word processor allows writers to create and manipulate documents containing mostly text and sometimes graphics. We use word processor every day to develop letters and other documents. Word processors have many features that are very useful for writers. First is AutoCorrect that corrects common spelling errors and capitalization mistakes. Second is Auto Format that automatically applies formatting to the text. Third is Collaboration that includes discussions and online meetings. Discussions allow multiple users to enter comments in a document and read and reply to each other’s comments. Through an online meeting, users share documents with others in real time and view changes as they are being made. Next is grammar checker that proofreads documents for grammar, writing style, sentence structure errors and reading statistics. In fact, still have many additional features in the word processor. With these features of word processor, writer can write a good essay in an easier and effective way.

       2. Note Taking Software

This software enables users to enter typed text, handwritten comments, drawings or sketches anywhere on a page and then save the page as part of a notebook. This software can convert handwritten comments to typed text or store the notes in handwritten form. This is a good way to make us easily to organize notes, reuse notes and share these notes. This software also allows users to search for specific text in the saved notes. It even can search through an entire notebook, so we are able to get the information that we already saved it. We also can use color, highlights and shapes to mark the important points, so we can read and get the point easily and quickly. Users will find this software convenient during the class lecture. This software incorporates many features found in word processor such as checking spelling, changing fonts and font sizes and so on. We can use it to capture the important points of an essay that will enable writer to use it in organizing idea later.

      3.  Electronic Mail

E-mail is application software for communications. E-mails are messages and files sent via a network such as the Internet. E-mail requires an e-mail program and it integrated in many software suite and also operating systems. It is available free at portals on the Web and included with paid Internet access service. We can use it to train our writing skills and vocabularies because we need to know more vocabularies and skills to write down our feeling and also recent situation to our friends. E-mail is asynchronous, so we take more time to think and then give response to our friends.

4. Web Browser

Web browser allows us to access and view Web pages on the Internet. But this also requires a Web browser program like Windows Internet Explorer. We can search many information and exercises about writing from the Internet through the web browser. Nowadays we have many online test, quizzes and courses to learn about computerized writing.

5. Reference Software

This software provides valuable and thorough information for all individuals. Popular reference software includes encyclopedias, dictionaries, medical guides and travel directories. We can use dictionaries to find the words we want and can use encyclopedias to get more information about some specific topics about writing.

6. Educational Software

This is software that teaches a particular skill. It exists for any subject, so we can learn how to type and also how to write a good article. We can use this software to assist us with subjects such as writing and grammar. Educational software always includes games and other contents to make the learning experience become more fun and interesting. Many educational programs use a computer-based training (CBT) approach that is a type of education in which students learn by using and completing exercises with instructional software. CBT consists of self-directed, self-paced instruction about a topic. Schools use CBT to teach students language and software skills. So we can use this software to improve our language and writing skills.

Many soft wares we can use to improve our language and writing, it makes our writing become more interesting than before. With the assistance of computer, writing is easy to do for everyone.

There have a few examples of URL that host computerized writing activities:

a)      www.k8accesscenter.org 

b)      www.chiron.valdosta.edu

c)      www.indiana.edu

d)      www.ericdigests.org 

       

There have many ways to improve one’s writing skills with the using of computer. Traditionally, we use drill and practice skill that is repeated exposure to same materials and information to enhance our memory about this information and that information can includes writing skills, vocabularies and etc. The computer will not feel tired or boring. This way is suitable for students who disability to remember all the information a time. But this way tells the students what to do and decided what is learned by students, so in this way we cannot improve our language and writing skills a lot.

       

              Now, computer has become a tool for handling information. This is a motivating and fun tool for students and it can also act as a personal writing tutor along the way. Through the computer-assisted, students can write more with less effort. According to Marjorie Simic, a word processor can become the centerpiece for an effective writing curriculum, encouraging early language production and providing students with opportunities to connect reading and writing. Basically, most students can experience the success in writing with the help of a word processor. A word processor is very useful for us, but if we want to fluent writing that we must have one main key that is to write as much as possible. This purpose is to make us revise repeatedly and master the keyboarding skills. Word processor allows students become the master to control both in using the computer and learning to write. Actually the word processor was designed for revising and manipulating language. So it can enhance revision strategies during writing activities and improve student’s attitude and motivation towards writing. Students learn to find their writing errors from a different point of views through some activities like grammar checker and use some software to understand what exactly are phrases, clauses, sentences or paragraphs. We can use rewriting and revising to find the causes of this problem. We can use a word processor to do free writing. Free writing will encourage students to join in learning and self-discovery rather than to focus the formal writing. This way will release the writer from limitation that inhibits the free flow of words and also ideas. Students will get freedom to take risks in their writing because they feel that they can always change their ideas. This situation makes the writing become a happy thing to students.

          In conclusion, computerized writing is a popular and normal writing style to the people now. Computer and its software help us a lot in our writing and other aspect. Without computer, the things we can do are certainly less. According to Snyder (1993), the benefits of using word processors are an increase in revisions, fewer mistakes and more correction of them. Besides that, keyboarding skills also play an important role in computerized writing. Keyboarding skills will affect the success of computer-assisted writing, so we need to master this skill. A word processor allows the writing process to take place in an easy, effective and also motivating manner that is such a good thing to students. With the word processor combined with an effective teaching model, student will able to achieve the success of computerized writing.

  

References:

Gary B. Shelly, Thomas J. Cashman and Misty E. Vermaat, 2008, Discovering Computers 2008, http: www.thomsonrights.com

Karen Kelly, 2002, Computer-Assisted Writing Instruction: A Marriage of Effective Instruction and Technology – A Review of Literature, http: www.chiron.valdosta.edu

Computer-Assisted Instruction and Writing, http: www.k8accesscenter.org

Posting 1 – Reading Comprehension

For this posting, Khor Hei Ling (A121138) and I have got to do this analysis of reading comprehension together. Finally, we decided to choose reading comprehension because it’s a common thing that every people will do when learning English or attending for their English classes. They will not realize that with doing reading comprehension their English languages will be improved by times. From what we found in Wikipedia website, reading comprehension can be defined as the level of understanding of a passage or text. For examples, normal reading rates (around 200-220 words per minute) an acceptable level of comprehension is above 75%. Proficient reading comprehension depends on the ability to recognize words quickly and effortlessly. If word recognition is difficult, students use too much of their processing capacity to read individual words, which interferes with their ability to comprehend what is read.

EXAMPLES OF READING COMPREHENSION ACTIVITIES

Sample 1: Advice for a Shy Guy

(Two friends talking over lunch)

John: I just don’t know what to do. She’s so beautiful, but I don’t know what to say…

Alan: It can’t be all that bad. She’s just a person like you or me…

John: What should I do? Should I ask her on a date?

Alan: Why don’t you go a little more slowly? Just sit down next to her in the cafeteria, or in class. Anywhere. Say, ‘Hi, how are you?’, ‘My name is John.’ You know, the simple things.

John: But she’ll just turn away.

Alan: No, she won’t. She’ll say ‘Hi, nice to meet you.’. You should be more confident.

John: That’s easy for you to say.

Alan: Would you like me to speak to her first?

John: NO, you are too dangerous!

Alan: What? Dangerous? What are you talking about?

John: Oh come on, you know all the girls are crazy for you.

Alan: Please … you’re joking!

John: Anyway, what should I do?

Alan: You should go over there now. You should introduce yourself and have a conversation. It’s as easy as that.

John: OK, here I go …

Alan: Good luck. And remember, SMILE!

Check your understanding with this multiple choice comprehension quiz. Dialogue – Advice for a Shy Guy Choose the correct answer to these questions based on the dialogue. Each question has only one correct answer. When you are finished click on the “Next Question” button. There are 5 questions in this quiz. Try to use only 30 seconds for each question. At the end of the quiz, you will receive feedback. If you had any problems, try reading the dialogue again:

Advice for a Shy Guy

Q: What is John afraid of?

(a) Going on a date with a girl (b) An upcoming test (c) Introducing himself to a girl

Q: What does his friend suggest? (a) Asking her out on a date (b) Sitting down next to her and making conversation (c) Asking her to marry him

Q: What does Alan think John needs to be? (a) Less confident (b) More confident (c) More dangerous

Q: Why does John not want Alan to speak to her? (a) Because Alan is careless (b) Because the girls are crazy for him (c) Because he’s joking

Q: What does Alan remind John to do? (a) Laugh (b) Smile (c) Make a joke

This dialogue is a reading comprehension activity. In this activity, we have many quizzes to test our understanding. This dialogue is interesting to read and make us know the development about the role in it. In this dialogue, we can improve our language through understanding. We an also improve our vocabulary when we recognize the words through reading.

Sample 2: Missing Word Cloze Quiz – UK

Each question has only one correct answer. When you are finished click on the “Next Question” button. There are 11 questions to this quiz. Try to use only 1 minute per question. At the end of the quiz, you will receive quiz feedback.

Q: Great Britain, the _____ industrial and maritime power of the 19th century, played a leading _____ in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its _____ the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth’s _____. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK’s strength seriously _____ in two World Wars. The second half _____ the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding _____ into a modern and prosperous European nation. The UK currently is weighing the _____ of its integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to remain _____ of the EMU for the time _____ Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. Regional assemblies with _____ degrees of power opened in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland in 1999.

1. (a) minor (b) single (c) dominant (d) principle

2. (a)role (b)actor (c)plays (d)character

3. (a)best (b)high (c)zenith (d)top

4. (a) nations (b) surface (c) countries (d) region

5. (a) losing (b) missing (c) depleted (d) lost

6. (a) bought (b) looked at (c)witnessed (d)watched

7. (a) itself (b)themselves (c)himself (d)herself

8. (a)period (b)degree (c)heaviness (d)weight

9. (a)outside (b)far (c)away (d)inside

10.(a)now (b)being (c)remaining (d)at hand

11.(a)varying (b)optional (c)various (d)varied

This quiz is a reading comprehension activity. Through this quiz, we can improve our vocabulary because we need to know the meaning of these answers and find the most suitable answer. When we do this practice, we also can learn some information about the content whether it is history or other. This quiz is online quiz, so we can get the answers immediately. Through this quiz we can improve our grammar and sentence structure.

In conclusion, we have found that reading comprehension have many types of activities. They are quizzes like article, story, dialogue, missing word cloze and etc. For example, quizzes like sample 1 and 2 where they used dialogue and missing word cloze. We can improve our language such as grammar, understanding, sentence structure, vocabulary and etc. by using these simple activities. We should practice these activities often or when we are free. We felt so relax when doing these quizzes because it is simple and straightforward.

You can also find more activities in this link http://esl.about.com/od/englishreadingskills/English_Reading_Comprehension_Skills_for_ESL_EFL_Learners.htm