New vocabulary

                                Digital                                                                  
     Skill                                         
                                                           Playful                             
Podcasting/Broadcasting                                      
                                       Tool
       linguisticS (when it is a subject)                                 
                                            Input/Output                                           
Stubble                                                  
                    Weird                                                                   
Brooch                           
         Pick up                                                           

Five things I learned during this semester

I thought about technologies, and their presence more and more importante. I realize that technology is not only internet. It develop again and again to always more ( and always too much) conveniences. I really liked work my two first vidéo (the third more long and more difficult to understand). I learned that vibrants devices was create to help blind people. So, I told me that a lot of devices as this one are create and I don't know that, I can't imagine that because I don't thought about that.

 I discovered Itunes, the fact that I can "suscribe free". I didn't know that there was as much podcasts. I discovered websites   really interesting like voicethread. I think use again flicker or wordle. 

I learned how to create a blog and how use it, only basics things. Using blog is not what I love so I can't say I control perfectly. However it was interesting, this semester, in this class, I really have the impression that we were open on news things, new way of work. And I like that. 

 I didn't know that people care about/think so much to education. It exist conference. There is teachers who wants the system changes. Education in France is so bad, I didn't knowthere was all this things (at least in english-speaking countries). I start to watch the movie "Waiting for superman" on youtube. And it's so interesting ! And so appalling ! Thanks to this class, I discovered there is hope for education, not now, but maybe one day.

In conclusion I will say that I improve my english because there was a Lot of oral comprehension. That was very good because I was force to go to see the word.

I don't regret my choice for this option.

When the body movements affect your senses

Reflection

       The open university, sensory augmentation devices, computer sciences

                                          

The E-Sense research program wants to create useful devices.

On this video we can see, two sorts of experiences:

       First, how vibrotector devices can help to play an instrument ?

       Second, how vibrotector devices can help blind people ?

At the beginning a researcher said : how we can extend the mind, the senses ? What it means to be human ?

They study these questions using technologies. They use vibrations to understand the working of responses of senses ; how senses work and react.

   

     The first experience : a girl plays drum thanks to vibrations she feels. Little devices are attached to each limb (wrists and legs). Vibrations she feels are like the vibrating battery on mobil phone. They are activated when the computer plays something we want to learn. Each vibration corresponds to one hit on the drum.

On the video another researcher said it’s very hard to learn an instrument when we need more one hand. I’m pianist. My teacher explains to me that when someone plays piano he uses three parts of his brain. We have to read the score and we have to do two differents things with our hands. And we have to coordinate all this. In everyday life we never use three parts of our brain.

                

          So, let vibrations doing everything, is it really interesting ?

I think it depend on what you want to do exactly. It’s too easy use vibrations to learn an instrument. If it’s just one time, to try, to help you, why not ; but if you really want learn how to play an instrument, I think it’s more interesting if your brain works.

The same guy said that this device is good to understanding music better, enjoying music better, analyzing music better and composing music better.

Maybe. But you are really dependent of this device, you need it. And I think you are not credible and you are not a musician. Be a musician is a real work, it’s hard and long. Use vibration is too easy and simplistic.

      On the contrary, I think the second experience is really interesting. Vibrotector devices help blind people to « see » the objects around them.

They do this experience with a ball, a described plane : a table with sensor (a plane where the vibrations could be felt by humans), and a blind girl who carry a belt with little vibrating devices.

The goal is to catch the ball rolling on the table thanks to vibrations (blindfold the girl). When the ball rolls on the right side of the table, the girl feels vibrations on the right side of her stomach and inversely. When the ball rolls on the table, the girls feels vibrations and she can catch the ball. There is very good results with this experience. Blind people can learn to interpret these vibrations and recognize objects. They can feel, prevent when something moving in a described plane.

The E-Sense research program built very useful technologies

These experiences show the importance of senses. Thanks to body responses, vibrating devices make everyday life easier.

20 questions : English, an international language

 How English language become so big ?

Category : Language

Title of the video : The second lecture in The Universal Language series looks at how English has become the most successful lingua franca in human history.

Information about language courses and programmes at Dalarna University 

By Konstantin Andreev

1 Before watching the video : In your opinion, how English became the first language in the world ?

English is present all over the world. 

United states are very powerful, with a lot of influence, and : they speak English.

2 Right or wrong ?

 The presenter is Russian                                                                          Right

 He is an English teacher                                                                           Right

 He said there is more native English speakers than others English speakers    Wrong

3 How many factors made of English a world language ?

There is 7 factors 

4 What are the seven factors ? 

Economic interest

Political power

Number of native speaker

Access to learning

Cultural prestige

Ideology

New technology

5 What is lingua franca ?

It’s an old common language from Mediterranean (people Arab, French and Italian). It permitted to merchants to communicate. It had an economist interest.

6 In Ireland, what is the other official language ? How many percent speak it ?

Less than 2% use Irish Gaelic to communicate

7 What are England’s colonies ?

Ireland

India 18e century

Caribbean 17e century

South Africa around 1800

North America after 1620

Australia 1788

8 Right or Wrong ?

America is independent in 1766                                                           Wrong 

American population increase a lot between 18e and 19e century            Right

America dominate the world                                                               Right

9 How English language became popular ? 

English became popular with native speakers and especially thanks to others speakers of this language

10 Today, how many people speak English as their first language ?

330 million people

11 What is the largest country where English has an official status ?

India (not united states)

12 Right or wrong ?
In India school is English                                          Right  

India uses English as a second language                     Right

Indian people are descendants of English people          Wrong

13 “You want to get access to learning, you have to speak English”, How interpret this sentence ?

In the video, the presenter talk about indian children who need to speak english at school.

We can interpret.

English is so present ! At home : TV series, technologies ; At work : if you speak english, the manager hire right now. English is very important on job market.

14 What is culture influence of English speakers in 1980 ?  

A lot of influence because it’s the beginning of : pop music, rock n roll, movies, actors, super heroes, singers, coca cola…

15 In your opinion, what is American culture ?

A lot of cliché : fast food, Statue of Liberty, dollar, American way of life, success, democracy, uncle Sam, peace and love, cow boy, Bob Dylan, Woodstock, surf.

16 What kind of new technology English people created ?

Telephone; sound recording ; airplane ;sound film; mobil phone; computer ; internet; social networks

17 What is Akkadian ?

It’s one of the older language who exist, one of the first writing system. Akkadian was born in Mesopotamia. It was cuneiform inscription on tablets. It’s a form of technology.

18 If there was an universal language, do you think it would be English ?

Yes, this language is on every continent. it is very famous thanks to its culture : music, TV series, movies, celebrities... It is not too difficult to learn (if we compare to chinese).

19 Now you watch the video, your answer at the question 1 is different ?

Yes, now i know english is so present thanks to colonies (I never thought to colonies) and all this speakers.

BOOK

  
   If you don't see this video yet, click on this link now !

This is a technology's review 
I think it's very funny and it says to us : remember, we have to LOVE books ! They are perfect, and very easy to use
I love reading, because I love touch the paper, smeel the old books, and know that I have "this" book on my personal library !

I'm against reading on I pad or computer 

And you ?

Does technology affect happiness ?

This is an article from New York times 

Today, very early (8 years), children spend a lot of time on face book, internet, nintendo DS...

A study from Standford University ask a question : How is technology affecting children happiness and emotional development ?

It's a study based on girls.

There is two stories, one of a mother, and an other of a 13 years old girl.

The mother says this 13 years old daughter has an Ipad, an Iphone and nintendo DS.

 I think that's not normal, a 13 years old child don't need this things 

1) the mother

She said that yes it's hard to her daughter to communicate face to face, BUT she won't to say to her daughter" use less internet". She thinks : stay connected on social network help her social life.

2) the 13 years old girl

she spends a lot of time on face book to chat with her friends

she saids that it's easy to communicate like that because people don't see your face, your emotions, and they can't hear your voice.

Children are use more and more technologies to talk and stop to communicate face to face 

The scientist can't prove the unhappiness but they can prove the impact on girl who use screen everyday several hours : they are less socially comfortable than other girl.

I think it's important to children development, before and during adolescence, to go out with friends, talk face to face. That's important to develop confidence, with them self and with other.

Today it's Valentine's day !

If you click on this link, you 're going to see that chocolate and roses are OUT
This video presents valentine's day high tech gifts (and we have to pay for it !)
For her : tablet, i pod in a watch and earphone
For him : gloves special for phone with touch screen and videogames (off course !)
So, yes guys, it looks like a commercial day !