About

I’m Barbara Dieu , EFL educator involved in international collaborative/ exchange projects online since 1997. I am presently teaching (very few hours),  keynoting,  giving workshops on new media literacies, and developing projects using social tools and international networking and bridging to advance language learning, multi-literacies and professional development.

I am particularly interested in how participatory media can be implemented in the different learning contexts, what issues block innovation/communication/learning and what is needed for educators to open up to global participation, innovation, creativity and change in local contexts. You can contact me at beeonline (at) gmail (dot) com.

My nickname online is Bee (not from Béatrice as one would expect – just a coincidence – I used to sign my letters B. and a friend sent me the Bee Buzz avatar , which I have now been using for years). A little bit more about me in this photostory (wmv file) I made for a workshop back in  2005.

I am Bee Kerouac in SL (this dates me chronologically and politically…but I am not part of the Beat generation…but confess I suffered the influence some years later). The SL avatar name choice is more intentional – I chose Kerouac because while blogging and networking in cyberspace, I somehow identified with the theme and how the book On the Road was written.

My old blog was called “wide open spaces…freedom to roam” because cyberspace has offered me this possibility to travel and meet different people and perspectives. Besides, as I have always felt claustrophobic and constrained by bureaucratic systems, groups or structures that fence me in,  I need a clear horizon and wide open spaces before me.  The blog has now been transported to a new address – and because of this, for the sake of consistency, I have re-named it Beespace but kept my freedom to roam :-)

Awards