Learning Gloabally with ePals

     After browsing on ePals, I discover that it offers people to create a project and classroom which I am really impressed. First, it allows people not only to present a project online but can search for projects around the world with the topic they are interested, country or teacher forum. Also, teachers are able to open an online classroom to assist their teaching. I think ePals can be an ideal platform for teachers and students to communicate and grain information from other countries.

     In my classroom, I plan to use ePals as a tool of online learning. On ePals, I will create a classroom with specific topic such as English speaking that I am going to teach in one semester. Videos and audios related to the class will be uploaded onto the classroom for students to download. Also, I will separate the class into small groups and request students to present a final project on ePals at the end of the semester. Through completing the project, students can develop their creativity and scaffold each other through discussing. Third, I will create a community for the class. On the site, students can present their problems about learning and will immediately receive a reply from me or other students who are online. Finally, I will teacher students in my class how to use ePals to search for the information they may need.

     I think ePals offers both teacher and students a place where learning is no longer limited in a classroom that teacher creates and the chance of receive global information with authentic learning. I also notice that it offers the opportunity for people around the world to find other e-pal such as looking for people in the U.S. if the person is learning English and hopes to understand American culture.