Google Translate with Conversation Mode

October 17, 2011

I am not a fan of online translation.

Or rather, I was not a fan of online translation.

For years I’ve been vehemently vocal about the pitfalls of leaving language translation up to a mechanical device.

I’ve just seen something that is making me reconsider. This is quite possibly the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while. Computer-based translation has come a long way in the past 15 years or so.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

___________

Share this post: Google Translate with Conversation Mode http://wp.me/pNAh3-Xv

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

4 Comments | education, languages, technology, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

QuickWrites: What they are and how to use them

October 15, 2011

“Quick writes” are short, timed writing activities. They can be used with elementary, junior high, senior high or adult learners. They can be used to teach native and non-native speakers alike. They’re designed to encourage spontaneous, impromptu writing and help learners build a practice of writing more.

Here are some resources to get you started:

Creative QuickWrite ideas from the University of Alberta

QuickWrite ideas from the University of Prince Edward Island

6 Ways to Use Quick Writes

100 Quickwrites by Linda Rief (book excerpt)

1000 Ideas for writing (expert of 100 of those ideas)

________________

Share this post: QuickWrites: What they are and how to use them http://wp.me/pNAh3-UM

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on QuickWrites: What they are and how to use them | education, Literacy, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

The Anatomy of a Social Media Policy

October 14, 2011

Woo hoo! I’ve just had my first article published on “Social Media Today”. The article is “The Anatomy of a Social Media Policy”. In it I outline all the critical elements of developing a social media policy for both corporate and non-profit organizations.

Go check it out. If you like it, please Tweet about it and share it on Facebook and other social media. I’d love to have your comments, too. Thanks.

___________

Share this post: The Anatomy of a Social Media Policy http://wp.me/pNAh3-Xr

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on The Anatomy of a Social Media Policy | social media, technology, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research

October 13, 2011

The National Academies Press has just made “Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research” (http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13242)  available. You can download the .pdf for free if you register on their site. (Look on the left hand side, about half way down, under ordering options.)

This is a huge resource document and the contents include:

  1. Introduction
  2. Foundations of Reading and Writing
  3. Literacy Instruction for Adults
  4. Principles of Learning for Instructional Design
  5. Motivation, Engagement, and Persistence
  6. Technology to Promote Adult Literacy
  7. Learning, Reading, and Writing Disabilities
  8. Literacy Development of English Language Learners
  9. Conclusions and Recommendations

References

Appendices

A: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members and Staff

B: Literacy in a Digital Age

C: Search Procedures and Reviewed Studies of Adult Literacy Instruction

D: Interventions to Develop the Component Literacy Skills of Low Literate Adults

Index

This is an in-depth report with multiple individual and organizational authors. It’s worth going through it chapter by chapter and discussing the ideas with others as you go. I’ve just downloaded it and I’m looking forward to delving into it!

___________

Share this post: Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research http://wp.me/pNAh3-Xa

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

Comments Off on Improving Adult Literacy Instruction: Options for Practice and Research | education, Literacy, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

US Teacher loses her job, then her court appeal, due to Facebook

October 12, 2011

In 2009 someone sent an anonymous e-mail to the school district in Barrow County, Georgia, USA complaining about the Facebook page of teacher Ashley Payne. The teacher’s Facebook page showed her drinking while on a trip to Europe. One news report states that out of more than 700 photos, approximately 10 showed alcohol.

Other news reports state that Payne did not allow her students to be her friends on Facebook and that in none of the photos does she appear intoxicated.

Long story short, Payne was offered a choice by the principal of the school where she worked: resign or he would refer her case to the Professional Standards Commission and she would possibly lose her teaching license.

In a panic, she resigned and later tried to appeal the situation through the Georgia court system, with the help of her attorney, Richard Storrs. They lost.

  • Does your school or organization have a social media policy for its employees?
  • Do you what restrictions or limitations (if any) your employer has around employee behaviour on social media?
  • How much stock can an employer put into “evidence” found on social media?

These are some of the questions I’ve been working through with a new client. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts.

___________

Share this post: US Teacher loses her job, then her court appeal, due to Facebook http://wp.me/pNAh3-X1

Update – January 2018 – This blog has had over 1.8 million views thanks to readers like you. If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it or share it on social media. Thanks!

Sarah Elaine Eaton is a faculty member in the Werklund School of Education, University of Calgary, Canada.

2 Comments | education, social media, teaching, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

« Previous Entries
Next Entries »