Mozuku

The thing above is a QR (Quick Response) code. QR codes can contain various information including text, links, phone numbers, and even some images. They are primarily aimed at cell phone users recently and are becoming increasingly common in advertising. At the recent Wireless Ready conference, one presentation discussed the way in which QR codes can be used in classes. You see, these codes are easily generated with one of the many online generating services (just google QR cod generator). And once you have the code squares, you can print them out or paste them into a blog or website. You can use the codes to have learners put short texts (up to about 140 characters) into their cell phones. These messages can be saved and learners can take them with them. The presenter at Wireless Ready was doing interactive treasure hunts with groups of his learners. Of course, you could also give some important vocabulary or usage information. The best part is it involves no downloading for either the creator or the user, and no internet access fees.

“Punk’s not dead.” I remember the time well, it was several years after punk either absconded or was hijacked by fashionatics and became an embarrassment trying as much to celebrate the fact that it ever existed as hopelessly deny the fact that it didn’t anymore. You see, punk had come and mostly gone by the time most people became aware of what it meant. The early years of heady rebellion were followed quickly by the revenge of the empire. For that reason–whatever that reason is exactly–I am still a little wary of the label punk being used, even though at the same time I have definite sympathies with the spirit. I am writing this because I have recently heard the name Edupunks a few times and came across a home base of sorts. It’s located here. There are some good videos, thought-provoking stuff you might want to hear. Well worth a coffee break. Is it punk? It certainly smells like some kind of spirit. Hurry and check it out before the label sticks and the whole movement begins to lose relevance; or certainly before someone starts making “Edupunk’s not dead” T-shirts.

In recent years, there has been a definite increase in the attention being paid to brain fitness. The starting point was work done on brain placticity in the 60s and 70s that began to suggest that the brain and the neurons that it consists of are not necessarily fixed in number and destined to to a slow and steady decline. They can and do grow and develop as people use their brains.

For language teachers–particularly aging ones like myself who have started mixing up the names of their children–this has implications that cannot be ignored. It is important on an individual level and I believe it has the power to radically affect our present approach to teaching. But let’s leave that second point for a while and concentrate today on the basic notion of brain health.

I have been aware of the idea of brain fitness for several years, but the first time I heard about it in the popular culture was Nintendo’s DS brain training software (this link is for the English version). It was interesting, but hardly seemed a scientific program in total brain fitness. And, of course, it couldn’t give you advice on diet and exercise and positive thinking, things that seem to also be crucial for good brain fitness.

For those of you who are interested in total brain health and fitness and checking out some of the training programs available, there are two great resources available on the web, both connected to Dr Elkhonon Goldberg, author of two books on the subject: The Executive Brain: Frontal Lobes and the Civilized Mind, and The Wisdom Paradox: How Your Mind Can Grow Stronger As Your Brain Grows Older.

The first one is Sharpbrains. It is really a resource clearinghouse with lots of links to articles and studies. This is a good place to learn about brain fitness. There is also a lot of information here on advice for evaluating brain fitness programs.

The next one, Headstrong, calls itself a brain gym. Here you can actually start training. For the time being it is free, but it really looks like it is set to go commercial in the very near future. You can create a cognitive profile, and select exercises in memory, attention, speed language, or problem solving. Well worth checking out.

Recently I took delivery of two books I ordered: Mindset, The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck, and The Brain that Changes Itself by Norman Doidge.

The former seems the rather tortured product of a Stanford U. psychologist and an unnamed editor who seemed to want to take a good, scientifically-based idea and pitch it to a self-help audience that they believe are not too interested in the data. Wrong (and if you read the Amazon reviews, you get a strong sense of exactly how wrong. Dweck comes across as mostly sincere but often condescending, particularly if you really believe the story she tells that her students sat her down and ordered her to write this book. The basic idea is sound, however: that a growth midset–being open to challenge and learning and striving for excellence–leads to considerably better learning (and business, parenting, and relationship success) than the fixed mindset of people who choose “easy” tasks they can do well so they can feed themselves (or placate themselves) on the laurels they achieve by succeeding every time. According to Dweck, praise is good only if it is praise for effort that leads to more effort. Learners need to be challenged more and encouraged to embrace challenges more, persist in the face of setbacks and learn from criticism. Dweck says the difference between the achievement of these two groups, the growth mindset group and the fixed mindset group is astounding. Her research path developed early in her career when she began to see two types of abilities in children: “…a fixed ability that needs to be proven and a changeable ability that can be developed through learning” (pg. 15). Some kids feed on praise and success and thus never challenge themselves. The job of educators is to help learners understand how brains are like muscles that can be stretched and then continuously challenge learners and support their effort.

A complimentary notion comes up in Doidge’s book, which is about neuroplasticity. In an early chapter, the topic of competitive plasticity arises in a section on language learning. Competitive plasticity is the notion that brain resources are “turned over” to other uses when we do not practice or engage in a certain skill. In this view, first and second languages (for example) compete for brain real estate and when we stop making use of the second language, the first language will just take over the parts of the brain no longer being used. Competitive plasticity also explains why unlearning bad habits (those so-hard-to-fix repeated language and usage errors, for instance) is so challenging–the bad habits are already established and in place with competitive advantage (pg. 58-9).

Dweck’s book encourages us to “learn and help learn” but the combative metaphors flying around in the the section on competitive plasticity in Doidge’s book suggest that more than just encouragement is necessary when it comes to learning a second language. Indeed between the covers of both books, the harsh reality of language learning–the vast amount of time necessary, the need to start early, the need to continually challenge learners, acclimatize them to criticism, and get them able to handle setbacks by trying harder–becomes clear. For EFL settings, the wisdom of these two authors points to more time for language learning, particularly in intensive courses if possible, and the necessity of encouraging learners (realistically only those who are ready and able to make the effort) to max out their time with the language as independent learners. This means access (i.e., internet) and tools and techniques for immersive participation. It means we teachers and our paltry lessons and programs are not enough. We knew that already, of course, though we often don’t embrace it.

That animated version of myself in the right sidebar was made at Voki. It is really too young for me and makes me look like my cousin Ronnie 25 years ago, but I shouldn’t complain about something this free (you can compare my Voki with me by scrolling down the page to my photograph where my real age is betrayed nicely). Making my Voki involved a quick trip to the website and then a few minutes to select and color and tweek until I felt I got as close to myself as possible. There are limitations on the choices (Wii’s Mii avatar maker gives you a lot more control by comparison), but the ability to put in a background picture should allow users to get satisfactory results if they are trying to make avatar art imitate what they see in the mirror, which is probably not everyone’s intent. The best part is you can make it speak, though mine seems to require way too much time to load my insubstantial message. Voki’s website says, “Create a character, make it talk, take it anywhere.” I think my students will like this a lot. It adds a new layer of personalization to blogs and websites.

Well, I thought I would get started in blogging myself to get a space on the web and to organize my thoughts and share them when someone is interested. I already have a page at Classroom 2.0 but I want to use this space for more theoretical issues and research avenues. Mozuku, buy the way, is a type of seaweed usually sold in cups where it floats in vinegar. It’s kind of weird but it tastes good and it’s healthy. Seemed like a good metaphor to me. And besides, I didn’t have to think of a biglongstringofwords for a URL, and it’s a name I’ve been using with my student podcasts.