Reflection 3: SAC

Promoting independent learning through

language learning and the use of IT

The author first introduces The National Institute of Education (NIE). It is a teacher training institute where students must play a more active role in their learning. For example, students are expected to develop learner autonomy and take charge of their learning in the institute’s self-access centre (SAC). There, students can freely choose their learning materials, make their own plans and do various activities to improve their target language. The purpose of this paper is to find out whether students from China who are used to depending on teachers’ instruction and textbooks consider that SAC is an effective way to help them improve their English or not. The study finds out that some students like this learning process because they think they can learn English based on their needs and weakness. For example, they improve their listening and daily conversation by watching movies. However, some students are not used to SAC. They felt lost when they work on their own. So, for these students, the author suggests that facilitators need to help students especially in the initial stage.

I like self-access centre because it consists of a wide range of resources such as multimedia computers with English Learning Websites and with access to e-mail and the Internet. Also resources like movies, CD and audio cassette players are useful for listening and pronunciation practice. All materials are available directly to all learners. Learners can find the learning materials based on different levels, styles, goals and interests. Learners need to decide for themselves when to study, their pace of study, and the level and type of materials that they use. I like this way to learn language. From my learning experience, I found out sometimes teachers’ instruction becomes interference. When learners are not ready to learn the advanced level, teachers push learners to move on to the following stage. Besides, learners’ weakness and learning styles are quite different. If learners can choose their learning materials to strengthen their weakness, then learning will become more efficient. However, SAC offers a self-access environment in which students need to take more responsibility for their learning. Thus, I think learner autonomy amongst its users is a key to successful learning. Giving learners support and guidance in planning the schedule can help learners to have direction in what they are going to do and when to do. Also, if learners can pass the on-line quiz, give feedback or comment about what they learn, post their project or show any performance on the evaluation platform before the deadline they set for themselves, learners will be able to learn independently and successfully.

Reflection 2: Interaction

Terry Anderson describes the role of interaction in distance education. Interaction has always been valued in education. Bates (1990) said that interactivity should be the primary criteria for selecting media for educational delivery. Also, Dewey points out that interaction is a good way to construct knowledge actively. All forms of education contains three important components. That is interactions between content, students, and teachers. I summarize the key concepts in these parts.

1. Student interaction-- student-content interaction can be recorded and displayed anytime. Student-student interaction is important based upon constructivist learning theories. Student-student interaction will enhance skill proficiency through collaborative or cooperative tasks. Student-teacher interactions can be automated.
2. Teacher interaction-- teacher interaction can be learning objects such as videos, or animations, thus changing from student-teacher interaction to student-content interaction. Deep and meaningful learning to a professional requires high levels of interaction in at least one of teacher interactions.
3. Content interaction-- the semantic Web provides an environment in which content can be formalized and manipulated, stored, searched, and computed automatically through autonomous agent technologies. The value of the content relies on the extent of students or teachers engaging in interaction, leading to relevant knowledge construction.

Reaction to Terry Anderson
Interaction in a traditional classroom is different from the interaction in a Web-based course. The differences are mainly depends on the instructional media used in Web-based courses. Technologies that Terry Anderson refers, such as two-way audio/video, and computer conferencing, are able to provide rich, dynamic communication among students. Besides, the benefit of asynchronous interaction in computer conferencing is good for busy lives of many distance learners. Also, I think using individual or combinations of media can meet various learners’ learning styles. By visual and auditory stimulation, learners can learn knowledge from real life materials and make good use of their learning styles. Thus, Web-based course designer should exercise teaching methods and activities to develop student’s intelligences. For example, auditory activities such as group discussion, brainstorming, and presentation all allow students to acquire auditory stimuli. Charts, fresh cards, videos and maps are good resource for visual learners. Besides the content in the web-based course, students’ interaction with students and teachers are enhanced because video or pictures can be a prompt for learners to discuss. Also, students have more opportunities to actively engage in the interaction with others such as giving response, critiques, team work or collaborative learning. The ways used to deliver course information will affect whether students actually learn the content. So, as teachers, we need to know how to maximize the interactions among students, teachers and contents.

Anderson, T. (2003) Getting the mix right again: An updated and theoretical rationale for interaction. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, Vol 4, No 2.

Website Evaluation

Software/Website Title: Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Website URL: http://www.esl-lab.com/

Grade/Age Level: all level
Language & Content:

Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab is an on-line, multimedia Website designed to help ESL students improve their listening comprehension in English. The Website can be used for teacher instruction or for self-access learning.

The content of this Website can be divided into several parts: Basic Listening Quizzes, Listening Quizzes for Academic Purposes, 20-Minute ESL Vocabulary Lessons, Language Learning and Life Tips, and Long Conversation with RealVideo. Each category provides several topics for learners to practice their listening. Each topic contains text, RealMedia, vocabulary list and quizzes. After listening, learners can check their comprehension by filling the blanks or answer multiple choice questions and follow the text to check the answers.

Besides listening materials, this Website provides some effective documents for users such as First-time Users, Audio Help, Media Players, Self-study Guide, Study Handouts, Terms of Use, and Tips for Teachers. These are all helpful for user to know how to make use of this listening website. This Website really attracts target audience because it is full of various topics for learners to learn. Topics range from everyday conversation to academic purposes such as lectures or job interviews to life-tips. Learners can choose any topic that meets their needs and click the topic and play real media. It is easy to use and the layout is quite clear. Each category stays in one column.

One of the strengths is each category provides different level listening materials. From easy to medium to difficult, learners can practice based on their ability. I think this is a good Website to polish listening skills. However, it doesn’t provide any interaction with learners. To better this Website, I think dynamic pictures, or authentic task for learners to practice can enhance learning motivation and use language in real situation. For example, time table or maps with guidance allows learners to show their comprehension by completing the simple task.

Reflection 1: CALL

Egbert offers different definitions of CALL based on different angles. With the development of technology, CALL is no longer just for learners to use computer to practice unidirectional language skills, but for teaching and learning language in various interactive contexts. It is a tool for teachers to facilitate language learning process. No matter how to define CALL, the following are the basic components of CALL. First, CALL is focused not on technology but on language learning. In other word, computer and computer-based resources act as facilitators for learners to learn language. Second, interactive learning should be provided in CALL such as feedback from the peers or the teacher. Third, learners are involved in authentic tasks and interact with authentic audience. That is, CALL focuses not only on learning language but also on how to use language. Forth, learners dominate more on their learning process which means the time they work and the content they learn will be more flexible.

Egbert points out teachers must put learning goals ahead of technology. I agree with this idea because the usage of technology in the class is for supporting or facilitating language learning. Thus, time should be focused on learning language rather than learning technology skills. If a teacher doesn’t set learning goals before the class, class might become a computer class and students are struggling with how to operate computer skills. This article also refers that instruction should be based on learning theories. This idea is consistent with the idea in the Kern and Warschauer’s article. From Egbert’s article, CALL evolves from drills to authentic tasks. From Kern and Warschauer’s article, language learning starts from structural approach to cognitive approach and then to sociocognitive approach. Nowadays, CALL reflects sociocognitive learning theory. That is, learning requires engaging the learners in social interaction and authentic problems. Thus, learners’ interaction shifts from with computers to with humans via computers. In this way, learners have more opportunities to actively construct and use target language. In addition, I think what CALL is weight over other teaching and learning pedagogy is on its unique feature. Technology is a good tool to present sounds, visual materials, animation, and information in other countries. This is a good niche for teachers to make good use of it. In other word, teaching should meet learners’ learning styles. So, teachers should exercise teaching methods and materials to develop student’s intelligences and enhance students’ learning.