Join ALTs Online! A collaborative ALT website for students!

[renaud_AkitaPA]

Hello fellow ALTs!

I've just started working on a new website which will allow students to interact with ALTs all over Japan. The website, ALTs Online, is a revolution in language learning. The idea is that each ALT will have their own self introduction page in the form of a graphic log (glog) and an interactive message board for sharing text messages, music and photos. Students can even communicate with ALTs using their voice. There is also a worksheet for those who are interested in accessing the website with their class through the school computer room.

The website is set up for the non-tech savvy, so don't worry if you have little to no experience with online software. ALTs who join the wiki simply make a fun interactive poster at Glogster.com (SUPER EASY) and create a message board (Takes 3 minutes) and then send me the links. I will take care of all the rest. Your poster can be simple having just a few pics and information on where you are from, what you like, your hobby etc.

If you are interested, click on the link below to check it out. I should also mention that it wouldn't look bad on a resume to add that you helped build an interactive website for students all over Japan .


ALTs Online Website

Join the revolution!

Cheers!

Renaud

[Japan_guy]

This is AMAZING! What a great way to connect with students and motivate them. Great work, man!!!! I'm really surprised that nobody has commented on this thread yet....Well, I'm totally making a glog this week. I hope other ALTs will join and help out with this awesome resource.

[renaud_AkitaPA]

Thanks! Let me know if you run into any problems when making a glog or message board. Yeah, I'm also surprised at the lack of response..... Well, I guess a lot of people are just not interested in doing anything internet related, too bad. I accessed the Akita version of the website with my students a few times and it was AWESOME. They got to surf through the different ALT pages, learn about different cultures and type messages to ALTs. It was a blast and they learned a lot. The only hurtle is getting your Principal and JTEs to agree to unblocking the site which shouldn't be too much of a problem as long as the computer room is free and not super ancient. If you give them the link for them to check it out, they will probably realize what a great opportunity it is for the students. Anyway, I hope a lot of ALTs jump on this!

Cheers!

Renaud

[renaud_AkitaPA]

Just want to say thank you to all those who have joined so far. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions regarding your glog or message board etc.. I recently updated the design and added an activity wall. Hope you like it! I'm always open to ideas, so please feel free to let me know here or by e-mail. We still need a lot more ALTs to join!

Regards,

Renaud

[Leina.HiroshimaPA]

This is really great!!! I have been trying to think of a way to take advantage of the fact that we have so many JET's from different countries and backgrounds and use their information to help globalize lessons at everyone's schools. I still want to work on my small based project just in Hiroshima, but I think this is another great way to do it! I will send out this information to Hiroshima JET's and hopefully they'll be interested in making a page. I will also spread the word at school!

Thanks! ~Leina

[renaud_AkitaPA]

Exactly, "globalize lessons"! Thanks for spreading the word, Leina!!

[renaud_AkitaPA]

Well, so far I have VERY FEW ALTs joining the site....Still only Akita, lol. I just spent a crazy amount of time updating and improving the website and so I hope some ALTs will be interested in joining the project. Please help spread the word!

This video should get you motivated:

http://youtu.be/_W_c0wWkBig

Join the revolution!

Renaud

[OdysseyOfNoises]

Sorry, this idea is a bit of a non-starter for a wide variety of reasons.

I know you mean well, and you're clearly passionate about what you do, but I really don't think this is going to work in the way you want it to.

[renaud_AkitaPA]

Sorry, this idea is a bit of a non-starter for a wide variety of reasons.

I know you mean well, and you're clearly passionate about what you do, but I really don't think this is going to work in the way you want it to.

Well, I have had success with the Akita Prefecture version. It is really up to the ALT community. If enough ALTs are interested, it will fly. I have used the site with my students both inside and outside of school successfully. Of course, I am aware that some schools are not keen on accessing internet for a lesson or that some ALTs may want to use the site but do not have access to a computer room or that most students in Japan are not very familiar with using the internet in this way, etc. Yes, a challenge on many levels. Nevertheless, for those ALTs who have access to a computer lab at school or have students who have PC internet access at home, this is a wonderful tool. This is a fun and exciting way to help students become better autonomous learners and as online technology and the internet continue to develop, you will see a lot more of this kind of online curriculum. I just think it would be great if it was the ALT community who helped Japan take the first step towards incorporating online computer assisted language learning at the secondary school level.

[OdysseyOfNoises]

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[DJC_06]

I think it is a great idea. If you do not want to participate, then don't.

On a side note, i'd love to sign up here in Aichi, but the computers at my place of work and the schools I visit don't have or want to have the necessary browser upgrades.... lol

[shinmei2006]

Id love to join, but I wont have internet in my apartment for a while, and as someone else said already, the school laptop sucks.

[renaud_AkitaPA]

Yeah, some of my schools have SUPER old computers with IE 6, lol. The website will still function though. The only real hurtle is getting permission to have flash player installed on the computers if they don't have it. At one school I have all my students download it in less than a minute and then move on to the website (system automatically deletes the flash player once we shut down though). My other school kept the flash player on permanently for me so that I could do online stuff with the students ^-^. But yeah, it is really ESID.