//01//

1) Learning a language, like English, is not just learning vocabulary and grammar and studying books. It is also learning how to use the language in order to get things accomplished, create contact, maintain relationships, establish trust and so on. These are the social or professional functions of the language. In this respect, what are the ways you are learning English in our class by internet ? How are you creating and maintaining contact and relationships ? How are you using English ? What are the ways you could do this better ?

Personally, I think that we use the English language as a tool to express ourselves. In fact, we all have different levels but the main topic of this e-culture class is not about the language itself but about how we can express ourselves with it. Through the Internet, we learn how to use our basics to have discussions with other people, to search for information on the Web. In addition, I think that there is a real stake for us to adopt this logic : we are immersed into an environment which creates a link between the English language and the e-culture. Moreover, there is a kind of pleasure to speak between us through this way, because we usually know each other but not in this context, which shows more solidarity. Also, in this class, we can have a different vision of work because if there is something that we find interesting, we can share it through files or websites links in the common space of MSN messenger. In my opinion, it constitutes a new way to work, maybe more collaborative.

2) What is an FTP server and why is it useful ? What are some of the activities you can do with it ? Do you have one available for you, and which one is it ? If you don't have one, why don't you get one?

An FTP server can corresponds to two things. First, it can be a computer responsible for serving any kind of files, via the File Transfer Protocol to FTP clients which can also be web browsers. Also, it can be a software program that implements the FTP protocol and is working as a daemon serving any kind of files. These technologies permit people to share a important number of files (as sounds, videos, software, etc.) and to transfer their website on their host servers. In a nutshell, an FTP server is very useful, especially when you want to convey heavy files. Personally, I use the free software FileZilla (http://filezilla.sourceforge.net/) , which contains lots of useful features and an intuitive interface. I have learned to use last year, when I was a trainee, and I consider it as one of the easier FTP server to use, even if I launch it very rarely.

3) Our class has a special approach to interactivity. It is not possible to have the same interaction of a normal class, but it offers several new ways of interacting. What are these ? What are the ways that are especially interesting to you ? How could they work better ? What technical solutions can you suggest ?

In my opinion, the interactivity specific to our class is revealed through many elements. First, when you speak to us, we can answer in the common space of MSN messenger that we have or into the main microphone of the class. In addition, we can react to what others students express in the common space. Then, when you ask us to discuss about a subject or a phenomenon, or to find a specific solution, we can visit websites on the Internet to find some information and go further. I think that it is interesting to communicate in this way, because it permit us to learn how to exploit the interactivity of the Internet. Nevertheless, I think that there are many problems with it, especially with the fact that we can’t interact with everybody at the same time because it is more difficult on the Internet. In fact, when a student wants to express himself orally, he has first to send you a message through MSN Messenger, and sometimes, you don’t give him the occasion to speak. Maybe that giving a microphone to every student could be a solution ? We could all react at the same time...

4) Prepare one question about the last class : what did you not understand ? What would like to have more information on and why? What question did our discussion cause you to ask ?

I have a question about the last class : why have we created blogs ? I understand that it constitutes a good way to present or to have our works on the Internet, but I don’t see any other interests. I think that it creates a kind of “pollution” on the web, and I don’t understand why you didn’t explain to us precisely its main reason.