CALL resources main page | CALL resources Site Index | Vance's papers and presentations
Links: http://webheads.info | http://www.webheads.info | http://archives.webheads.info | http://events.webheads.info | http://tutorials.webheads.info | http://wfw.webheads.info | http://vance.webheads.info | http://home.webheads.info
What is EV Online? | How to get a Yahoo ID and enroll in YahooGroups
Webheads in Action Portal Page for 2002 and 2003 | April 10, 2002 CALL-IS Academic Session in Salt Lake City | Jan 20-March 7, 2003 EVOnline workshop Portal Page | March 26, 2003 Colloquium at TESOL 2003 Convention in Baltimore | Webheads at EVO 2005 - descriptive article in TESL-EJ
WiAOC: Webheads in Action Online Convergences 2005, 2007, 2009

Bring the world to YOUR students! Coming soon, to a classroom near YOU!

Our latest initiative, each Sunday since Sept., 2010: http://learning2gether.pbworks.com
More events (or write in your own): http://my.calendars.net/eslhome_conferen or http://tinyurl.com/bookLT

Webheads celebrated their TENTH anniversary in 2008: http://webheads10years.wikispaces.com/

Definitions: Wikipedia entry on 'Webhead' | Free Online Dictionary of Computing definition | High-Tech Dictionary definition
"Webheads teach virtually anywhere" Bruce Neubauer, at Tapped In (Sept, 2004)
"What comes up spontaneously, goes down well." - Dennis Newson, Sept.2006

WorldBridges Drupal portal: http://webheadsinaction.org
and WEBHEADS 2.0 http://www.worldbridges.com/webheads

Webheads 2006-7 Seasons Greetings are here: http://happywebhead2006-7.pbwiki.com/

Webheads in Action since 2002: Syllabus | Community members | URLs and YahooGroups | Cybertours | See what interesting websites Webheads have created as a result of participation in this session | Archive of Synchronous Online Activities | You can still join this group | WiA activity subsequent to 2002 | Participant reactions: (last posted)

Who are the Webheads? Susanne Nyrop's Webheads Customized World Clock
Put yourself on the Webheads map: http://dafnegonzalez.com/wia/wia-map.htm
If you meet another Webhead and take a picture, post it at http://webheads-f2f.pbwiki.com
Teresa has created an index to the Webheads sites here: http://64.71.48.37/teresadeca/webheads/wia-index.htm
More at http://del.icio.us/webheads, http://del.icio.us/webheadsinaction, http://spezify.com/#/webheadshttp://spezify.com/#/webheadsinaction

Here is one later rendition of this montage, found via Spezify, from http://callcolloq-tesol09.wikispaces.com/18.+The+Future+-+Research+&+Practice

WiA activity subsequent to 2002: An early history of our group

• January 25-March 25, 2002: Community formation online and its role in language learning - - Electronic Village (EV) Online Sessions are held annually prior to each TESOL Conference. The Webheads in Action community was formed during the 2002 EVOnline event; see Webheads in Action: Community formation online and its role in language learning
• January EV Online, culminating in March 26 2003 at TESOL Conference, Baltimore - Our Webheads Colloquium: "Case study of a community of practice" was presented by Vance Stevens, Dafne Y. Gonzalez Chavez, Teresa Almeida d'Eça, Chris Jones, Arlyn Freed, Aiden Yeh, Michael Coghlan, and Buthaina Al Othman. Only half were physically present at the conference; the others presented remotely using Wimba for voice presentations and Yahoo for web cam broadcasts.
• January-March 2004 - Becoming a Webhead - For the 2004 EVOline sessions, the Webheads banner is being flown from this site: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/becomingwebhead/ and this portal: http://www.geocities.com/bawebhead/index.html
• March 30, 2004 from 17:00-24:00 GMT or 9 am - 4 pm in Long Beach - Colleagues from Webheads are presenting a PCI or 'pre-convention institute' on Enhancing Online Communities with Voice and Webcams.This is a major 6-hour event where six of us arrange for participants to experience hands-on use of chat (text only, and voice and web cam enhanced) in safe, educator-friendly online environments.

URLS and YahooGroups email addresses

Who are we really? http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/java/scienceopticsu/powersof10

What were the 2002 sessions about?

EVOnline blurb in Tesol Blast: Writing for Webheads is an ongoing 'experiment in world friendship through online language learning' whose participants have been meeting weekly online since 1998. During that time, Webheads have experimented with numerous synchronous and web-based multimedia communications formats, and presented at several live and online conference venues. Proposal below.

Webheads in Action is for anyone interested in interacting online with this established community of ESL learners and facilitators in the course of participating in TESOL EV Online 2002. Participants meet for 8 weeks between January and March 2002 to help each other learn about forming and maintaining robust online communities. We will demonstrate and explore use of the latest synchronous and non-synchronous communications technologies, including video and voice, while showing delegates around the Webheads community in tours guided by community members who can appear online for the occasion.

Our Yahoo Group description: This group comprises participants in an event convened under the auspices of TESOL EVOnline 2002. Participants meet for 8 weeks between January and March 2002 to help each other learn about forming and maintaining robust online communities. Ways of communicating synchronously and non-synchronously with community members are explored.

The proposal for this EV Online 2002 event

1. Title - Webheads in Action: Community formation online and its role in language learning

2. Description - Writing for Webheads is an ongoing 'experiment in world friendship through online language learning' whose participants have been meeting weekly online since 1998. During that time, Webheads have experimented with numerous synchronous and web-based multimedia communications formats, and presented at several live and online conference venues. We will demonstrate our use of the latest synchronous communications technologies, including video and voice, while showing delegates around the Webheads community in tours guided by community members who can appear online for the occasion.

3. Target Audience - anyone interested in interacting online with an established community of ESL learners and facilitators

4. Weekly syllabus/activities

5. Expected "handouts"/files to upload: Word, PowerPoint, HTML, Sound, other (Please specify.) - We'll base ourselves at http://sites.hsprofessional.com/vstevens/files/efi/webheads.htm, but provide a portal webpage introducing the activities (i.e. this page)

6. Communication media expected to be used: discussion postings via email, chat (text or voice) - see http://sites.hsprofessional.com/vstevens/files/efi/software.htm

7. There is a slide show for the last Webheads presentation of this nature here:http://sites.hsprofessional.com/vstevens/files/efi/papers/eltoc2001/webheads00.htm

The two model implementations for this session

• Writing for Webheads: http://sites.hsprofessional.com/vstevens/files/efi/webheads.htm - This is a community of language learners and teachers interested in exploring a variety of free web-based synchronous and non-synchronous multimedia communications tools and their implications for language learning. The group has been in existence since 1998.
• Teaching for Webheads: http://lightning.prohosting.com/~vstevens/tfw/index.html - This group was formed in a first attempt to apply what had been learned with WFW to a community of applied linguist peers. The group did not jell as has WFW, although some of the TFW members migrated to WFW and have been participating in the latter group.

Comments from Community Members

• It really takes a GOOD, willing volunteer to take up such a commitment and make such effort as this one, devoting so much time to joining people from all over the world, as I now see at receiving so many different emails from people afar, but with common interests. It's moving... Thanks A LOT for promoting so promising an enterprise ... <-- Jan 16, 2002 email; this one really made my day! - Vance>
• "I'm looking forward to seeing how this flies. I remember your presentation at TESOL in Vancouver and so often these online things fade away. It's really encouraging to see that webheads is still going strong." - email from a Webheads in Action participant, Jan 2002.
• "I am learning more in these sessions than in my doctoral courses" - remark from a Tapped In dialog, Jan 26th, 2002
• "I'm getting it all figured out with great credit going to all the info flying through webheads!" - message attached to MSN Messenger invitation
• If anyone's looking for a great example of effective online groups check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dogme/ or indeed, observe what's happening here! Good one Vance! - email to our YahooGroups list
• I'm also using the Yahoo groups for another project I'm involved with, and thanks to this group, I've been spending the necessary time to learn how to take most advantage of this resource. Thanks for the motivation and information! - email to our YahooGroups list
• Thank you for your help and let me congratulate you on your webpage which is very rich and complete - personal email from participant, Jan 31, 2002
• In the classes I've taken though, I wanted to point out that instructors can take many roles which can directly effect the interaction. Webheads is probably the best I've taken so far! - email posted to the list, Jan 29
• congratulations for what you and the other people have done ...I have learnt a lot from you. ... I am a taking a MASTER PROGRAM in TEFL, I have a CALL class, and you don't know useful has been your group. personal email from participant, Feb. 2, 2002
• This Webhead class is excellent, I really feel like I can use my personal experience for the benefit of others - From a Tapped In log, Feb 5, 2002
• Thank you for supporting the enormous workload and chaos management ... I dare not think of where I get the time from doing this for so many hours a week, your EVON course is heating me up because it is just what I needed to get pushed on , lots of inspiration and practice! - private email from participant, Feb 6, 2002
• "This is a workshop on community formation. I think we have succeeded in that by using certain techniques I have honed over the past three years working with my regular webheads group. I'm glad to see we can 'deliver' on that formula. Still we're trying to work out what the formula is, but at least we have a test case where we set out to do something that sort of evolved with the original group, and whatever we did produced the desired result in the present configuration rather quickly." Vance, Feb 6, 2002
• 'Exploring with fun! Communicating with fun! Learning with fun!' What better way is there? Thank you, Vance, for everything you've made possible during these 6-7 weeks. - posted to the evonline2002_webheads list, March 8, 2002
• This group is incredible, we should be thanking each and every member every day for the new lights you keep shedding on our dimness..(mine, at least) ,which is kindling slowly but steadily... - posted to the evonline2002_webheads list, April 4, 2002
• It is me again, the active reader but the passive writer in your list. I have followed you and your group. I am so grateful for your site and webheads projects, I have learned a lot. - personal email from an evonline2002_webheads list member, April 8, 2002
• "The eight week TESOL seminar has been an amazing experience. Not only was the progression of knowledge building and sharing quite fast paced, but I think it is so cool that we did not stop there, but are still moving forwards. I feel this is how a real online community should work: people with similar interests find ways to go beyond the ordinary channels of communication and locate a shared mental bandwidth! " Susanne, April 9, 2002
• I really want to thank Vance and all Webheads for teaching me all what I now know about e-moderation and webtools. A big hug for you all :-) personal email from an evonline2002_webheads list member, June 20, 2002
• We are so lucky to be part of Webheads, this resourceful and sharing group of human beings who have introduced us to the wonderful world of e-learning. - posted to EVOnline moderator training list, Nov 2002
• Vance's homepage productivity is fabulous - and now and then, even overwhelming in its richness and diversity - posted to evonline2002_webheads list Nov 18, 2002
• In Tapped In's ...ON THE TAPIS November 2002 Issue 60 http://www.tappedin.org/info/newsletter/nov02.html, Aiden Yeh describes her introduction to Webheads in Action: "I was hooked right away, not only to the use of technology, but also the people that make the community alive and vibrant." Read all of Aiden's Perspective online at http://www.tappedin.org/info/perspectives/ay.html
• "It is your warmth and openess along with the expertise that make the community more and more prosperous" - personal communication from a new member, January 2003.
• "allowing people to lurk , not forcing the members to participate actively, is something I suppose means respect for each one’s pace , style, personality" - posted to evonline2002_webheads, Jan 31, 2003
• "You have all contributed to my personal development as examples of “can do, will do” people. I am amazed at your skills, energy and dynamism and impressed by your talents and output." - posted to evonline2002_webheads, Feb, 2003
• "becoming part of your community (yes, the community of us all, I can hear you say it) has been one of the good things for me this past year." - reflection from a Webhead in personal email, 18 Apr 2003
• "I would say that this group together with two or three others has been a major source of learning for me over the past couple of years." - posted to evonline2002_webheads, Apr 30, 2003
• "all webheads you´re more than just friends one meet on line. We belong to this special group where everybody is welcome to learn and work together. We are citizens of the world and belong to the same planet. No colors, races, sizes, shapes just good people, good teachers doing what they love to do learn together. Thanks webheads and keep up with the good work." - posted to evonline2002_webheads, Nov 17, 2004
• In Nov 2004, Buthaina Al Othman wrote: "please feel free to quote me saying: "Lately, I've been experiencing a new kind of feeling! A nice feeling of belonging to the universe or a globe and not to a country. This online community of Webheads in action has really made me feel global! I know now that I can travel to anywhere in the globe and find a friend. Webheads' has developed "a truly cross- cultural community that is sustained by a rich dialogue of multiple perspectives."
• "The Webhead experience is becoming one of the most significant things I have done in my life." - posted to evonline2002_webheads, Nov 19, 2004
• "Then a breath of fresh air hit me when I became involved with Webheads... there are so many upbeat people and people who are so awesome with great ideas it is like a shot in the arm with enthusiasm for me.... I have been on a high all day... I just wanted you to know what a good influence all the positive attitudes has had on me..." - in a YM message, May 9, 2005 . "What a truly wonderful group. :-) I feel like I have entered into a fantasy world of beautiful souls!!!" - same person, in a YM message, May 17, 2005 ." You will never, ever, find a group more positive, intelligent, enthusiastic, loving, humorous at times, and willing to help you in all the universe!!!! This is the gold mine of e-learning educators. - posted to evonline2002_webheads, May 18, 2005
• I learned more in Webheads than in my doctoral courses. That is completely true! Everything I have learned about technology and its use in education, I have learned from and with webheads - posted to evonline2002_webheads, May 9, 2005
• I am still reeling from the excitement of being part of such a group. Wow. - posted to evonline2002_webheads, May 19, 2005
• I've been listening and learning in the background for ages, and have been truly inspired and empowered by this group and its members. Thank you all very much. - posted to evonline2002_webheads, June 22, 2005
• many people did not know about all the cool technology tools we have available to us for teaching. It is especially interesting how much resistance there is to these new forms of communication. Being part of this group is the best tool as we all go about breaking down the walls of resistance. - posted to evonline2002_webheads, August 20, 2005
• The Webhead organization also has a listserve system so I also receive emails from them daily. These emails I receive are my pulse of joy in my teaching career. These people are the kindest, most generous, caring, nonjudgmental, innovative, brilliant, humorous, even humble, group of educators I have ever met and they are from all over the world. Their expertise is in the world of educational technology, and how to apply it in the classroom, so I feel this is my best source for keeping updated. - submitted as part of an assignment in a masters level course in Ed Tech, October, 2005
• Although not very active, just by being a consequent observer and following the group I've learnt many important things about teaching and technology so again thanks to all Webheads. I'm really proud to be part of this group!! - posted to evonline2002_webheads, November 22, 2005
• I like the garden of the teacher promotion to make me growth and progress! Thank you a lot from the webheads! - posted to evonline2002_webheads, December 27, 2005
• Finally I have a chance to thank you for having made this CoP develop the way it did/does. This is just an extraordinary experience. I can't stop being marvelled with it all. It’s just wonderful to be part of such a group of clever, fun, active, friendly and professional individuals. - personal email, March 2006
• Although I live in a developing country,but I belong to the most developed CoP on the Internet ! - posted to evonline2002_webheads, July 8, 2006
• I'd never be presenting so many new ideas if we hadn't been part of this fantastic group of tech-thinking souls!!! Thanks again for all the support. - posted to evonline2002_webheads, July 15, 2006
• Cheryl's Sept 29, 2006 blog post on webheads Conversations on a Flat Planet was seen Jan 11, 2007 at: http://www.techlearning.com/blog/2006/09/conversations_on_a_flat_planet.php
• Friendship and camaraderie plus our desire for learning and professional development make Webheads extraordinary. It's the human factor that makes it tick. - posted to evonline2002_webheads, Oct 30, 2006
• Uh, figure this one out (clue, it's in Second Life): "Yesterday a cheerful Italian gave me a Babbler translator so we started teaching each other Italian and Hungarian using English as the common language, which was real fun, especially that we were figure ice-skating meanwhile." - posted to evonline2002_webheads, Nov 27, 2006; http://groups.yahoo.com/group/evonline2002_webheads/message/14030 - Intrigued? Join us.
• I like Webheads soooo much whenever I'm confusing with some tech problem, I know I'm not alone as there's someone somewhere in the webheads working on the same problem and we'll solve it - posted to evonline2002_webheads, Dec 2, 2006
• I have learned a lot about technology and friendship from this group. - comment in request to join evonline2002_webheads, Jan 11, 2007
• From the Wales-wide web: Graham Attwell on learning, knowledge & technology, 20-April-2006: "Dave [Cormier] showed me the WebheadsinAction site - this is indeed cool stuff." - http://www.knownet.com/writing/weblogs/Graham_Attwell/entries/2546949935

Important note and disclaimer: Webheads chat logs are posted on the Internet to assist language learners with comprehension of our conversations and to strengthen our sense of community through shared familiarity with one another. All are welcome to join us, but your participation in our activities implies that you approve of our posting on the Internet interactions in which you take part. Please address any comments or concerns to Vance Stevens

Note to webmaster and others who reach the following page from who knows where ... http://lightning.prohosting.com/~vstevens/papers/evonline2002/webheads.htm - no longer being updated as of late 2002

This page is offered mainly for historical purposes and perspectives. Many of the links on this page have not been maintained into the Web 2.0 era..

Comments and suggestions on this page to Vance Stevens
Last updated: February 18, 2011 - 15:00 GMT
(C)opyright 2011 Vance Stevens
under Creative Commons License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.5/
January 11, 2007

Mirrors: This page is available at:

• http://www.vancestevens.com/papers/evonline2002/webheads_evo.htm
• http://www.prof2000.pt/users/vstevens/papers/evonline2002/webheads_evo.htm