Living, loving and learning languages – An appreciation event for language teachers and literacy tutors

March 23, 2012

Today at the University of Calgary I’m doing a presentation for language teachers and literacy tutors. It is not a research talk, but rather an appreciation event that takes a light-hearted look at teachers, tutors and other instructors who work in informal, non-formal and formal language learning contexts and how we can build the profession — and help our students — by collaborating, rather than competing.

If you are in Calgary, please join us!

Language Research Centre, D-419

University of Calgary

2500 University Dr. NW

Calgary, Alberta

2:00 – 2:55 p.m.

View this document on Scribd

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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.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

School Bus Wi-Fi: The wheels of young minds go round and round

March 3, 2012

Students from Prairie Rose School Division in Alberta have been chosen to participate in a new educational technology project designed to make long bus rides to and from school more productive.

CJCY reports that the initiative will involve more than 300 students on up to 30 school buses that are being equipped with Wi-Fi technology to keep the kids connected during their travels. The project involves students at South Central High School, who will begin to get school bus wi-fi starting in early April, as well as K-12 students at New Brigden and Foremost schools who will get their wi-fi starting in the fall.

Students will be able to use their own mobile devices or a school supplied netbook. Teachers are also being trained on what kind of materials are appropriate for mobile learning.

Read the original article: Prairie Rose School division was chosen to participate in a pilot project that would see Wi-Fi technology installed in school buses

Other articles on this topic:

Edmonton Journal – http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/alberta/could+ease+school+boredom/6247552/story.html

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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.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Alberta Catholics and homeschoolers may have to teach kids being gay is not a sin

February 28, 2012

A new bill before the Alberta legislature could require home schoolers and faith-based schools to teach that being gay isn’t a sin and that diverse lifestyles are not a bad thing. The Alberta’s proposed Education Act states that “all courses or programs of study offered and instructional materials used in a school must reflect the diverse nature and heritage of society in Alberta, promote understanding and respect for others and honour and respect the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Alberta Human Rights Act.”

An article from the Home School Legal Defence Association (HSLDA) of Canada calls the bill “attempt by a government to control what families teach in the area of values and beliefs in their own home”. The underlying message is that Big Brother is watching… and He won’t tolerate you teaching your kids that homosexuality is a sin. The HSLDA urges home schooling parents to contact the Minister of Education to ask that the law be amended.

As someone who has taught diversity programs and believes in the inherent worth of all persons, regardless of their orientation, I admit that I was surprised to read about the resistance to the new bill. I confess a certain naiveté around such matters. It never really occurred to me that parents may want to home school children so that they could teach them that being gay was a sin, but I suppose that could happen.

What do you think? Should faith-based schools and homeschoolers be able to teach the values that they believe in, even if they don’t reflect what the government requires?

References

2012 Bill 2, Alberta Legislative Assembly

“Alberta bill may make it illegal to teach that homosexual acts are sinful“, Catholic World News

“Homeschooling families can’t teach homosexual acts sinful in class says Alberta gvmt“, by Patrick Craine, Lifesite News

“Canadian Province Imposing “Diversity Training” on Homeschools”, Home School Legal Defence Association (HSLDA) of Canada

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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.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

Skype for Literacy and Language Learning: “How To” Tips and Best Practices for Teachers

February 21, 2012

Sarah Eaton, literacy, languages, language, ESL, EAL, keynote, speaker, presenter, Canada, Alberta, English, educationAfter doing a number of workshops and research on how to use Skype for literacy and international languages, I’ve put together a free, downloadable guide for teachers and tutors.

Here’s what is in the guide:

  • Introduction
    • Technical requirements
    • Thinking about a computer-to-computer call
    • Skype versus other technologies
    • Skype-enabled handsets
  • Set up your Skype account
  • Add Contacts
  • Make a Skype call
  • Advanced features
    • Conference calls
    • Instant messaging or chat
    • File sharing
    • Screen Sharing
  • Ideas on how you can use Skype
    • Personal use
    • Organizational use
    • Marketing your programs
    • Teaching
    • Tutoring
  • Conclusions
  • Bibliography (includes 22 citations)

Check out the guide and download it from Scribd:

View this document on Scribd

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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.

1 Comment | education, ESL, Literacy, technology, Uncategorized, world languages | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

21% of employees are Facebook friends with their boss, study shows

February 14, 2012

A recent article in Znet, gives a synopsis of a research study done about employees who are friends with their bosses on Facebook. Here are the highlights:

Sarah Eaton social media speaker Calgary consultant Alberta CanadaThe study was conducted by Russell Herder, who surveyed over 1000 employees in the U.S. in late 2011.

Two interesting points in the article:

Of the 21% of those who are friends with their boss, they are more likely to be younger employees.

Being Facebook friends with their boss leads them to believe it helps them do their jobs better.

In terms of who initiates the FB relationship, 46% of the employees initiated and 38% of the bosses initiated.

Male bosses are more likely than female bosses to connect on social media, the study reports.

The article recommends that companies have a written social media policy governing what the expectations are for all company employees.

Another recommendation from the researchers is for leaders to fight the urge to retreat or over-react to friend requests from employees. Until recently, organizational leaders have often been coached to avoid interacting with subordinates on social media. That is beginning to change as more and more people begin to adopt social medias as part of their social interactions, both on and off the job.

Organizations (that includes companies, non-profits and educational organizations alike) are beginning to see social media for what it is — a means to engage and connect with others.

Are you Facebook friends with your boss?

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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.

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Posted by Sarah Elaine Eaton, Ph.D.

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