Thursday, April 23, 2009

What a Pity!Missing eLearning Africa 2009


I haven't blogged about this earlier because I was sad. Now I am not!
Instead of being happy that, at last, my dream came true, I was so sad when I received the email below from the conference I have been dreaming to attend: elearning Africa! They were expected to announce the accepted proposals in Mid February. I was counting days. I prepared everything. I checked the sponsor, who was supposed to leave Sudan 1st March, 2009. No problem! By that time I would have definitely received the response, if any, and I would take the money." I stopped dreaming exactly, as I still remember on25th March." I didn't make it! The proposals submitted are first class and mine couldn't compete. Normal." On Tuesday, March 17, 2009 4:03 PM, I received an email that my proposal has been accepted. They even asked for my confirmation within three days. Too late? Yes. No sponsor. No money!. Maybe next year my dream will come true,hopefully!!
Dear Ms Fouzie,
We are pleased to inform you that the proposal "Beyond African Boarders: Web 2.0 for Teacher Professional Development" you submitted for eLearning Africa 2009, Le Méridien Président, Dakar, Senegal, May 27th - 29th, 2009 has been accepted by the Review Committee and will be included in the conference programme.
Please note, however, that this conference will not be able to webcast your session, as proposed in your submission.
At a later stage we will let you know the exact day and time of the session in which your presentation will be included. We will then also provide you with the names of the other speakers and of the chairperson of your session.
......
Please confirm by Friday, March 20th via return email that you will be speaking at eLearning Africa 2009 and that the above details are correct
Also note that the above data will be used in the official conference programme, in the Book of Abstracts and on the Conference CD-ROM

I couldn't help sending an email with my reaction of not being committed to the dates proposed. I received a sweet email of apopogy; that they are
are very sorry to hear that I will not be able to participate. "Due to the overwhelming number of proposals received, our Review Committee had to extend its period of evaluation. We apologise for this delay and for any inconvenience this has caused" This made my day! At least I made it! A proposal accepted from 430 submissions from Africa and beyond.Wow! That was for sure a success, isn't it?

Monday, April 20, 2009

That's my baby!!






Today, my 6 year baby, Rahma, has been announced on the top of her class! Weew! I remember now, with a big admiring smile on my face,when she told me how many times she "revised" the exam paper(Allah ya7fazaha, mashaa Allah!)The competition was tough. All are smart and brilliant babies. They learn in a fun way all year. They are taught English in an amazingly, successful,old fashioned and brilliant methodology. The school has a method of her own. I sometimes I wish I can teach my university students with the same method, but who listens? HE in Sudan? Exams, results and testing are above all. Learning? Comes on the tip of the cat's tail!!!

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Twittering IATEFL Online


I love Web 2.0! Ten years ago, who would have dreamt of sending a tweet to the people of IATEFL, who are live streaming the event, and receive an answer in less than two minutes? The previous IATEFL had Twitter! What additional technology will be born next year???