Sunday, May 21st, 2006, 1:00 - 5:30 pm (13:00 - 17:30)

Tech Day 2006

Speakers: Gordon Wilson, Bill Pellowe, Robert Chartrand, Cameron Romney, and more.

This event is intended to hone our computer skills, and to share favorite websites and software that should be helpful to teachers and learners both in and out of the classroom.

Gordon Wilson, of Hannan University, will show how to use Open Office dictionaries--creating customized web-based  dictionaries for use in test making and in students' customized dictionaries for personalized vocabulary study.

Bill Pellowe and Robert Chartrand will make two joint presentations: (1) Using podcasts, the latest online trend, with your students - even without an iPod. (2) Using your iPod in the classroom. For those who do have ipods, the presenters will show the advantages of using them in the classroom in writing, reading and speaking lessons, including how to use an iPod to show photo slideshows and videos. Pellowe teaches at Kinki University in Iizuka City, and Chartrand at Kurume University in Kurume City, both in Fukuoka Prefecture. They are the producers of ELT Podcast, www.eltpodcast.com

Cameron Romney, of Momoyama University in Osaka, will show how to use Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook to send personalized mass e-mailings, which are great for letting large groups of students or others know the same information without all of their addresses appearing in the "to" line.

All that attend will be encouraged to share ideas and favorite websites of potential interest. Dinner party follows.

Place: Computer lab on the third floor of building 6 at Hannan University's main campus, a 10-minute walk north of Kawachi Imami station, on the Kintetsu line from Tennoji.

Cost: members 500 yen (Osaka local membership is now only 1000 yen!); "One-day members" 1500 yen.