Just a quick notion: I started going through some of Courney's amazing recommended sites for web search and it opened up a whole new world - or worlds - to me. In Finland, you know, we just google and google... It's a verb in Finnish, too, nowadays, we say, Etkö tiedä, no, googlaa se! (Don't you know, well, why don't you just google it!). [In Finnish we actually often pronounce the word 'kuuklaa'.]
I already added a couple of search engines into my favourites.
The only thing that worries me tonight is, this is all very English-language, Anglo-American oriented information that we get. Of course, why shouldn't it be, this is an English-language teaching-learning course, but I for one, need to keep looking for parallel solutions that would serve Finnish teachers and kids from a more European, Nordic and why not, global perspective.
But I'm thrilled! I wrote a little thing about rubrics as my post into the Week 1 conversation, before I had tried Sweet Search (because I just learnt about SS today...). The difference between Google and SS results was awesome. But of course, Google was able to bring me stuff in Finnish, from Finnish sources whereas SS could not.
I need to reflect on this from the viewpoint of using searching for learning English. Avoiding mother tongue (Finnish, Swedish) web environments may be just the thing to do.
Now I realise I forgot to watch the half past eight news on Finnish TV1 - does not happen easily! Great to be studying with you all!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with you about our obsession with Google! This course is showing us the different sites that we can use constantly in our Teaching-Learning programs.
I have used Google and sites for RAFT assignment, bit this is a new world for me too.
Our official Language is mostly English, although it is a second language in India. However, if you look into the courses in the schools and colleges you'll be amazed at the variety that students in India study. Hence, it is even more important for us, teachers, to be well equipped for teaching this generation.
Its going to be great learning experience for all of us!
Hello!
ReplyDeleteI think the obsession with Google is ALL over the world haha! I was surprised to see how I can leave Google for more "entertaining" searches and go to iSEEK for educational purposes!
While I was reading your reflection, you expressed a concern about how we are receiving a lot of Anglo-American english terms. Just curious, how is that different from applying into your Finnish culture.
I enjoyed your post! Thank you! :)
Paramita, Joan, thank you for your comments! Great to get a little glimpse into India's education today.
DeleteJoan, I was unclear about my worry, it is basically about a possible loss of linguistic and more importantly cultural diversity which may come along the sort of massification of the use of the English language (Globish) and obviously Anglo-American sources of information on the Net. And on mass media etc. In Finland we worry about things like this as we are speakers of a smallish language and a peculiar culture of some 5 million people (we are actually big as languages go I know but we are good at worrying...)
Hi Paula!
ReplyDeleteOur obsession for Google is not baseless, especially after using other search engines and comparing them with Google. People will only switch to others if and when Google fails to deliver to their expectations.Let's wait for that day!