Susan Marandi's blog and welcome to it!

Celebrating baby blogs and a newborn wiki! :-)

2007-05-25T19:21:00.001+03:30

WAR AGAINST TERRORISM, dedicated to Crusader George

2006-07-14T15:40:00.000+03:30

WAR AGAINST TERRORISM, dedicated to “Crusader” George

Lips gray-blue, nose still running, streaking his face
A grimy white bandage
hugging his baby fat
His dark wide eyes stare accusingly into mine
thru the camera lens
Sweet little three-year-old
How can I possibly make you see
the soldiers only want to set you free?
How to help you understand
they merely want to save you from yourself
by beating the “terrorism” out of your filthy Muslim blood?
Alas! You are yet too young
or you would now know
what your teenage sister will never forget
The precious price of “democracy.”
* * * *
Lovely little darling with those curly long lashes
look the other way, please.
They are coming again
and it’s time to "turn the other cheek."

By (Seyyedeh) Susan Marandi

A big 'thank you' and an even bigger apology!

2006-07-02T17:47:00.000+03:30

Hello all!

Just wanted to say thanks so much, those of you who spent time on my blog and my students' blogs. They were really thrilled at receiving your kind comments and it made them take their work so much more seriously! Thank you all soooo much! :-) I should also apologize for not replying to your comments; I know this excuse is inadmissible and doesn't lessen my rudeness in not replying, but I have truly been overwhelmed by trying to keep up with my girls' blogs! Nevertheless, I am really ashamed of myself for not being as good a friend for you as you have been to me. :-(

I also owe a big 'thank you' to my dear students, whose enthusiasm was inspiring. I can now safely say that I have reached the 'no-return' point with Computer-Assisted Language Learning, because despite all the difficulties, it has been truly rewarding. Actually, I had been avoiding writing classes for a few terms, because of all the extra work it adds to my already overburdened schedule, but now I know that I'll definitely be back next year and next Essay Writing class with more blogging and more ideas.

Thanks all of those dear Webheads who taught me how much fun and F.U.N. this stuff can be, and for teaching me how to do it, and thanks my dear students for getting me hooked! I love you all! :-)

Susan @>---;-

P.S. I'll try to upload some photos of my students soon -- well, maybe not *that* soon ... ;-)

My BA students' blogs

2006-03-19T12:17:00.000+03:30

Hello all,

I finally started using blogs for my BA students' Essay Writing Class! It is a new experience for us all, so bear with us while we blunder thru, but I may add that I'm proud of the efforts my students have put in, and I hope you feel moved to visit several of their blogs and honor us with your comments. I'm sure they will be delighted to have visitors!

The URLs follow below (not all of them, but those who have already posted to their blogs; the rest will follow shortly, I hope). Hopefully, the English and typing mistakes will lessen after more experience, but since they are mostly new to typing (not to mention blogging!) and they are only sophomore students of English, I think they are doing pretty well. I should also mention that some of them have been guilty of plagiarism without knowing how serious an offense it is (they mostly think of it as sharing something worth sharing, and don't mean to abuse other people), but we're working on that, too. As a starter, I've taught them how they can add a link to the site they have 'picked up' the stuff from, so they can acknowledge using it.

Anyway, all comments/suggestions/etc. are most welcome, and please pass on the word to anyone you think might be interested.

Here goes then:

http://persiangirlss.blogspot.com/
http://elham-wonderfulcity.blogspot.com/
http://faridehesmaelie.blogspot.com/
http://maryamshaafiyan.blogspot.com/
http://ariageneration.blogspot.com/
http://Iranmyhome-negin.blogspot.com/
http://thenewageofPersia.blogspot.com/
http://erisa-about-me.blogspot.com/
http://mazeroon-atefeh.blogspot.com/
http://iran-lostwonder.blogspot.com/
http://towardmycountry.blogspot.com/
http://mahshidq.blogspot.com/
http://achaemenidempire.blogspot.com/
http://solmazmoemen.blogspot.com/
http://shiraz-the-city-of-roses-and-poets.blogspot.com/
http://maryjoon.blogspot.com/
http://maryblessings.blogspot.com/
http://mycountrymylife.blogspot.com/
http://mahboubehtaghizadehs.blogspot.com/
http://nazaninsharghi.blogspot.com/
http://mybelovedcity.blogspot.com/
http://divineland.persianblog.com/
http://shimbamisi.blogspot.com/
http://pars-apadana.blogspot.com/
http://happy-nowruz-to-all.blogspot.com/
http://www.frnz64.blogspot.com
http://www.mahshidbahmani.blogspot.com/
http://leilalandy.blogspot.com

Looking forward to hearing from you on this! :-)

P.S. Bee wanted to know more about this class, so she could include info about it in the Dekita Exchange. (Thanks so much, Bee, and thanks also for commenting on my students' blogs; they were delighted!) Anyway, here goes: This is a class of sophomores of English Literature at Al-Zahra (aka Azzahra) University in Tehran, Iran. They are all girls, aged around 20-25, and the blogs are for their Essay Writing Class. They are only in their fourth term of English (as a foreign, not second language). The class will officially end the middle of June, but I don't know if they will continue blogging after May, since they will be busy getting ready for end-of-term finals, projects, etc.

Tomb of Hafiz, the celebrated Iranian poet

2006-02-28T18:48:00.000+03:30

This is the tomb of Hafiz, a celebrated Iranian poet. His full name was Khaje Shams ud-Din Hafiz-i Shirazi, and he lived from 1326-1390.

After the Holy Koran and Islamic prayer books, Hafiz's collection of poems is probably the most popular book in Iran. (I can hardly imagine an Iranian household not having a copy, so you can guess how popular he is!)

Khaju Bridge, Isfahan

2006-02-28T17:57:00.000+03:30

Here's another historical site to visit if you come to Iran: Khaju Bridge in Isfahan, which was built around in the year 1650. Like Shiraz, Isfahan has many places worth seeing. For more info on Isfahan, you might want to take a look at Wikipedia. Although it's not always accurate with regard to Iran's modern history, it can give you an idea of the more ancient history, at least with regard to architecture.

Perspolis (Shiraz, Iran)

2006-02-21T23:00:00.000+03:30

This is a photo of Perspolis, capital of Achaemenid Empire 500 BC. It is located in Shiraz in Fars province in Iran.

The stone engravings are unbelievable!

Those of you who haven't seen it don't know what you're missing! :-)

My blog reincarnated!

2006-02-21T21:26:00.000+03:30

Reincarnation, resuscitation, renovation, or maybe just face-lifting! Whatever you call it, it looks like my blog and I are back again!

(Whew! Long story; I'll tell you later ...)

Finally I can relax!

Susan :-)

Help!

2006-02-21T16:14:00.000+03:30

Looks like my blog has just disappeared!

Another useful tip: Adding your del.icio.us tags to your blog template

2006-02-19T16:13:00.000+03:30

For those of you who want to add your del.icio.us tags to your sidebar; check it out!

Collaborative blogging: Adding your del.icio.us tags to your blog template#links

Tutorial on how to start blogging

2006-02-19T15:55:00.000+03:30

Hi, all! For those of you who intend to use blogs for your classroom, Jane Petring provides the following easy-to-follow tutorial in her blog (English CEF Blog), and I've borrowed this with her permission. Enjoy! :-)

English CEF Blog: "Creating Your Blog"
Here we go Future Bloggers.... First go to the Blogger site.

Click on the orange arrow to create your blog now.

Username: this is not as easy as it looks because you must select a unique name that no other blogger is using. You may have to try a few times before it is accepted. When it is accepted, write it down immediately because you will probably forget next week.

Password: please choose a password that you don't mind sharing with me (I don't want to know any of your secrets). After the first few weeks you can change your password, but in the beginning it is helpful if I can get into your account when you are having difficulty.

Display Name: This is the name that shows up when you leave a comment. Most people use their first name, but you can decide for yourself.

Email address: This is important to verify your account.

Once your username and password have been accepted, you will need to name your blog and give it an address. You will also be asked to type in some letters--this is to assure that you are a human being and not a computer. Click the orange arrow to continue.

Now you will need to choose a template. There are not many choices here, but once your blog is created you will have more choices and you can change it. Click the orange arrow and then click the tab that says Template. Choose the template you like and then SAVE the changes. You will also need to Republish your blog. Every time you make a change in your blog you must save and republish the changes.

To avoid spammers from leaving comments on your blog do this: Click on Comments and then scroll down to where it asks about word verification. Click YES. Now, only human beings can leave comments and not computer-generated spammers. Remember to SAVE this before moving to another page.

Now you are ready to make your first post..........click Post. Write in the title of today's post. Type in your information in the big box. You can make links by clicking the icon of a link over a green earth. Upload pictures by clicking on the little square picture. Explore the tools and be creative.........you are now a blogger!

EVO Call for Participation (Don't miss out on this!)

2005-12-09T23:37:00.000+03:30

Hi, everybody! After a looooooooooooong silence, I'm back again! :-) Just wanted to call your attention to the following announcement. I especially hope that many of my MA students will sign up; it's a wonderful opportunity to learn about CALL, especially. Enjoy!

EVO Call for Participation: "The Electronic Village Online Sessions

For six weeks, participants can engage with ESOL experts in collaborative, online discussion sessions or hands-on virtual workshops of professional and scholarly benefit. These sessions will bring together participants for a longer period of time than is permitted by the four-day land-based TESOL convention and will allow a fuller development of ideas and themes of the convention or of professional interest in general. The sessions are free and open to all interested parties. You do not need to be a TESOL member to participate."

Oh wow, I did it! (Or: I guess I'm not as stupid as I thought I was!)

2005-02-25T15:12:00.000+03:30

After reading whatever I could find on adding links to my posts (including the help page) and still doing it wrong, I was convinced I'd continue to fail until I learned html. (Not that I don't want to learn html; actually, I've been thinking about it for some time now, but I just don't have time for it yet.) Anyway, I'd stopped trying for some time, and what was worse, I didn't feel up to trying out newer ideas either until I'd tackled linking. Today, I finally braced myself to give it another shot, but I was so dead sure it wouldn't work that I just sent my previous post without checking to see if the link actually worked. And of course, you know the end of the story: It did work! And I lived happily ever after ... until my next experiment, that is!

So, what are the morals of this story?

1 - I'm not as stupid as I thought I was (and I dare you to contradict me!).
2 - I'm probably stubborn enough to classify as a webhead and weblogger! ;-)

Feeling so pleased with myself and full of hot air I'm ready to burst,
Susan @>---;--

P.S. Please spare me reference to other morals that I know you are itching to point out, such as how wonderful experiential learning is, etc. ;-) That'll go better after I've finally had lunch!

P.S. They are also pretty stubborn, I guess? (sigh)

2005-02-25T14:37:00.000+03:30

I'm back, and experimenting again with blogging, bloglines (thanks to some help from Graham and Mark), and links (which will finally be my downfall ;-) !!).

I've added my blogroll to the sidebar (can't figure out how to give it a title without messing around with html, though), and now I want to give links a try once more. >Sigh< What I wouldn’t give for somebody to step forward right now and say, “Don’t worry, Susan, all you have to do is to copy and paste this here.”? I mean, I’m all for experiential learning in general, but don’t you just feel sometimes that it’s too much of a good thing?

Anyway, back to experimenting in the dark:my website

Oh, I know it's funny; and I'm so glad you're enjoying reading my blog, but don't you think it might be just as fun and maybe a tiny bit more constructive if you'd just stop laughing at me for a moment and help me out instead? ;-)

No? I thought not. I'll make it there, though, never you fear. (I think I'm going to have a heart attack from joy if I do it, though, so it may be my last post ... Susan Marandi's blog: Rest in Peace.)

Wish me luck! (I'll need it.)

Webheads and webloggers are amazing people!

2005-02-14T19:23:00.000+03:30

For days now, I've been trying to catch up with my work for the two EVO 2005 sessions I've signed up for; namely "Becoming a Webhead" and "Blogs in ESL-EFL." And while I've been learning a lot (and yet never quite catching up!) and finding a lot to interest and amaze me, nothing I've learned so far amazes me as much as the people I've been meeting over the past 4 weeks! I've constantly felt overwowed (if you can come up with weird words like "wiki" and "blog," please don't grudge me my "overwowed" ;-) !!) by all the wonderful possibilities of technology and Computer-Assisted Language Learning, *but* put all those beside the amazing people I have met and they become pretty insignificant! Like usual, I'm too rushed to do justice to the effect you people have had on me, but I just couldn't disconnect today without sending a few words out into cyberspace and asking you all a question:

Is it just that wonderful people go in for this stuff, or does this stuff make people wonderful?

And no, I'm not just still wondering if your day is more than 24 hours (previous posts), although I'll be ... if I can figure out how you all manage! (I'm still embarrassed by not getting around to acknowledging many kind comments on my blog, or repaying the compliment by checking out other people's blogs and leaving comments there.) I'm talking about your wonderful helpfulness and patience, your sense of humor, your selflessness--in a word, the whole package! So whichever of you is still reading my blog (and for the life of me I still can't understand why anyone would want to!), thank you ... for ... (how to put it?) ... everything you've taught me. It goes way beyond anything the syllabuses had led me to expect.

Susan @>---;--

(I wouldn't bother reading this one if I were you.)

2005-02-11T15:52:00.000+03:30

wild_flowers
Originally uploaded by susanmarandi.

Hello, folks! Just trying to see if I can send photos to my blog.

(Didn't think I meant it when I said not to bother reading this, did you? They do say curiosity kills cats and bloggers!)

More later,
Susan

Computer-based testing

2005-02-09T13:13:00.000+03:30

LLT: Computers in Language Testing...:

Hi, everyone! Since I'm very much interested in both Computer-Assisted Language Learning *and* in language assessment/testing, I was wondering if any of you are interested in computer-based tests? This article by Brown seems to be a good intro, in case you are. Here's the abstract:

"This article begins by exploring recent developments in the use of computers in language testing in four areas: (a) item banking, (b) computer-assisted language testing, (c) computerized-adaptive language testing, and (d) research on the effectiveness of computers in language testing. The article then examines the educational measurement literature in an attempt to forecast the directions future research on computers in language testing might take and suggests addressing the following issues: (a) piloting practices in computer adaptive language tests (CALTs), (b) standardizing or varying CALT lengths, (c) sampling CALT items, (d) changing the difficulty of CALT items, (e) dealing with CALT item sets, (f) scoring CALTS, (g) dealing with CALT item omissions, (h) making decisions about CALT cut-points, (i) avoiding CALT item exposure, (j) providing CALT item review opportunities, and (k) complying with legal disclosure laws when using CALTs."

Hope you like it!

Susan @>---;--

Tehran, Iran

P.S. Does anybody know of any online courses teaching about how to do Computer-Based Testing?

If at first you don't succeed, blog, blog and blog again!

2005-01-29T13:26:00.000+03:30

Blogging, one two three!
Blogging, one two three!
Still trying to create links, do you read me? %-(

">Link

"><$What does the Link field do?$>

Reminds me of the good(?!) old days when I was using DOS commands instead of Windows! (How is it that this is still so user-unfriendly?!)

%-(

How do you add interesting links to blogs?

2005-01-29T13:13:00.000+03:30

Today I've been trying to learn how to add links to blogs, and the only thing I've been able to do so far is this:

<http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=734>
http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=734$>">http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=734><$Blogger Help: What does the link field do?$>

Only to learn it doesn't work! And anyway, I wanted to learn how to add interesting links to my blog, not just to a posting on a blog, so even if it did work, it's not exactly what I was looking for. :-(

Guess I'll finally have to go learn html ...

Susan Marandi from Iran %-(

Another question requiring courage: Is teaching bad?

2005-01-26T23:16:00.000+03:30

I've been attending all the discussions I could possibly find these days. (Believe it or not, today I simultaneously attended Michael Coghlan's talk at YM for the baw2005 group **and** the Tapped In session by Dana and the others for the weblogging group, because I was determined not to miss anything. I just hope I didn't sound too confused, trying to keep up with both!)

Anyway, my point is this: In most of these talks, discussions, and conferences, I've received the impression that "teaching" is nowadays a no-no, and that classes should be run differently so as to encourage student empowerment, decision-making, etc. Of course, all our textbooks say the same, so it's no surprise to me, and to a large extent I agree, **but** I have to be totally honest and say that when I look back on my own learning experience, a lot of my best teachers were exactly that: *teachers* (in the traditional sense). I mean, they were authoritative and the center of the class, and very much in charge. So I find myself wondering: Is that necessarily bad? Isn't this the old pendulum case all over again? I mean, it's not necessarily true that new ideas are always better than old ones, is it? I'd guess that each has their merits and demerits, and that very often it's just a matter of knowing when to use which method rather than clinging to one or the other.

So what do you say? Is "teaching" (as opposed to mere facilitating/supporting/etc.) bad?

Looking forward to receiving help on this question!
Susan @>---;--
Tehran, Iran

Are your days by any chance longer than 24 hours?

2005-01-25T01:35:00.000+03:30

Hello, everybody! I'm going to be very brave and post a couple of questions which have been blugging me for the last week or so: (Sorry, I meant ... blogging? Buggling? No, that wasn't the word either, but strangely enough, I can't remember what it was ... )

1 - Do you have some secret weapon which helps you do all this quickly enough to keep up, or it just my brain which is blogging? (Oops, boggling ... I think.)

2 - Do you see blogs everywhere, or is it just my eyes failing me after being online too long? (Oh my Blog, there's another one! Help!)

Bloggest wishes,

Your confused correspondent from Iran,

Susan (Blogger) Marandi %-D

Re: My previous posting and the comments

2005-01-24T23:23:00.000+03:30

Hi, everyone! Thanks for your help, but what I meant was that when I *edit* a message, about 10 centimeters of empty space appears *between* the title of my posting and the posting itself! And I don't know how to fix it.

Can anyone tell me what to do?

Susan :-)

@#$&$*@!!

2005-01-23T18:25:00.000+03:30

Why is it that whenever I edit a message, it for ever after slips down to the bottom of the page and cannot be hoisted back up?

To edit or not to edit, that is the question ...

:blushes and apologizes for her French! ;-)

Oops! Looks like I was in Tapped In too long today! A pity I don't dare edit!

(No offense to the French, btw! If you'd prefer, I can apologize for my Persian or my English! We have lots of interesting stuff in Persian, too! >:-> )

Best blogs,
(Seyyedeh) Susan Marandi from Iran @>----;--

It was so nice to hear from you all! (Or: Hey, it worked!)

2005-01-23T17:56:00.000+03:30

Thanks so much, Alfredo, Ale, Graham, Nancy, Second Thoughts, and Rashunda, for your encouragement and support! I really didn't think anyone would check out my blog so soon when there are 166 to choose from!!

I think I must be doing something wrong, though: Shouldn't navigating thru the different threads on my blog be a little easier than they are now? Am I missing something? Better check out Alfredo's message again ...

Yes, Graham, I will definitely sign up for the collective blog (as if I had a choice! ;-) and Rashunda, it was great to "hear" my native language! I think you're doing just fine with your Persian; where are you from?

BTW, how can I check out your blogs?

Bloggingly yours,
Susan @>---- (By the way, this is a rose in case you're wondering! No, I am not a Martian, and my last name isn't @>---- ! ) ;-)

Susan Marandi
Azzahra Uni, Tehran, Iran

Why am I upside down?

2005-01-22T23:07:00.000+03:30

I intended my first message as a kind of a welcoming (whining/wondering?) message, to appear at the top, but now I see that my messages are standing on their heads, first last and last first!
:-(

I guess I'll just have to grin and bear it! @>----

P.S.

2005-01-22T23:03:00.000+03:30

To be totally honest, though, I love "blogging" already as far as writing in it goes! (I've always been a writing/diary nut!)

Just what the world really needs--another blog! ;-)

2005-01-22T22:07:00.000+03:30

Well, folks, here I am, eyes glazing after being online for over 6 hours, going thru first one website and then another, trying to find out what 'blogs' and 'wikis' are as part of my efforts to learn how to incorporate CALL in my EFL classes! ("Blogs" and "wikis"! Sounds like something out of a Dr. Seuss book to me:)

"And they're hanging their stockings!" Wiki snarled with a sneer.
Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!"
Then he growled, with his Wiki fingers nervously drumming,
"I MUST find some way to stop Christmas from coming!"
For,
Tomorrow, he knew ...
All the Blog girls and boys
Would wake bright and early. They would rush for their toys!
And then! Oh, the noise! Oh, the Noise! Noise! Noise! Noise! ;-)

(Sorry for the interruption! I had to blow off a little steam, I guess!) And although I've decided to trust all the experts out there saying that they are really great and "the thing to do," I have to admit that I sometimes feel like I'm going blindly thru one set of instructions after another, signing up at location after location, and entering places I've never been to before and still not knowing what I'm doing there and what's expected of me. Is it just me being stupid? Please say no!

Susan @>----

Susan Marandi, PhD
Azzahra U, Iran