Basic knowledge

I’ve started reading about Web 2.0, and the first thing that stuck me was that I know the words but I still don’t understand what I read because I don’t know their meaning used in the computer or ITK context. So, before reading on, I will have to look up what these words and letter combinations mean.

But there are a lot. Do I need to know all of them? How much of the technical background do I need to understand or at least to have an idea, to be able to use the applications and services (or were they servers?)…

Well, for a beginner it takes more time and work to read, understand and reflect on the issues we are meeting in the texts and weekly questions.

All the red in the thermometer was unnerving at first, but I decided to do things at my own pace and learn all I need to learn before trying to apply it. Something I would like to do soon.

SMS in Botswana

Anta att du är lärare i en liten by i Botswana. Ni har inte tillgång till datorer och Intenet men du och alla elever har tillgång till mobiler.

Hur kan du använda mobilen som pedagogiskt verktyg?

Sounds like a very simple question; easy to answer. Yet, once you start thinking, you realize it is not. It generates more questions:

What age group are we talking about? I suppose, being a small village, it’s an elementary school.

What is the curriculum?

What subject are we talking about?

What kind of mobiles do they have? (I have one that doesn’t even take pictures.)

The first thing I would think the mobile phone could be used for is to ensure attendance. Pupils or their parents could SMS the teacher if they were absent.

Teacher or friends could SMS the assignments, especially if the child is absent for several days.

If they have a phone that takes pictures, I could use it in Biology or other Natural Science subjects.

Another question: would we use a language with correct grammar and spelling or the SMS short forms. The latter would promote the acceptance of this new “dialect” or language. I don’t really know what linguists think about this.