Moderator: Ron Chang Lee, Ph.D. (Rong-Chang Li)
Email: leerc8@rong-chang.com
What does the application attempt to ‘teach’?
This is a good website that I would suggest to most of English teachers. It covers all skills namely; reading, writing, grammar, listening as well as speaking. Besides that, it also includes vocabulary, translation, games and other fun activities. It attempts to ‘teach’ all the skills by integrating and suggesting other websites as well. As we know, a website can’t be perfect itself. It may have flaw that other websites do not. Therefore, by having links to other websites it may help learners to test their knowledge on the different exercises provided. And, yes it does have links on CALL too.
What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?
As most of the ESL websites, users need to have knowledge on what is ‘taught’ in the website. For this website, as I mentioned before, it covers all language skills and of course the users has to master or at least have background knowledge on each skills. The user can always choose to learn any skill they want themselves. If they are not satisfied with their achievement, they can always click on other websites’ links and test their proficiency there. The website only requires basic features of a computer like mouse, keyboard and javascript. Speaker might also be needed if they want to listen to the correct pronunciation of words.
What sorts of computer skill is the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?
Users are not expected to be a savvy user of a computer in order to access the website. Basic knowledge of computer will do. As long as they know how to operate a computer and how to use mouse and keyboard, they can successfully explore and learn from the website.
While you are 'playing'/'accessing'/'assessing' the application, does it remind you of anything you do in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with a fellow classmate or in self-study?
When I was in school, my teacher rarely brought us (my classmates and I) to the computer lab. However, whenever we went to the lab, we would do exercises from the courseware installed in the computers. It was quite similar to what the website has, but the courseware was very much colourful and more interesting. Whenever we answered exercises, it would tell (by producing voice) us whether the answers were wrong or right.
I always believe that each word must be pronounced correctly in order for us to improve our speaking skill. As a non-native speaker, I certainly have weakness in pronouncing words correctly. I used to have CD of a dictionary that teaches correct pronunciation. This website reminds me of what I always do in order to improve my pronunciation. However, the list of words is not as much as a dictionary has. It only tells how to differentiate between two similar words.
Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
Drilling is one of the theories that underlie the application. Users are encouraged to do all exercises repetitively until they get correct answers. Whenever a wrong answer is given, a hint would appear. The hint would highlight the wrong spelling or letters without indicating the correct one.
The website also promotes users to be independent learner. They can choose their own activities and supervise their own performance. It also provides a section where users can have a chat with a robot which can answer their questions. Therefore, users can always practice how to talk in a good manner using English with this feature.
How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website?
Briefly, constructivists suggest that learners learn from their experience and should be more active in their own learning. Taking this as a guideline to this evaluation, I strongly agree that this website has applied the constructivist learning theory. When users give a wrong answer, they will have to try repetitively in order to get the correct answers. This will, for certain make them learning from their own experience. If they are used to it, it is impossible for them to repeat the mistake in future as constructivists suggest. Being more active in learning means to take control of one’s own learning. This website really encourages the style of learning and users will know their capability and learn to improve it themselves.
In 1980s and early 1990s, there was a major debate on ‘whether the computer was “master” of or “slave” to the learning process’ (Higgins and Johns, 1984). In relation to your evaluation, - was the computer a replacement for teachers or merely an obedient servant to students?
For some students who love to study by themselves, I believe that this website is replacement for teachers. Nevertheless, a teacher’s guide is still needed. It can only tell the correct and wrong answers but it never explains how and why. As I stated in the previous question, it does have feature where users can interact with a robot. However, it was programmed and has limitation in answering questions. For a dependent learner, this is good opportunity to improve their language skill without relying too much on teachers.
Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?
Definitely. This website has millions of information that should not be wasted. I would make full use of the website and at the same time integrate it with the learning. On top of that, it also has links of various fruitful ESL websites which are really useful for the sake of learning English.
Suggestions/Recommendations:
Students need to be attracted to the website first in order to make them learn from it. Hence, I would like to suggest the moderator to make the website more cheerful, colourful and much interesting by adding more colours, font as well as pictures. In addition, the moderator can also allow the users to create accounts which can make them easily see their performance as well as to interact with him.
Ok, 7.7/10
ReplyDelete