Are you an Educational Blogger?

Then, you've come to the right competition! 

The IX Espiral Edublogs Award is accepting runners until 3 April 2015.

If you write an educational blog, do not miss the chance to take part in this blogging initiative that the Espiral Association has been organising over the last nine years. 

Just check the award community for detailed information, requirements, categories in which to register your blog, as well as to grab your participant badge.

The information is in Spanish but blogs written in any language are welcome. Join the educational blogging award that acknowledges the creative writing value of students, parents and teachers that bet on a better education where blogging plays a key and still innovative role.



And, for further impressions of those peers who have already won the spinning top, stay tuned at #yotambiéntengolapeonza.

8 Reasons Why Open Badges Are Awesome

Find more education infographics on e-Learning Infographics

Registration for EVO2015 begins today!

To register, go to EVO Sessions.

Registration for this year's Electronic Village Online (free online professional development sessions for EFL and ESL teachers) begins January 5, 2015. The sessions themselves run from January 12 until February 15, 2015.

Get more information about all thirteen sessions at http://evosessions.pbworks.com.


If you are having trouble deciding on which session to register for, please join us at http://learningtimesevents.org/webheads/ (scroll down for instructions and technical requirements) for the EVO2015 kickoff webcast on January 11, 2015 at 14:00/2:00 p.m. GMT (your local time at bit.ly/1CaH6fq)!

Session moderators will be on hand to introduce their sessions and take questions.

Enjoy and be happy!

For a wonderful 2015, full of happy sincere authentic collaborative learning and teaching!

Thank you to all who, whatever the way, have been supporting me throughout 2014, which undoubtedly will always be a year to remember!

Recording of Flip, Blend and Wrap it all up! is ready now

Last 1 December, my peer Billy J. Ramos, @somar0209, and myself copresented together the third live session of the series entitled The EduPower of Blended Learning at WizIQ.

In this last session, we gave tips about surviving through face-to-face lessons, combined with a virtual classroom at Edu 2.0, and through collaborative project blogging challenges.

For those of you who could not attend live, here you are the recording ready now:



We are looking forward to gaining your feedback and reading your comments!

Flip, Blend and Wrap it all up!

Join us for this free live session at WizIQ on Monday 1 December, at 6pm GMT+1

The experience about blended learning we would like to share with you all in this live session entitled 'Flip, Blend and Wrap it all up!' is a range of learning challenges that we have accomplished flipping and blending lessons and breainstorming with you about your own e-learning challenges, how to set them up step by step, and offering tips on digital tools and digital assessment.

Flip, Blend and Wrap it all up!

Uploaded by María Jesús on WizIQ Tutorials

This is the third live session of the series entitled 'The EduPower of Blended Learning', a self-training online course in order to get ready for the Teachers Micro Teaching in Pairs series on WizIQ, hosted by Dr. Nellie Deutsch.

This live session is co-presented by @mjgsm and @somar0209.

Shape Your Online Classroom & Blend it with Hands-on Projects

Join us for this free live session at WizIQ on Monday 24 November, at 6pm GMT+1

The session entitled 'Shape Your Online Classroom & Blend it with Hands-on Projects' is aiming at sharing tips with online teachers about how to set up a virtual classroom using Edu 2.0, combine it with learning challenges, team e-projects and collaborative classroom blog.

This is the second live session of the series entitled 'The EduPower of Blended Learning', a self-training online course in order to get ready for the Teachers Micro Teaching in Pairs series on WizIQ, hosted by Dr. Nellie Deutsch

This live session is co-presented by @mjgsm and @somar0209.

Shape Your Online Classroom & Blend it with Hands-on Projects

Uploaded by María Jesús on WizIQ Tutorials

Blend, Flip & Boost Your Teaching Online

Recording of the free live session by The EduPower Couple! at Wiziq on November 3 2014, as part of their public training for Teachers Micro Teaching in Pairs.



Thanks ever so much to all those who attended and shared with us!
Please join us for upcoming events,
@somar0209
@mjgsm

The EduPower Couple! - Collage of co-presenters

Uploaded by María Jesús on WizIQ Tutorials

MicroTeaching in Pairs. The Premiere!

Part of the Teachers Micro Teaching in Pairs thanks to Integrating Technology 4 Active Lifelong Learning

Read about the Micro Teaching official opening on 5 November, join, and do not miss our premiere on 3 November, 6pm Spanish time.

View the recordings and learn about how to get started.

Blend, Flip and Boost Your Teaching Up!

Join The EduPower Couple! for a free live session at Wiziq on November 3 2014, at 18:00, GMT+1.

We are looking forward to sharing with you all at the kick off of our first ever micro teaching in pairs experience at WizIQ: The EduPower of Blended Learning.

This first live session in the micro teaching in pairs experience will be inntroducing blended learning through flipped classrooms, teamwork and project based learning methodology, all linked together via ICT.

We will be co-presenting about our practice with flipped and PBL methodology at University in Madrid, where Billy and I met as student and teacher, and how blended learning has allowed us to extend our relationship until becoming peer presenters and course designers.

Blend, Flip & Boost Your Teaching Up

Uploaded by María Jesús on WizIQ Tutorials

This is the first tip about how blended learning might be the means for peer to peer teaching and learning. Or, would you rather think face-to-face sessions alone have the same power to keep students and teachers in touch in such a way as to start professional e-projects together after the classroom door closes?

If you'd like to share the answer with us, we will be more than happy to chat with you and all the attendees interested in having an interactive relaxed paired-up webinar.

The EduPower of Blended Learning

Brought to you by the EduPower Couple!

Course Highlights 

• Advantages and drawbacks of blending learning with ICT
• Blended learning using a virtual classroom
• Collaborative blogging and teamwork

Course Description

The aim of this series of three live sessions is to go through the advantages and drawbacks of blending learning with ICT; to show a sample of blended learning using a virtual classroom, collaborative blogging and teamwork.

The classes have been designed for teachers who would like to gain confidence when going into blended or e-learning or need to give their virtual teaching a boost.

The topics covered in this series include tips, advice and resources to set up an online classroom, craft blended learning challenges and show real examples of this type of teaching. Core teaching methodology followed is prompting participants with lively relaxed educational pills, keeping up casual conversation and inspiring interaction.

This course is part of the 'Micro Teaching in Pairs on WizIQ' sessions, within the 'Learn to Flip & Blend with Technology' MOOC.

Timetable of Live Sessions:

3 November 2014: Blend, Flip & Boost Your Teaching Up

Live Session Highlights:

Introducing blended learning through flipped classrooms, teamwork and project based learning methodology, all linked together via ICT

17 November 2014: Shape Your Online Classroom & Blend it with Hands-on Projects

Live Session Highlights:

Setting up a virtual classroom using Edu 2.0, combine it with learning challenges, team blogs and collaborative classroom blog

1 December 2014: Flip, Blend and Wrap it all up!

Live Session Highlights:

Surviving through face-to-face lessons, combined with a virtual classroom at Edu 2.0, and through collaborative project blogging challenges

The EduPower Couple! - Collage of co-presenters

Uploaded by María Jesús on WizIQ Tutorials

We are looking forward to sharing with you all. Please come, join us and share!

Badges: Game, Reward, Professional Digital Credentials?

You are invited to join me for the free live class 'Badges: game, reward, professional digital e-credentials?' on October 4 2014, at 16:00 Spanish time.

Check your time around the world.




This free live class is part of the courseware of Moodle MOOC 5, hosted and coordinated by the team from Integrating Technology 4 Active Lifelong Learning from 1 to 31 October 2014, and I will be glad to share with you my experience and viewpoints on issuing and gaining badges at Moodle; connecting with your Mozilla BackPack, accepting your badges, creating a public collection and sharing your digital badges with the world.

Badges, Game, Reward, Professional Digital e-Credentials ?

Uploaded by María Jesús on WizIQ Tutorials

My warmest thanks to Dr. Nellie Deutsch for inviting me to be a Moodle MOOC 5 presenter. I hope you enjoy it and find it interesting. Looking forward to meeting you all there!

Recording of the free webinar 'E-connection are essential'

Last 21 September 2014 the Fall Blog Festival webathon, hosted by IT4ALL at WizIQ, took place for 12 hours non-stop.
I had the honour to be presenting 'E-connections are essential' then, and today I am humbly sharing the recording of that live session with all of you, hoping you find it interesting.



I would also like to invite you to view the whole series of recordings that IT4ALL have generously gathered together in this YouTube Playlist, so that you have the chance to revisit or visit for the first time, if you could not attend live, the blog festival event that showcased bloggers, their work, and valuable tips when blogging for reflective practice, work with students, business and other purposes.




Thank you very much to all that attended the live session, and to the hosters for their kind invitation, their warmth, availability and generosity throughout the whole festival.

Webinars for IATEFL YLT SIG

Join me on 28 September 2014 at 7 pm Spanish time for the free live session: The timeline of an e-connected story.












Check your time around the world.

This live session is part of the YLT Webinars and I'll be sharing the story of an e-connection that starts in a University classroom (URJC) from Madrid, with a group of future CLIL teachers taking a Master's Degree on The Use of ICT and Web Resources in Primary Bilingual Education, which spreads towards real CLIL classrooms from Colegio San Gregorio in Palencia (Spain) and their designing digital storytelling together.

The timeline of an e-connected story - YLT Webinars

Uploaded by María Jesús on WizIQ Tutorials

Thanks to all my Master's students and to @somar0209, @javiramossancha and @julisanzmamolar, who have generously collaborated in this digital e-connected adventure that brought University and Primary Education together.

Read more YLT Webinars.

October is round the corner, and so is Moodle MOOC 5

 Moodle MOOC 5 starts on October 1, 2014 on WizIQ. The theme of the current MOOC is collaborative learning, reflective practice, connecting online for instruction and learning. 

The MOOC focuses on connecting online for collaborative learning and teaching through Moodle, Second Life, Mahara, Google Drive Docs, and Google Apps, Mobile Devices, Virtual Classes, and other online learning environments for face-to-face, blended, and fully online learning. The live presentations include the speakers’ reflective process on teaching and learning in fully online and blended learning formats. 

Moodle MOOC 5 also includes Moodle for Teachers (M4T) courses for beginners and advanced Moodlers. The courses is asynchronous (Moodle) and synchronous (WizIQ) with recordings of live classes on WizIQ, YouTube, and Vimeo, just in case you cannot attend on the spot. 

There are two learning areas: WizIQ course area and Moodle for Teachers (M4T) Moodle website. The live online sessions and recordings, tutorials (courseware) and ongoing discussions (coursefeed) are available in the WizIQ course area. 

Unlike the traditional MOOCs that stress content and course delivery, Moodle MOOC focuses on active learning, reflection, sharing, and collaboration. The aim of the course is for the participants to learn through meaningful connections and social interactions. Participants who wish to receive a certificate of participation will be required to document their learning experiences by keeping a blog, wiki, website, or any other artifact that will include a description and reflection of the live sessions and/or recordings. 

Moodle for Teachers Learning Experience (M4TLE) is an asynchronous component of the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on WizIQ for teachers and anyone interested in teaching online using Moodle, WizIQ, and other web technologies. 

The MOOC takes place from 1 to 31 October 2014. It is in the spirit of open education and completely free. 

Participants become acquainted with Moodle as a course and learning management system. They learn how Moodle can be used in fully online, blended learning, and the flipped class. 

The MOOC only includes asynchronous (not dependent on time) elements on a Moodle site called Moodle for Teachers. The rest takes place at WizIQ.

The MOOC is self-paced with ongoing discussions and facilitator and technical support are available.  It is coordinated by Dr. Nellie Deutsch and Tom Hodgers.

Enroll now and join an engaging MOOC. Do not miss it!

Free Webinar: 'E-connections are essential'

Join me on 21 September 2014 at 6 pm GMT+1 for the free live session: 'e-Connections are essential!'.

Check your time around the world.

This live session is part of the free webathon you may attend when you join the Fall Blog Festival at WizIQ.

e-Connections are Essential!!!!

Uploaded by María Jesús on WizIQ Tutorials

Read more about the Fall Blog Festival.

Announcing Mentor Relationship - The 13th Student Blogging Challenge

Fall Blog Festival 2014

 

The Fall Blog Festival (FBF) is a one day blog festival event showcasing bloggers, their work, and valuable tips for blogging for reflective practice, work with students, business and other reasons. 

This event takes place online on WizIQ, on September 21, 2014.  

Highlights include:

• Blogging to enhance reflective practice and/or teaching
• Blogging Tips, ideas, and Projects
• Connecting with the World
• Expert Advice on how to Set-up and Maintain a Blog for Any Purpose
• Emerging Technologies and Trends in Blogging

The Blog Festivals, organised by Dr. Nellie Deutsch and Prof. Ludmila Smirnova from IT4ALL, take place twice a year, in spring and autum, and include a webathon of live classes showcasing a wide range of blogging projects, practices, experiences, tips and so forth. 

Participants have several workspaces available to work and enjoy: the content and discussion area, available before and after the live sessions; the live classes themselves, to which every webathon participant is invited to view and actively interact; Twitter, disseminating and sharing with #fallblogfest.

All the live sessions are recorded, so they are at hand any time after the Fall Blog Festival is finished at the end of 21 September. 

Meanwhile, have a look at the recordings of the previous Spring Blog Festival and meet the presenters that will be with you all the next Fall Blog Festival, on 21 September 2014, from 8 am until 8 pm EST.

Related posts: Spring Blog Festival. March 14-16, 2014.

IATEFL Young Learners (Children and Teenagers) Special Interest Group (YLTSIG) Webinars 2014-15

The International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) has a number of Special Interest Groups (SIG) which give teachers professional development opportunities including the chance to share knowledge and best practices in key areas of English Language Teaching and Learning.

Among those Special Interest Groups, the Young Learners and Teenagers SIG (YLTSIG), like other SIGs within IATEFL, is led by a committee of volunteers who arrange discussions, organise conferences, produce publications, maintain a web site and organise events for teachers all over the world.

Meet the members and join the network for IATEFL YLT SIG on WizIQ!

Twice a month, starting 7 September 2014, you will have the opportunity to attend live webinars and connect with some well-known educational inspirers that will generously share their knowledge and experience with any teacher insterested in EFL and innovation.

Don't miss the opening webinar, 'Superhero Activities, Tools, & Apps to Empower Children', with @ShellTerrell, undoubtedly an amazing season debut and an extraordinay chance to grab awesome ideas for your back-to-school lessons. Bookmark it in your calendar: 7 September, 17:00 CEST.




Humbly following, there comes my webinar, 'The timeline of an-econnected story', on 14 September, 18:00 CEST, when I will try my best to share the experience of an e-connection that starts in a University classroom (URJC) from Madrid, with a group of future CLIL teachers taking a Master's Degree on The Use of ICT and Web Resources in Primary Bilingual Education, which spreads towards real CLIL classrooms and students, to design digital storytelling together. 
You are invited to join and have a taste of what will happen at the webinar by reading The timeline of an econnected story & Bringing Colegio San Gregorio and BookMe-Library together.

Autum is not autumn in October any more. No dropped leaves scattered around playgrounds in October this year, but blooming up storytelling trees with Aaron Sherman and Rebecca Ray from Storyboard That. And if you may think November is the time to be indoors and lie back, Dr. Christel Broady might talk you out of that comfortable couch by leading you towards free virtual communities; then, if you like, indoors you may stay while opening a window onto Buenos Aires, where Susan Hillyard is based and will be ready to tell you more about digital storytelling and oral tradition.

Stay tuned for the end-of-the-year webinars brought to you thanks to WizIQ,  IATEFL YLTSIG, and their incredible online events and website coordinator, Dr. Nellie Deutsch as well as for the promising series in 2015. 

Over twenty presenters are now booked, so 2014-2015 is certainly a dream school year already, and surely a year of special interest for all those of us who are hooked to professional development.

Thanks ever so much, Dr. Nellie Deutsch, for bringing so many educators worldwide together, and for this new chance to share!

#ictclil_urjc at the 7th Virtual Conference

Last 27 April 2014, the students at the Module about The use of ICT and Digital Resources in Primary Bilingual Education of the Master's Degree entitled 'Primary Bilingual Teaching and English Language Immersion' from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos in Madrid, and myself, were copresenting at the 7th Virtual Round Table Web Conference.
Here you are the recording of our live session and the presentation we shared at this 3-day web conference on language learning technology which saw a total of 512 participants, 74 guest speakers, 66 sessions and 40 hours of program.

7th Virtual Round Table: Challenging Future e-Teachers to blog e-projects from M. Jesus Garcia

We hope you enjoy it as much as we did, and we'd like to thank once again, all the organisers of this worldwide web conference as well as the moderators and all the people that attended our session. Both my students and myself are humbly honored to have been given the chance to show our work to everybody there.