final evaluation

The first week’s tasks:

·         I had to introduce myself to my peer and had to send an introductory email to my peer:

o   The first email was the most difficult one. I was unused to writing in English. I was worried to make mistakes. But this task forced me to overcome my shyness.

o   It was a time consuming job. I had to choose an appropriate online dictionary and I took out an old grammar book.

o    After about three hours of experimenting and some errors I finished the first task. I was very surprised that my writing skills were enough to meet the requirements The first and most important improvement was that I am able to write an English email.

o   This business was announced as an easy task but in my opinion it was the most difficult one. I think the teacher should deliver more helpful data and pep talk (in written form).

·         I received a correction of my email:

o   The correction was clearly pictured (in red and green color).  But I didn’t sometimes know the reason, the grammar background etc.  A short explanation could help to prevent to fall into the same error traps.

·         I had to explain my expectations to this web skill training:

o   Either I didn’t understand the instructions or there was a lack of information. I didn’t know the next week’s tasks so I had no idea how to solve this task. I wrote some general information. It lasted half an hour.

o   A short overview on the planned issues makes the solution easier.

·         It was announced that I have to reflect on how I feel when learning English writing online. A discussion thread about web rules and polite behavior in emailing and students’ blogs was advertised and a deadline was given too.

·         collaboration problems:

o   I had not been aware of collaboration in a peer group needs planning.

o   Each group member has his / her own schedule. One participant deals with the given task on Monday the other on Tuesday etc.

o   I would propose to co-ordinate the schedules. To know when the fellow student prepares his/her email would enable a more efficient collaboration. 

The second week’s tasks

·         I had to have a look at the teacher’s blog, so I knew what a blog is and what it could look like.

·         I had to read the attached blog instruction paper very carefully:

o   The introduction “Creating a Blog at Blogger” was a precise and clear set of instructions.

o   It lasted approximately half an hour.

·         A list with online dictionaries was in the email (a little bit late, see above).

·         I had to create my own blog with a given blog title:

o   Creating my first blog and the first post was no problem. All the steps worked and brought the wanted result.  The effort was almost 4 hours.

o   I wasn’t a Google+ member before and I don’t like being a member of this huge community. I feel uncomfortable living in a shop window. All the stored information in the system is eternally. I fear that everybody can misuse private data.

o   The Google+ account is fortunately only a basis for the blogger system.

·         I had to add two texts to my blog: “My introduction” and “My expectations”.

·         I had to send my bog to the trainer and my project peer.

·         Emailing correspondence to my fellow student Anita:

o   Anita created her own blog, but the layout didn’t satisfy her expectations.

o   Our coach recommended dealing with the issue without her interference.

o   This invitation led to an intense emailing.

o   It was an ability to ask and give answers in written form.

o   I have chosen the structure of an email by chance.

o   A model, a pattern of a proper email would be helpful.

The third week’s tasks

·         I had to allow the follow / likes button in my blog:

o   A simple demand that escalated to a 4 hours desperate struggle. The blogger app offers a selection window with 27 gadgets, but the wanted one was not listed. I tried to fix the problem by changing the settings in Google+ but this attempt was wrong. A request to the peer group was unsuccessful too. Our trainer’s hit (the “More Gadget” tab) led to a positive result.

o   I learned to look at the offered features more precisely. Web tools offer their features in attractive form but the user must discover each possibility. Unfortunately is the help information sometimes a little bit puzzling or it is difficult asking in a way that the help tool is understood. 

·         Another order was to go to each other’s blog and click on link / follow and to appear as follower / friend by looking in blog settings and enabling specific gadgets.

·         I was asked to add a gadget for useful links and to insert at least 5 links I would like to share with public:

o   It was a pleasure to search for appropriate links. In contrast to the target-oriented search this one was an independent surfing.

o   Two hours happy web using was guaranteed.

·         I had to comment on each other’s blog:

o   Commenting other’s work is an unpleasant task.  Let's take tasks seriously.  I learned an advanced writing style and a very polite way of communication.

·         I had to reflect about this week’s activities:

o   I learned in this activity:

§  Dealing with the web tool more precisely.

§  Using the “help”.

§  A polite way of communication.

o   Unfamiliar web tools become familiar, after intense usage.

o   A misuse doesn’t damage anything. Errors are allowed.

o   Learning English via writing online enhances and deepens learning English in class with speaking.

The fourth week’s tasks

·         I got some links due to “reported speech errors”:

o   Addressing the issue lasted 2 hours and I fear it didn’t bring out the wanted effect.

o   Grammar is a necessary evil.

·         I had to register on www.delicious.dom.  Unlike the detailed manual that led me through the blogger task, I had to become familiar with this new tool without any support:

o   I discussed in the peer group via email the solution of the problem. The blogger manual was my template. After a view emails the work was done.

o   Delicious as a virtual place to save videos, pictures, blog posts or music. The main advantages are the search functions. Tags help to remember and find the own links and delivers links from friends and the whole community.

o   The most pleasant part of this task was adding links like YouTube videos, blog links etc. and watching the collected links of the peer group. 

o   Creating a manual improved the writing skills. A “quick start” introduced the manual. I had to insert screen shoots, to structure the article etc. I coordinated the outline and developed a final version.

o   Collaboration was easier and teamwork became quite natural. This way of problem solution adds the ideas of each team member to a better outcome.

·         Netiquette in email writing and blog commenting was the next job:

o   After an email coordination developed my peer member Anita a netiquette document. We both discussed Anita's article.

o   I’m going to use these recommendations.

The fifth week’s tasks

·         I had to explain the advantages / disadvantages of Delicious:

o   See above.

·         I had to comment the issue netiquette:

o   I build relationships through language:

§  I realized that the style of English is like a business card.

o   Addressing:

§  Emailing is public.  I learned to ban confidential matters from emails.

o   Subject:

§  The subject line decides whether an email will be read or deleted without notice.

§  As from now I am going to indicate the content and purpose in the subject field.

o   Message:

§  The keywords are:  first of all polite than short, informative and positive, clear but not loud-mouthed.

§  I plan to be careful with joking. A well-meant joke can embarrass somebody.

o   Attachment:

§  I plan to use the attachment possibility economically

Summary:

The web technology has enhanced my language learning progress:

·         I was worried to make mistakes. But writing emails forced me to overcome my shyness.

·         The trainer’s feedback and corrections improved my writing skills. An advantage is the short response time. An email is only a few seconds away.

·         I was unused to collaborate in teams. I always worked alone. The invitation to work with partners forced me to become a team player and I enjoyed it.

·         I enjoy working in / with a group. Each member’s idea is an additional one. Each writing style is an offer to rethink the own style and to adopt it.

·         Blogging and collecting links with Delicious opened a new window to the huge power of the world wide web.

·         I lost my shyness to use these new technologies.

·         Email based learning allows the student do prepare the tasks without stress. A rough time frame allows dealing with the challenges.

·         This course encouraged me to use other apps to improve the English language skills like:

o   Word of the day – spotlight

o   My wordbook – British Council

o   Gobby  - most popular words and phrases

o   Etc.

Online training allows the student to control the learning procedure:

·         The only requirement is a pc, a tablet or a smart phone.

·         The learner decides where, when and what part of the tasks he / she learns.

·         My timetable and the peer member’s schedule determine the learning procedure.

·         This learning autonomy is an essential advantage.

Web oriented English writing training versus class oriented writing training:

·         I think the optimum is a combination of these learning styles.

·         I am a little bit old fashioned. I like learning and communicating face to face too.

·         But this online training has proved that online training with emailing, blogging, collecting links and using the www etc. is more efficient than class oriented training.

·         I would like to attend a blended learning course with both learning styles.