SuperCALLifragilisticexpeallidocious

Welcome to Dan's CALL Blog!

I'm Dan Isbell, currently a graduate student at Northern Arizona University and a graduate teaching assistant at the Program in Intensive English.  I've also taught for over two years in South Korea.  In this blog, I'll be commenting on topics in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and working on developing a repertoire of technological tools for future teaching endeavors.

While I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a connoisseur of CALL, I do have some experience using technology in the classroom.  In laundry-list form, here's a brief rundown of tools I've used:

-Voxopop for speaking homework (meaningful sentences, etc.)
-Blogs for reading assignments and commenting
-Interactive Textbooks for classroom instruction
-Using recorders in class for speaking activities
-MoodleReader for tracking extensive reading

As a language learner myself, I've used other computer based resources:
-Anki flashcards (for vocabulary learning)
-LiveMocha (flashcards, asynchronous feedback on writing/speaking prompts)
-GoogleDocs (collaborative construction of scripts, etc)

In this course I hope to learn more about evaluating the usefulness of tech tools for language learning.  I think there's a big gap between what sounds really awesome and what actually works, not to mention what works effectively enough to be worth the trouble.  I'm also concerned with the sheer number of tools that could be used, and to that end I want to learn guidelines on how to effectively manage the use of computer-based tools in a language class.

I'm particularly interested in learning how more mainstream tools and applications (e.g. Google, facebook, skype, etc.) can be incorporated into language teaching, as there's really nothing more relevant to out-of-class language use.  I'm also curious about using smart devices in the classroom- I'd rather embrace the future than become a phone-confiscating curmudgeon before I'm 30.