Farewell Video and Digital Media Interest Section (VDMIS)!

Hello Video Professional Learning Network (Video PLN)!

Things at VDMIS are a-changing. After the TESOL convention in Chicago, we will continue as TESOL Video PLN. What does that mean? What’s going to change?

Our status within TESOL will be different, and some traditional VDMIS content will be covered by the Computer-Assisted Language Learning Interest Section (CALL-IS). As far as our interaction with TESOL members is concerned—not that much will change.

Please keep connecting with us and sharing ideas with other videophile educators in our new Facebook group: TESOL Video PLN (be sure to click “join group”). We also have a communication platform on myTESOL.

Though this is the last official VDMIS newsletter (at least for now…), we will still be accepting submissions for articles and teacher shares. Depending on feedback from you, we might publish a blog or a newsletter and distribute it online or via email.

EXTRA! EXTRA! We are in the early planning stages of a totally new format, a video newsletter. This also depends on community feedback. We are envisioning two types of newsletters: a newsletter with IS updates, and/or a newsletter with short videos about workshops, teaching techniques, independent book reviews, and more. If you have an idea, contact us.

We will keep our current “VDMIS” playlist on TESOL’s YouTube Channel and start a new playlist called “Video PLN” in May 2018.

Suzi and I presented a TESOL Virtual Seminar in November 2017: “Creating and Using Videos for English Language Teaching.” Thanks to all who attended and thanks for the positive feedback! We are looking forward to offering more seminars, workshops, and discussions to continue to share what we know with you and to learn from you, too.

Do you want to be part of our team? We are looking for video enthusiasts to help with editing and social media. Come find us and help us make this transition smooth and exciting. We would love to hear from you. And—Action!

Best,

Elke & Suzi

Image: www.pixabay.com

Elke Stappert works as a teacher and part-time lecturer. She teaches ESOL, literacy, and computer classes at the New York Public Library and 1199SEIU Funds. Her teaching focus and interest is in providing digital literacy and encouraging outside-of-class practice. She enjoys editing song lyric videos and creating educational videos for her website, www.englishyoyo.com. Sometimes, one of her cats pops up in those videos.

Suzi Lee currently works as an instructional designer and senior lecturer. She manages the development of online learning programs, including massive open online courses (MOOCs), at the Georgia Tech Language Institute.