Web+Technologies





 .  ==  == [|Click here My Voki] == **__My own idea about using the Voki Tool in Second Language Teaching __** == My VOKI Activity
 * The World Wide Web is a universal communicational method which users can read and write using computers which are connected to the Internet. In our days, the web became a necessary tool especially for learners who want to acquire a second language. The web **** provides everything you want to know; even if that means learning a second language through videos, ****audios or written texts. ** ** Web 1.0 refers to the various web technologies which existed before the creation of Web 2.0 technologies such as e-mail. **** The Web 2.0 **** technology refers to a second generation of web development and design that made easier the progress of communication and the safe information on the universal Web. ** ** Web 2.0 technologies allow a more interactive approach between the users who are connected with the Internet. **
 * However, I will only focus on a particular Web 2.0 known as //Voki// and I will explain how it can be used in the Teaching of English as a Foreign Language. **** Voki is a talking voice character, a computer-generated version of oneself. A more general term for a Voki is a speaking avatar, a digital representation of a person or being. Voki enables users to express themselves on the web in their own voice using a talking character. A person can make his/her Voki to look like him/her or take on the identity of lots of other types of characters such as animals, monsters and so on. Moreover, you can change the colour of Voki’s hair, its lips, select glasses and so on. You can also select the type of background; holidays, travel, outdoors, sports, nightlife or insert a background from your own picture collection. Voices and accents can be selected if you decide to type your message in using the computer keyboard. Otherwise you can record your own voice using your mobile phone or microphone. You can create a Voki from the voki website and then just post it to your website. **
 * The term “Voki “came from the “latin word “vox", which means voice and from “Loki”,which is a prankster character in Norse Mythology. In my point of view, after my searching on the internet about Vokis, I strongly believe that this web can offer a lot in teaching. For teachers these speaking avatars can add a more "human" element to the online class website. It is especially useful for those of us who may not be all that great with video taping. Voki is not a useful tool only for students but also for teachers. Instructors can use a voki avatar to introduce the course or topics. It can also be used to aid in teaching those who are more audio/visual learners. Voki is also a great way to get shy students involved or to share comments with students in other countries. **
 * According to Helen Otway, there are so many ways to use a Voki in an educational context in the classroom. **
 * 1) **Students can create avatars that are similar in looks or personalities and record a message that tells about themselves. **
 * 2) **Students can exchange these avatars with e-pals either within their own setting or anywhere in the world. **
 * 3) **Students can generate questions to ask their avatar e-pals. **
 * 4) ** ESL (English as a Second Language) students can use the speaking avatars to practice and listen to their speech. They may use the computerised voice first then record their own voice when they feel more comfortable. **** Writing, reading and pronunciation are all practised. **
 * 5) **Students can create an avatar that resembles a character from a story, add a setting and give it speech. The speech could be from the story or a creative point of view (POV) from the character on an event. **
 * Aslo, Picardo stated that “It occurred to me that we all have pupils who won't shut up in our lessons: coyness is a concept alien to them. However there are others who are painfully shy, who seldom say anything in class and we would like to include and give them an opportunity to shine. I wonder whether it would better suit the latter to record themselves in the privacy and comfort of their own home and then produce the Voki avatars in class, along with all the other pupils' avatar creations. What a great homework that would be!” **
 * Despite the fact that Voki can be a very useful tool in the teaching environment it can be also a useful way in communication and interaction among your friends or other users. ****I can only say that when I discover the Voki tool, I felt very excited because **** avatars are modern tools and lots of fun to create ****<span style="color: fuchsia; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, but when I assigned to write a few things about the use of Voki in ****<span style="color: fuchsia; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">the teaching environment I felt disappointed because I thought that Voki can not be useful in the teaching settings. However, I was impressed by the things that Voki can offer in teaching after my searching on the internet. **
 * Vokis create a whole range of new opportunities for language teachers wanting to extending their students' speaking skills in a fun and engaging way. **
 * Taking these points into consideration, for me the key advantage of using Web 2.0 tools such as the Voki tool is their // online // aspect. Students generally find them attractive and fun to use and but also these tool increase students’ motivation to speak in the target language. Voki is a Web 2.0 tool that allows to users to express themselves on the web in their own voice using a talking character. In my point of view, I strongly support that Voki is an ideal tool for the teaching settings because it can be accessed both at home and at school. Furthermore, Voki is a motivating tool for students because as we know students love internet games or even internet educational activities. Also, another positive aspect of Voki is that it can become a great way to get shy students involved or to share comments with students in other countries. Bacically, Vokis can be a fun way to communicate and the benefit is that students can keep their anonymity when they are talking with other students all over the world. **

<span style="color: fuchsia; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">VOKI site is a useful tool for the foreign language instructors. The VOKI website is a simple application so it can be easily used by both teachers and students in and outside the classroom environments. VOKI can be applied as a vocabulary and speech tool.

One of the examples of using VOKI for such purposes would be a lesson where VOKI is used as a presentation tool by the students. Supposedly, this lesson setting would be designed for the Teaching English as a Foreign Language. First of all, the TEFL teacher must create a connection with the class of the Greek native speakers that learn English as an L2 and the English class of students who study abroad. Each student in both classes will be required to make a VOKI in order to record and describe for example their favourite activities outside the classes. The students will record in the languages and then they will exchange their English and Greek recordings. After each student receives their VOKI message, they will get a chance to access and write a review about the usefulness of the Voki tool. In that way students from both Greek and English class will have an opportunity to interact with each other, develop their vocabulary and gain cultural skill on the particular topic. The other benefit of this task would be the relative independence from the teacher;the students will follow the guidelines and receive the necessary support but the actual VOKI experience and assessment will be performed by the students themselves.

Dale J. 2007. [|Voki - animated avatars to get your pupils talking in a foreign language of your choice]. Integrating ICT into the MFL classroom blog. Helen Otway. January 2008. [|Voki avatars in the classroom]. More than just knowing stuff! Edublog. Picardo J. [|Get the kids talking - How using Voki might help]. Box of Tricks. <span style="color: fuchsia; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">http://www.voki.com/
 * //__ References: __//**

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//Using Vokis in the Classroom//
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