KoreaKast is a reflective blog that tracks my adventure as a language teacher learning Korean online. The blog has been maintained as part of a pilot study for my Teachers as Online Language Learners (TOLL) project, which aims to give language teachers an avenue of self-access, experiential learning in language, education and educational technologies. The TOLL project is in development as a part of my MA TESOL studies at the University of Leeds, UK, and makes up part of my greater research on Educational Technology as a Foreign Language.
Although the pilot instalments of KoreaKast have been concluded, the blog serves as an example of how blogs can be used to encourage reflective language learning and develop metacognitive (or "thinking about thinking") skills. I hope the successful elements of the blog can be replicated by language teachers, in their own learning process, but also in guiding their students to independent learning. For more information on this research, please visit the links provided. Certain pages are under construction and will be completed shortly.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
A Change of Direction
I have said before that the goal of reflective blogging for language learning is not to be a perfect student, but a self-aware student. KoreaKast is a case in point, since I cannot claim perfection, although I am very satisfied with what I have learnt.
Unfortunately my Korean adventure had an abrupt conclusion less than a week before my planned departure. En route to the embassy to collect my visa, my future boss called from Seoul to say my placement had been delayed by six months. Having been a middleman in public education myself, I understand that these things happen. Since I want to be working, though, I have accepted a position elsewhere. This means that learning Korean is no longer a priority, and I am discontinuing the blog.
So has KoreaKast fulfilled its purpose?
In the Name of Science, KoreaKast has been a pilot experiment in how online language learning resources can be harnessed using Web 2.0 applications. It has been an itinerary of my journey navigating the Web and making sense of the resources, the new language and my own learning process. It has been an example of how a blog can be exploited as a personal, reflective learning diary - whether by a learner or a teacher.
Although KoreaKast has merely scratched the surface of what is possible with blogs specifically, and Web 2.0 applications for learning generally, and has left endless possibilities untapped*, I do feel that it has been sufficiently successful. As the secondary aspect of the Teachers as Online Language Learners (TOLL) project, it has certainly served its purpose. The Survival Language Kit (SLK) that forms the core of TOLL proved effective and was well supported by the blog.
Where KoreaKast has served a greater purpose, is in the way it helped to develop my ideas about TOLL itself. By undergoing the very experience of being a Teacher as Online Language Learner myself, my understanding of other TOLLs' needs has deepened. I have, indeed, had the opportunity to practice what I preach before the sermon begins. This has refined the nature and scope of materials I hope to make available online for the project, and, I believe, given the project greater validity and credibility.
As KoreaKast concludes, I believe that with it I have met a vital criterion of good research: I have failed successfully. The metacognitive process at the very core of the TOLL concept is what makes this possible.
*While the reflective and synthesising aspects of blogging were well explored, the interactive aspect was not even touched on. This is an important consideration as the project continues, since TOLLs can benefit from experiencing the social dynamic of communities of interest - in their own learning as well as understanding how it impacts on their students.
Unfortunately my Korean adventure had an abrupt conclusion less than a week before my planned departure. En route to the embassy to collect my visa, my future boss called from Seoul to say my placement had been delayed by six months. Having been a middleman in public education myself, I understand that these things happen. Since I want to be working, though, I have accepted a position elsewhere. This means that learning Korean is no longer a priority, and I am discontinuing the blog.
So has KoreaKast fulfilled its purpose?
In the Name of Science, KoreaKast has been a pilot experiment in how online language learning resources can be harnessed using Web 2.0 applications. It has been an itinerary of my journey navigating the Web and making sense of the resources, the new language and my own learning process. It has been an example of how a blog can be exploited as a personal, reflective learning diary - whether by a learner or a teacher.
Although KoreaKast has merely scratched the surface of what is possible with blogs specifically, and Web 2.0 applications for learning generally, and has left endless possibilities untapped*, I do feel that it has been sufficiently successful. As the secondary aspect of the Teachers as Online Language Learners (TOLL) project, it has certainly served its purpose. The Survival Language Kit (SLK) that forms the core of TOLL proved effective and was well supported by the blog.
Where KoreaKast has served a greater purpose, is in the way it helped to develop my ideas about TOLL itself. By undergoing the very experience of being a Teacher as Online Language Learner myself, my understanding of other TOLLs' needs has deepened. I have, indeed, had the opportunity to practice what I preach before the sermon begins. This has refined the nature and scope of materials I hope to make available online for the project, and, I believe, given the project greater validity and credibility.
As KoreaKast concludes, I believe that with it I have met a vital criterion of good research: I have failed successfully. The metacognitive process at the very core of the TOLL concept is what makes this possible.
*While the reflective and synthesising aspects of blogging were well explored, the interactive aspect was not even touched on. This is an important consideration as the project continues, since TOLLs can benefit from experiencing the social dynamic of communities of interest - in their own learning as well as understanding how it impacts on their students.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Countdown! Survival Language in a Hurry
The sudden reality of departing for Korea by the end of the week only hit me in the last few days. Although I am the type who prefers to over-prepare, the truth is that real life does not always allow the luxury of good preparation. The question that faces me, like many others on the brink of departure, is: what Korean phrases will be most helpful to know before departure?
This entire blog is based on the principle of optimal return on language learning investment. This is done with the Survival Language Kit (SLK), based on research of linguist Paul Nation. You can read more about this in earlier posts, or follow the links. In a nutshell, the SLK allows users to tailor the most common phrases to their personal needs and interests. What makes it an effective learning tool is the process of critically compiling the Korean phrases oneself.
But in the hectic last week before take-off, what should I learn? As with all language learning, this depends on learner needs. Learner needs include social requirements and personal needs. Personalising this is part of the learning process, but I include my own case by way of example. The very first priority is to learn greetings and polite expressions. This is a good ice-breaker and a way to establish a connection, even if it is the sum total of one's knowledge. I personally consider counting the next step (although with Korean's dual system this is a challenge!). Talking about oneself is also handy, but probably not a first priority. An area that is absolutely vital to me, as a picky eater/occasional health nut/pesco-vegetarian, is food! This is also important to anyone with allergies and other special needs. Some emergency vocabulary is also always a good idea, even if this is limited to saying "help!".
In a perfect world, we can all spend plenty of time on mastering a language before a trip. In the real world, coping with pressure is often a more valuable skill. The fact remains that actually being immersed in the new environment can be a boost to language learning, far better than "studying"! however, it is easier to learn on the spot once a basic framework for the language is in place in one's mind.
As for me, my next priority is to learn to say "if you feed me red meat I will turn purple, start frothing at the mouth and die in a public media frenzy that will destroy your reputation." See, personal needs drive us to far higher levels of learning, not so?
This entire blog is based on the principle of optimal return on language learning investment. This is done with the Survival Language Kit (SLK), based on research of linguist Paul Nation. You can read more about this in earlier posts, or follow the links. In a nutshell, the SLK allows users to tailor the most common phrases to their personal needs and interests. What makes it an effective learning tool is the process of critically compiling the Korean phrases oneself.
But in the hectic last week before take-off, what should I learn? As with all language learning, this depends on learner needs. Learner needs include social requirements and personal needs. Personalising this is part of the learning process, but I include my own case by way of example. The very first priority is to learn greetings and polite expressions. This is a good ice-breaker and a way to establish a connection, even if it is the sum total of one's knowledge. I personally consider counting the next step (although with Korean's dual system this is a challenge!). Talking about oneself is also handy, but probably not a first priority. An area that is absolutely vital to me, as a picky eater/occasional health nut/pesco-vegetarian, is food! This is also important to anyone with allergies and other special needs. Some emergency vocabulary is also always a good idea, even if this is limited to saying "help!".
In a perfect world, we can all spend plenty of time on mastering a language before a trip. In the real world, coping with pressure is often a more valuable skill. The fact remains that actually being immersed in the new environment can be a boost to language learning, far better than "studying"! however, it is easier to learn on the spot once a basic framework for the language is in place in one's mind.
As for me, my next priority is to learn to say "if you feed me red meat I will turn purple, start frothing at the mouth and die in a public media frenzy that will destroy your reputation." See, personal needs drive us to far higher levels of learning, not so?
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Synthesising Resources
When learning a language I often find that no resource quite meets my needs. Each has its strong points, while it may neglect other areas completely.
What is especially useful of the TOLL project is the way it empowers learners to compile their own optimal resource, according to their personal needs, using a wealth of online resources. The particular value of this process is the constant critical evaluation of online materials, the gleaning of relevant information and the creation of a personalized store of tailored language knowledge.
As I continue to work through several online courses, I am finding that the introductory lesson is usually at a gentle pace (perhaps too much so, since I have long mastered "Annyong haseyo"), but the pace then picks up very quickly and diverges in unpredictable directions.
I am, however, finding the interactive resources from Seoul University and KBS very helpful, because they focus on the Korean Hangeul writing and phonetic system. This means once I arrive in Korea I will be able to read and pronounce signs - even if I don't understand them! from experience learning Mandarin and Arabic I know that this also rules out many "foreign accent" problems.
Today I learnt how to talk about my nationality (Seoul University's Click Korean course, Unit 3). That useful sentence pattern "I am ..." ([Jeo-neun ... imnida]) comes in handy once again, as it does with self-introduction and talking about one's profession. To describe nationality, the country's name is followed by "person" [saram]. So, to say I am South African, I say: [Jeo-neun nang Apirija saram imnida].
Since my nationality is NEVER in the phrasebooks, I also went in pursuit of an online dictionary. This search turned up two resources. Worldlingo translates full phrases, but since this is done by a bot, do proceed with caution. Indiana Uni's Multimedia Korean Dictionary provides an interactive experience with basic vocabulary, and is very inner child-friendly.
But the day beckons, and according to World Translator, 나는 급하게 이다 [na-neun gibhage ida]... I am in a hurry.
What is especially useful of the TOLL project is the way it empowers learners to compile their own optimal resource, according to their personal needs, using a wealth of online resources. The particular value of this process is the constant critical evaluation of online materials, the gleaning of relevant information and the creation of a personalized store of tailored language knowledge.
As I continue to work through several online courses, I am finding that the introductory lesson is usually at a gentle pace (perhaps too much so, since I have long mastered "Annyong haseyo"), but the pace then picks up very quickly and diverges in unpredictable directions.
I am, however, finding the interactive resources from Seoul University and KBS very helpful, because they focus on the Korean Hangeul writing and phonetic system. This means once I arrive in Korea I will be able to read and pronounce signs - even if I don't understand them! from experience learning Mandarin and Arabic I know that this also rules out many "foreign accent" problems.
Today I learnt how to talk about my nationality (Seoul University's Click Korean course, Unit 3). That useful sentence pattern "I am ..." ([Jeo-neun ... imnida]) comes in handy once again, as it does with self-introduction and talking about one's profession. To describe nationality, the country's name is followed by "person" [saram]. So, to say I am South African, I say: [Jeo-neun nang Apirija saram imnida].
Since my nationality is NEVER in the phrasebooks, I also went in pursuit of an online dictionary. This search turned up two resources. Worldlingo translates full phrases, but since this is done by a bot, do proceed with caution. Indiana Uni's Multimedia Korean Dictionary provides an interactive experience with basic vocabulary, and is very inner child-friendly.
But the day beckons, and according to World Translator, 나는 급하게 이다 [na-neun gibhage ida]... I am in a hurry.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Motivation Motivation Motivation
After two weeks of blogblivion, I am back. The reason is contained in a three-part post on my teaching blog called Justification, Attitude, Motivation. And since the KoreaKast blog is not here to show that I am a perfect learner, but rather a reflective learner, I will confess.
I lost my motivation.
The reason is extremely sound: due to administrative delays with my documentation, my visa to work in Korea was in extreme jeopardy, even though I had the contract in my hands. I am not proud to say that I lost faith, but in my defense it did seem sensible. Of course, the value of learning Korean - to me - depends on my living in Korea. Hence the departure of motivation.
Well, yesterday the red tape was finally untangled and I could express the visa documentation. As the euphoria passed, I became concerned that I may have forgotten all the Korean I had learnt. But somewhere between sleep and waking, I started running over what I knew in my mind. Most was still there, and the rest just needs some refreshing.
Motivation paves the way for learning.
Now that I have my reason for learning back, I am eager to return to a routine of spending some time on Korean - and this blog - every morning after my workout. (Although my location can sometimes mean no internet connection - even wireless!)
This is where it gets interesting.
I lost my motivation.
The reason is extremely sound: due to administrative delays with my documentation, my visa to work in Korea was in extreme jeopardy, even though I had the contract in my hands. I am not proud to say that I lost faith, but in my defense it did seem sensible. Of course, the value of learning Korean - to me - depends on my living in Korea. Hence the departure of motivation.
Well, yesterday the red tape was finally untangled and I could express the visa documentation. As the euphoria passed, I became concerned that I may have forgotten all the Korean I had learnt. But somewhere between sleep and waking, I started running over what I knew in my mind. Most was still there, and the rest just needs some refreshing.
Motivation paves the way for learning.
Now that I have my reason for learning back, I am eager to return to a routine of spending some time on Korean - and this blog - every morning after my workout. (Although my location can sometimes mean no internet connection - even wireless!)
This is where it gets interesting.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Massiseo! Delicious Korean Learning
맛있어! [Massiseo!] means "delicious" in Korean. But this post is about something far tastier than food...
In my previous post I mentioned that I had found most of my Korean learning resources through Google searches, and it only recently occurred to me that I could simply stand on the shoulders of giants (and normal-sized folk) in stead. How? Social bookmarking. my weapon of choice: Delicious.
UPDATE: Some time after this blog project ended, the survival of Delicious became unlikely. This was a blessing in disguise, since it led me to www.diigo.com, a much more sophisticated social bookmarking service. The principle is the same, but there are far more options, as well as a mobile application call PowerNote which allows you to sync notes and photos from your mobile phone securely online. Even so, read on for the original post.
UPDATE: Some time after this blog project ended, the survival of Delicious became unlikely. This was a blessing in disguise, since it led me to www.diigo.com, a much more sophisticated social bookmarking service. The principle is the same, but there are far more options, as well as a mobile application call PowerNote which allows you to sync notes and photos from your mobile phone securely online. Even so, read on for the original post.
There is more on the rationale behind Delicious in my language teaching blog, but for now let's see how it can help learners of Korean. A Delicious tag search for Korean led me to the wealth of sites bookmarked by other Delicious users. After adding my own bookmarks, I could also easily call up my own collection of bookmarks for Korean.
What makes Delicious stand out is the tagging function, which keeps things organized and searchable. For my own purposes, I love the annotation function, where I can keep notes on each site for later reference... my own and others'.
And that, in a word, is the beauty of social bookmarking: sharing our knowledge.
Massiseo!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
A Brief Word on Bells and Whistles (And a Great Find)
While compiling a resource bank for the Korean section of the TOLL project, I admit that I depended mostly on Google searches. (Only this morning did it occur to me to check social bookmarking services, like Delicious, but that is for a later post.) The resource bank includes brief annotations to help users, and myself, decide on the most appropriate sites for their purposes.
Looking over my resource bank as the sun rose today, I saw the final entry, for the Introduction to Korean course, which I had merely described as a "no-frills introduction to the writing and phonetic system". On a whim, I went to explore the site, and found that I learnt more about the Korean writing and phonetic system in ten minutes on this no-frills site, than I had in many hours. Not only that, but there was also a practice session of a manageable dose of vowels and consonants. For the first time, I felt that I had some mastery at the end of a study session. But wait! There's more! The course is downloadable, meaning it can be used offline exactly as it would be online, in both text and audio versions - an answer to the limitations of the sites I mentioned in yesterday's post.
This is a great find, and an earnest reminder that books should not be judged by their covers. many thanks to the polymath author of the langintro site, J. David Eisenberg, for this gem. No bells or whistles required.
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