Green: Webcast

Webcasts are an excellent way to get trained for free using the internet. This is an example of a great webcast that explains how IBM is going green. According to them:

Creating Eco-responsibility in Your Business

"Going Green" can help organizations dramatically reduce costs and improve the overall efficiency of their operations. Many executive boardrooms are keenly focused on becoming more eco-responsible. This informational session will help you gain an understanding of the financial, operational, social/regulatory, and global value of "Going Green". Presented by: Rich Lechner, Vice President, Marketing and Strategy, IBM Enterprise Systems, IBM

This webcast took place on 25 Feb 2008 | 29 min Audio

These are the links to the webcast, slides and transcript:

Webcast: Creating Eco-responsibility in your business

Alternative media formats

Slides Transcripts Printer-friendly slides PDF Text transcript (audio/video)

After you watch the webcast, please write a post in your blog about the financial, operational, social/regulatory, and global value of "Going Green" you listen to and read about in this webcast. Also write about, How does this webcast can help you to be a green engineer in your field of expertise?

Welcome May-July09 Class!

Welcome, everybody!

This new trimester, we will be working with English for Work. .... But what is that? you may be asking yourself. Well, let's try to explain what it is about. To start with:

1. It is mostly about learning and practicing your English.
2. It is about learning English related to your field of expertise. So if you are an engineering student for instance. You will be reading, listening to, writing and talking about English for engineers and English for working as an engineer.
3. It is about learning English using technology. That means we will be using computers and Internet to find real updated information concerning your different interests. We are going to experiment and play with new ways to learn autonomously. Learning for life. Learning to learn. Learning by doing. We will be watching and listening to videos as well as making videos. We'll have the chance to use different tools to express your ideas and read about ideas.
4. It is about learning and practicing your English in groups, in community. Be ready to meet students and teachers from the university and the world. Of course, there will be tasks you must complete on your own.

That was a general description of the course. Now, how the classes take place:

• Classes are going to be held at the lab. I f you can't come to classes, you can connect at home or wherever you have access to a computer and Internet.
• You need to get a google account, since we will using different tools provided by Google. make sure to register to Gmail, Google Reader, Google Talk, Google Doc, Facebook and Blogger
• Blogs are going to be your personal journals. There you will register everything we do in class. All your homework and tasks should be there.
• Every class will be a taken as a workshop or TALLER. Try not to miss your classes and if you do, keep your blog updated.
• Homework will be assigned for each one of the units covered in class. The dateline to hand in your homework will be the day of your test. It means you will have the chance to work on your blog till the exam day.
• Corrections to writing will be done through Google documents. Share documments with your classmates and your teacher for helping with editing.
  
• Comments and reflections are going to be our way o validate that we are learning.. that's why they are sooooo important.
  
• Make sure to visit your classmates blogs and follow them in google talk, google reader, twitter, facebook or at the efluniversity. O f course, you can text message them in their phones. Connection is the key to success in this experience.
• Get an avatar in SecondLife. We will try to experiment getting together in 3D worlds to meet interesting people there. Add your teacher as friend.. Pionia Destiny is my name. Join the secondlife group in the EFL university to ask questions about how to have a second life to learn and practice your English.
  

Assesment






Things you need to do to take this class:

• Get a Gmail account and register to Google services: reader, Google talk, reader and blogger.
• Get a blog at Blogger. For instructions on how to that get the power point presentation from our box or follow the tutorial prepared by Vance Stevens.
• Register to the EFL University Ning social network. Make sure to write name, last name and class session you belong to when registering at our social network.
• Take these surveys:

About your English Class
May - July 09 EFL Survey
Click Here to take survey

About Integrating Technology in the English Class
May - July 09 EFL Digital Literacy
Click Here to take survey

Benchmarks:

• At the end of the first term. I should have:
  
  • Read my class guidelines
  • Met my new classmates
  • Worked with the introductory task
    
  • Registered at Google and have a Gmail account.
  • Registered to Google readers and added my classmates' blogs
    
  • Registered to Google doc.
  • Downloaded Google Talk and activated my IM.
  • Opened my Blogger account and posted my classes reflections.
  • Registered at the EFL University Ning social network
  • Registered to Second Life and created an avatar
    
  • Taken two surveys

Assignment for this class:

• Write your first blog entrance: Introduce yourself. Use Task 0. Get the task from the file box.
• Add a second post with your new friends' blogs

Hope you learn and have a great time during the time we are going to be together. If you have any questions, please let me know.

Keep on shining Love and Peace!

Good bye...Jan-April 09 English for Work Group!

Hi, there! we are getting to the end of our journey... wow time flies.. Hope you keep on blogging and keep in touch. I wish you the best of luck!

Well, for this term you're supposed to post your resume and the report about your project. Please answer the following questions in your blog:

1. What's your opinion about working in the project?
2. Could you work well as a team? were you a good team member?
3. What was your project about?
4. Was it easy for you to find information about it?
5. What were some of the resources you and your team used to work on this project?
6. What was your role in the team?
7. Working with the wiki...how was it?
8. What about the resources posted in the blog? were they useful?
9. What are some recommendations you will give to improve working in a project?

It's not a good bye ... it's a see you around...

Goodbye | Forward this Picture

“May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand.”

Final Project.. Environment: Engineering Solutions to a Green Problem

Introducing Our Collaboration Wiki for our final project

Environment: Engineering Solutions to a Green Problem

This group project is about EFL students from Rafael Belloso University presenting a proposal to solve environmental issues from the point of view of different engineering fields.

The class will be divided into groups with students from the different engineering schools in URBE:

• Industrial Engineering
• Electronics Engineering
• Computer Sciences Engineering
• Informatics Engineering

Goals:

1. To identify environmental issues affecting the world and the country we are living in.
2. Select a methodology to propose a solution to the problem from different point of view of the engineering fields.
3. Propose an engineering solution to a green problem.
4. Integrate technology and web 2.0 tools into the EFL for work class.
5. Use Critical Thinking and Multiliteracies
6. Work efficiently in a team
   

Deadline: April 14th, 2009

Groups 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be presenting at WIZIQ

EFL Students from Rafael Belloso University by Nellie Deutsch

Get your own Virtual Classroom

Assigned Readings
Team Work

• How to be a effective team member
• Team work and team building: how to work as a team

Presenting

• The three P's of presenting
• 10 presetations Do's and Taboos
• The Mechanics of Presenting
• Avoiding Techno Errors
  

Leadership

This is a really good presentation with words and concepts related to being a leader. Are you interested in being a leader? Are leaders important? What are some of the tips in the presentation you think of practicing to be a good leader?

Leadership - Training by Spreadminds

View more presentations from mhdbadr.

Write your comments in the comment area...

Example on how to go Green

Wow! Even the NBA goes green. I found this interesting article about basketball players that go green. If you go to the NBA site, you will find the following tips on how we can go green:

Tip #1: Surfing the Net?
Shut off your home laptop or desktop computer, monitor and printer when you aren't using them. You can cut energy costs by shutting off devices you're not using them.

Tip #2: Time for a Tune-up
Get regular tune-ups for your car's engine, change the oil and keep your tires inflated properly. Proper maintenance can increase your car's fuel efficiency and reduce emissions.

Tip #3: Simply Unplug
Are you charging your cell phone or other electronics? Unplug chargers for cell phones, cameras and other hand-held products when they aren't charging so you can save power.

Tip #4: Stopping for Snacks
When you're taking a snack break, look to only take only one napkin when you order food or beverages, and refuse a bag unless you really need one.

Tip #5: Fill Up for Gas?
Check your tire pressure. If we kept our tires properly inflated, we could save 2.8 billion gallons of gasoline a year and help curb global warming pollution

for more tips.. go to the NBA site.

Now, they also have a you tube channel, there you can find some interesting ideas on how to go green and save the world... the green engineering way.

Steve Nash's Efforts to Go Green
NBA All-Star Steve Nash discusses his interests and efforts to give future generations a healthy environment.

Best Blogs for Those Who Want to Change the World

Environment

Check out these blogs to learn about changing the world through the environment.

16. How to Save the World: Dave Pollard shares environmental philosophy and more on this blog.
17. Worldchanging: This blog encourages readers to change their thinking to support a more sustainable world.
18. Change the World: HGTV’s blog will tell you how to change your world without losing your mind.
19. Green Tech: Through Green Tech, you’ll learn about the newest, most innovative green developments in technology.
20. Gristmill: Gristmill is full of environmental news and commentary.
21. Sustainable Food: This blog discusses practices and actions for more sustainable food.
22. GoodGuide: Check out GoodGuide to find products that are safe, healthy, and green.
23. Animal Rights: This blog focuses on the cause of animal rights.
24. Green Blog: This blog helps business leaders choose environmentally friendly solutions.
25. Sustainablog: Check out this blog to learn about sustainability, green business, and environmental politics.
26. Bright Green Blog: This blog discusses alternative energy, wildlife, living green, and more.
27. Stop Global Warming: Read this blog to learn what you can do to help put a stop to global warming.
28. Green Fork: Learn how to eat well and eat sustainably from this guide.
29. TreeHugger: TreeHugger shares green news and sustainable design with a modern twist.
30. Green Inc.: See how your business can be more environmentally friendly from this blog.

________________________________________________________________ Taken from: Best Universities

Green TED Talks

Continuing with our TED Talks, this one is about global warning and having a greener world. The presenter.. is AL Gore..

Al Gore: New thinking on the climate crisis


In this brand-new slide show (premiering on TED.com), Al Gore presents evidence that the pace of climate change may be even worse than scientists recently predicted. He challenges us to act.



General Motors veep Larry Burns previews cool next-gen car design: sleek, customizable (and computer-enhanced) vehicles that run clean on hydrogen -- and pump energy back into the electrical grid when they're idle.

Talks John Doerr: Seeking salvation and profit in greentech



"I don't think we're going to make it," John Doerr proclaims, in an emotional talk about climate change and investment. Spurred on by his daughter, who demanded he fix the mess the world is heading for, he and his partners.

What do you think about this?

Adjectives and Adverbs

This is a great way to practice your adjectives and adverbs:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/teachers/ks2_activities/english/adjectives_adverbs.shtml