View Your Mailvu!

Assalamualaikum and Hi to all

This is the latest website that I am going to share with you. It is called the Mailvu. Mailvu is a video recording tool which allows you to record your video and speak about whatever you want and send it to your friends. This website is fantastic as it is free (unless if you need other services like putting the widget onto your website) and it can be done in just a few steps. This tool is probably one of the popular online video tool that is used for marketing purposes as it allows marketers to engage with their audience. Unlike Audioboo, this tool allows you to record video, which is more convincing as the audience will be able to see your face and body gestures while listening to the recording. Not only that, it allows the customers to record their testimonials and put it into the blog or website which certainly be more interesting. Not only business, Mailvu can also be used for leisure purpose as well as education. The recording can be up to 10 minutes which is long enough for a video recording. The organisation of the website is fairly satisfying as there are not too many thumbnails and you can just record from the homepage.

Mailvu and language learning.

The existence of online video recording makes the communication between teacher and students. This is because students can interact with their teachers (what I mean by interacting is that students and teachers will be able to see each other's face) easily and more frequent. If the students have any problems with a particular lesson and need to consult the teacher outside the classroom, they can just send their Mailvu to the teachers. Teachers will also be able to reply and give feedback even if they are at home, which is likely to produce instant result. Not only that, Mailvu can be used as an idea of connected classroom where the lesson taught in the class can be reflected using Mailvu. For example the teacher can pre teach the students some vocabulary items of describing a person in the class then ask students to describe about their best friend at home, using Mailvu. The students will be able to not only speak but make use of the video by showing pictures of their friends of any related pictures. This will make the lesson more interesting as thus motivate students in language learning.

Is it difficult?

As I said, the steps are fairly easy as you do not have to register in order to make recording and send it to someone. All you need to do is just record, information such as name, email address and subject then you are ready to send.

Recording can be made directly at the homepage 

Just edit the video information and then you can send
it to your friends.

Advantages of this website:


1. It allows you you connect with your friend any time you want whether your friend is online or offline as you just have to record and send it to their emails
2. Students will be able to engage in the classroom teaching through connected classroom. They can apply what they learn in the class, make a video and send it to their teacher.
3. Teachers can also know about the students by using this video for self introduction. So teacher will be able to get access to the information whenever necessary.
4. It can enhance students motivation for communicating they are able to preview their recording. This will allow them to reflect and improve in the future.

Disadvantages of this website:


1. It does allow you to embed your recording for free. You have to pay for extra services if you need them. For example, if you would like to have this widget on your website, you have to pay USD5. (This is what I get from the website: http://mailvu.com/blog/how-to-add-a-video-email-widget-to-your-website/

Apart from that, I do not see any disadvantages of this website and this website is one of the websites that I like the most. Here is the link to the website:
http://mailvu.com/

Discussion? Don't Worry, Here's the Solution

Assalamualaikum and Hi to all.

In this entry, I am going to share TWO simple yet very useful websites that are used for group discussions. The first one is called Todays’ Meet. This website allows users to discuss about any topic by creating a particular page which is accessible to the people who wish to join the group. Person who wishes to start a discussion will have to create a specific room which will then be joined by other participants. The name of the room will be appeared in the URL of the website and the participants can join by typing in the URL. You can also choose how long the room will be available; which means that the room will be deleted automatically after the period of time. This website is very useful for classroom teaching as it allows students and teachers to have a live online discussion after a particular lesson without having to do a lot of speaking.

Have a look at these steps:

Step 1: Name the room. You can select how long
you want it to exist.

Step 2: Write your name and click Join. Then you can post
your text.

The second website, which is called the Wallwisher is similar to the first one (This is the main reason why I put them in the same entry) as it also allows an online discussion. However, discussion in this tool is done using a principle of sticky notes and it has other supplementary factors that makes it rather interesting. Users can choose from various different background for the board which is available before the wall is created. Apart from that, the person who creates the wall can choose a picture for the wall as well as edit titles and subtitles, which are not available in Today's Meet. This tool can also be used in the classroom for online discussion. However, this website requires you (if you create the wall) to submit your email and the wall will be directed from your email. During the discussion, you will be able to upload pictures, audio or video link if necessary onto the wall which makes the discussion more interesting.

You can choose different background, edit title and subtitle
as well as customise your preferences.

Example of my embedded wall.

Some of the advantages of this website:

1. It saves a lot of time and money as the discussion can just be done online. The users do not have to travel to discuss rather they just meet on the website.

2.  It is quick and easy. There is no registration needed and the steps are very simple; it can be done within a few clicks! 

3. Helps students to engage with the discussion. They can voice out their opinions without having to speak. This will help students who have lower level of proficiency to give ideas.

Some of disadvantages of this website:

1. It may be not suitable for a long discussion or explanation as it may distract the space.
2. May not be practical to be carried out in some classroom due to facilities. Students need a computer in doing this activity; which may be difficult if there are no or less computers.
3. It does not involve communicating as the discussion is done online. This may result in meaning distortion as the students are not able to elaborate their opinion.
4. It may not be suitable for young learners as this tool is designed for discussion rather than other educational website that promotes language learning.

Here are the links to the websites:
1. Today's Meet
http://todaysmeet.com/
2. Wallwisher
http://www.wallwisher.com/