Hi everyone, I posted a new episode to my podcast, andyjias Podcast. Please click the link below to view it. http://andyjiaustb.podomatic.com/entry/2010-08-12T09_12_03-07_00 See you there! - andyjia

thoughts on using wikis

today we tried wikis in nikki's class. i think it's a very good medium and tool for knoledge-based classes because we can have every one in the class to contribute to the learning process instead of the teacher alone. i will try it with my class of "introduction to the english-speaking countries". looking forward to reading the students' work.
here's the video on how wikis is used:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dnL00TdmLY

niagara trip

how gorgeous the falls are u can never imagine! it's a pity that we could not take pictures under the falls because of the splashing water. it's good luck for those who haven't seen them because they can use their wildest imagination, but...they will never succeed until they see the falls with their own eyes.

back from pittsburg

went to pittsburg on saturday. it's tiresome. but visited two universities which are quite different from penn state. the voyage gave us some new ideas about american colleges.

here are some pics there:

the real voyage

to be honest, most of what we heard in the first two days is not new to my ears, but it set me to thinking, to digging deeper, and to seeing "with new eyes". each of our four teachers has her or his own strong points and weaved them into their classes. inspiring michell (like a elder sister), smart nikki (a cute lovely young girl), scholarly jim (sometimes i feel he is more likely to be a poet or artist), and well-organized gena （sorry for her leg).

while i was listening to them, i was always reflecting on how i can put what they say into my classes back in china, whether i have tried best in my work, and what will be better for my students. i am sure my students will see some changes in their "old" teacher, and hope those will be changes for better.

missing my students, missing my babies...........

oh, gena, if u happen to get here (most probably not, i know ur attitude towards "technology" :=). above is the pic of my babies.

glimpse of penn state

everybody has to love this beautiful campus. the first morning （we arrived at midnight) i got up here and got out of the nittanny apartment i am living in, i saw a squirrel! just in front of our door! i donot think it will happen on any chinese campus. and there are many more squirrels for me to see on the campus. one of them even tried to get into our apartment. it's amazing!
later on the campus tour with the penn state ambassidor sharon, i saw the huge old trees. i love the plants here. i admire the harmonious life people here are living toether with nature. i have to say pennn state is a place u wannna visit.
sorry i cannot use my own laptop now for some technical problems,or i will post some pics. and u will see what i am saying.

hello a

fan yijing ok le

xialai mixi ba