Comments on: Personal Review of the second E-Teachers Conference http://www.kirstenwinkler.com/personal-review-of-the-second-e-teachers-conference/ Language Coach & Online Education Expert Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:51:49 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: vickidhiman http://www.kirstenwinkler.com/personal-review-of-the-second-e-teachers-conference/comment-page-1/#comment-416 vickidhiman Sat, 29 Aug 2009 20:54:10 +0000 http://www.kirstenwinkler.com/?p=954#comment-416 Thank you for organizing the second ETCon. It was a great learning experience to hear Bernard, Kevin, Jason and yourself as well as listen to the discussions. It highlighted many issues. I think getting people from industry together monthly is a great way to bring ideas and thoughts for the future. Thank you for organizing the second ETCon. It was a great learning experience to hear Bernard, Kevin, Jason and yourself as well as listen to the discussions. It highlighted many issues. I think getting people from industry together monthly is a great way to bring ideas and thoughts for the future.

]]> By: bridge2english http://www.kirstenwinkler.com/personal-review-of-the-second-e-teachers-conference/comment-page-1/#comment-411 bridge2english Fri, 28 Aug 2009 22:40:27 +0000 http://www.kirstenwinkler.com/?p=954#comment-411 Kirsten, congratulations! <br>It was a fantastic public class and it deserves to be called Master Class. <br>I have watched the recording of it for the second time to digest all the information presented at ETCon. My wish is that it becomes a tradition for discussion of major problems in the field of online learning.<br><br>If I would have to mention only one citation from the ETCon meeting I would select the quotation from Kevin Chen (<a href="http://www.italki.com" rel="nofollow">www.italki.com</a> ): <br>“Language learning is not a typical subject<br>• In addition to knowledge, it takes practice, skill<br>• Playing an instrument<br>• Language learning is about communication<br>• Can't do it alone” <br><br>I would like to paraphrase it: Language learning is not a subject at all. <br>Without accounting this concept no language learning portal will show a real breakthrough.<br><br>I agree with you “that courses and content can be made by a community”. <br>However, a doubt settled down in my mind. I recollected a phrase I have heard many years ago: before making any public polls studies one should educate the public first - otherwise it becomes a poll of ignorance. <br><br>There is another obstacle: community as a rule is resilient to any innovation because of inertia and a notion: “it is unknown to the public”.<br><br>Kirsten, your presentation was very innovative; I especially like your notion that online learning portals should have an idea and a leader. Unfortunately, most of them have an idea but not a leader who would apply his knowledge and vision to educate the community before suggesting a new content to them or using the community to create this new content.<br><br>Looking forward to the next Master Class,<br>Arkady Zilberman Kirsten, congratulations!
It was a fantastic public class and it deserves to be called Master Class.
I have watched the recording of it for the second time to digest all the information presented at ETCon. My wish is that it becomes a tradition for discussion of major problems in the field of online learning.

If I would have to mention only one citation from the ETCon meeting I would select the quotation from Kevin Chen (http://www.italki.com ):
“Language learning is not a typical subject
• In addition to knowledge, it takes practice, skill
• Playing an instrument
• Language learning is about communication
• Can't do it alone”

I would like to paraphrase it: Language learning is not a subject at all.
Without accounting this concept no language learning portal will show a real breakthrough.

I agree with you “that courses and content can be made by a community”.
However, a doubt settled down in my mind. I recollected a phrase I have heard many years ago: before making any public polls studies one should educate the public first – otherwise it becomes a poll of ignorance.

There is another obstacle: community as a rule is resilient to any innovation because of inertia and a notion: “it is unknown to the public”.

Kirsten, your presentation was very innovative; I especially like your notion that online learning portals should have an idea and a leader. Unfortunately, most of them have an idea but not a leader who would apply his knowledge and vision to educate the community before suggesting a new content to them or using the community to create this new content.

Looking forward to the next Master Class,
Arkady Zilberman

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