Weblog enhancing EFL students' week 2

                                                                                                                                   by...   Usa  Noytim

"Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University"

                                                           💥Purpost💥

         This study searched about the potential value of  Weblog use on English language learning in the context of a university in Thailand. It analyzed students’ perceptions of and attitudes towards using Weblogs. A content analysis was used to analysis the data that derived from short questionnaires, interview questionnaires and student Blogs. The findings indicated that the students perceived Weblog as a tool for the development of their English such as writing, reading, vocabulary, and recording their learning experience. And Weblog can giving an opportunity and freedom for self-expression in English, writing for both a local and global audience, fostering creative, analytical and critical thinking skills, creating social interaction and good relationships between writer                                                            and reader, and supporting the learning community.

💥 The study💥

  

The participants of this research were twenty undergraduate English major female students in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nakhon Pathom Rajabhat University. Their ages ranged from 22 to 24 years and they were in the fifth-year of their studies. 

 

💥A tool 💥

               There are a content analysis was used to analyse the data that derived from short questionnaires, interview questionnaires and student Blogs.

               1. Short questionnaires

                      👉 Short questionnaires which aimed to elicit students’ profile, experience of Internet and Weblog use, and perceptions of advantages and disadvantages of Weblogs were administered to the students prior to the requirement of Blogging. 

               2. Interview questionnaires  

                      👉 Interview questionnaires which comprised of 15 questions eliciting students’

experience of Internet use and Weblog use, their perceptions of and attitudes towards the use of Weblogs were administered to the students. 

               3. Student Blogs

                    👉 Student Blogs and comments were read and counted. They were not graded because the main emphasis was placed on students’ fluency rather than the accuracy of their work. Thus, students’ reflections (thoughtful ideas), opinions (beliefs), and expression (showing of feeling) were observed

   💥 Findings 💥

                 The student had home Internet access and can shared their profile, express their ideas, experiences and exchange ideas and opinions to Weblog. But sometime they did not use Weblogs in everyday life. Weblogs as a medium of self-expression online and a tool to enhance English language development. Weblogs offered opportunities for writing and reading practice and communicating with other people. Many students asserted that Weblogs fostered their creative, analytical and critical thinking skills. They commented that Weblog use offered opportunities for them to develop creative thinking in designing and tailoring their Blogs to look attractive, allowing decoration such as choices of fonts, colours, graphics, and video and audio files.  In addition, the students pointed out that they used Weblog space to record their reflections on their classroom learning experiences. A student said, “Weblogs also remind me to recall my experiences”.  Finally, weblogs can help writing, grammar and spelling for them better.

           

💥 Discussion and Conclusion 💥

               Weblogs can provide an exciting and motivating learning environment where students have a sense  of ownership and readership. They can be used to enhance student analytical and critical thinking skills, create  social interactions between students and the instructor, students and their peers, and students and a global audience.  If used in English classes, the issues of students’ free choices of topics for Blogging, plagiarism, and neglect of  teacher correction and feedback should be taken into consideration. However, in this study, the focus of Blog writing was on encouraging student self-expression in English, that is, the focus is on meaning and fluency rather than form or accuracy. Blogs are recommended to foster students’ English language development in a genuine learning environment

 
👻 References 👻

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042810001990

Computer Assisted Language Learning and English Language Teaching in Thailand

Computer Assisted Language Learning and English Language Teaching in Thailand

The Development Of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

As for development of CALL, Warchauer & Healey 9 1998) suggested that CALL can be generally categorized based on three teaching mythologies domain in ETL:behavioristic CALL, communicative CALL, and integrative CALL.

Behavioristic CALL is recognized as the first phase. It was introduced in the 1950s and implemented in the 1960s when the audio-lingual method was widely used in language instruction. Most of CALL program in the phase entailed repetitive language drill and practice activities. Tyler (1980) referred to drill and practice courseware as tutor presenting drill exercises without feed-back component.

Communicative CALL, the second phase of development of CALL, emerged in late 1970s and early 1980s. The focus of CALL is placed on using the language or functions rather than analysis of language form. According to Warschauer (1997), the communicative CALL software( e.g. text reconstruction and language games) continued to provide students with the language skill practice, but not in drill format like in the first phase. So, grammar is taught implicitly rather than explicitly, allowing students create originality and flexibility in their output of the language. The computer, thus, functions as stimulus, where the stimulates students’ discussion and writing through role-playing games.

Integrative CALL, it started in the 1990s. As described Warshuar & Healey(1889), integrative CALL was developed in an effort to address some criticism of the communicative approach by the both integrating   the teaching of four language skills into tasks to provide direction and coherence and development of multimedia technology. That is, CALL on this stage allows for a combination of sound, graphics, and video presented in one    computerized program together with computer-mediated communication or CMC and further facilitates effort to teach four macro skills, including listening, reading, speaking and writing(Hubbard ,2009). In this phase, computer serves as tool.

Advantages and Disadvantages of CALL in Language Learning

As far as English language teaching is concerned, it is believe that CALL is capable of overcome some of limitstion hindering success of English language learning and teaching in a number of ways (Barson & Debshi, 1996; Chapeelle, 1997;2003; Salaberry, 1999; Warschauear; 1996; 2002; 2004 Warshuar & Healey  1998, Warshuar & Kern  2005, Yanh, 2008) These studies seem to yield congruent results regarding the influences and effort using in language teaching on learners’ performance. In this regard, computer assisted language learning has provided a powerful tool for language learning for several reasons.

Frist, the use of CALL to support in language learning provides students with authenticity of the input. The students have chances to interact in one or more of four macro skills, since they have to use or produce text meant for an audience in the target language, not classroom (Garrett, 1982). Teacher can use CALL to provide easy and access to a variety of language learning resource and multimedia components in all area of language. Activities such as problem-solving, information grab, language game, animated graphic which teacher lets students to practice with target language. As a result, Skinner & Austin (1996) claim students’ interact, motivation, and confident will be promoted.

Second, in alignment with the output hypothesis as articulated by Swaim (2005) & Lapkin (1995), CALL ,especially computer mediated communication or CMC, help encourage foreign language learner to produce comprehensible output. In the other hand, Thai leaner being pushed to produce language output Though CALL, and not in the classroom, can be undertaken with some comfort and ease to a certain extent. As a result, the use of CALL in language classroom help improve students’ self-concept and mastery of basic language skills, more stuent-centered learning and engagement in the learning process more active processing, resulting in higher-order thinking skill and better recall, and gain confidences in directing their own learning.

Third, CALL is able to provide learners with the kinds of information and support that they require to complete  individual task and to response to the diversity of learners even with a single classroom.

Next, CALL can be used to promoted autonomous learning, since CALL allows students to focus on development for their four language skills, they can enjoy their own individually  because they can choose and determine the own level, pace, and time of language practice and development.

In addition, learner-centered classes can be promoted by CALL. Warshuar & Kern (2005) demonstrated that, while exposed to authentic and dynamic language task, learners are pushed to control their learning time and effort to communicate with peer, partner, class. Thus, it is believed that learner themselves can progress in their ability to learn by becoming aware of the processes though they learn.

Despite the preponderance of advantage offered by CALL in language classroom, certain shortcomings are not overtaken. Chapalle (1997) and  Warshuar (2004) suggest that computer technology should not completely replace the language classroom because advantage of CALL do exist. So, teachers are, therefore, considered to be a resource person in language classroom, as the presentation or authentic input might not be easily comprehended by low proficiency learners or even relatively more proficiency learners, without additional help from teacher.

Although CALL has some disadvantages, it is believed that CALL has great potential for use to facilitate the English language teaching ang learning in Thailand. To maximize the benefits of existing CALL programs or materials, teachers, and involved parties need to be informed about the option of implementation and application if CALL and how CALL can be integrated into Thai teaching situation or learning context.

Educational CALL Program and ELT in Thailand

The Thai government has put a great effort to improve the quality of English language teaching in several aspects. The implementation of the 1999 National Education Act, has prompted a major reconsider in the education sector in terms of both teaching and learning methods, as well as in learning environment. The Ministry of Education has also put strategies by supporting involved parties to create opportunities to enhance access to and improve the standard of e – learning media through collaborative initiatives to develop information in form of e –contents through different learning needs. For teachers, a large class size (45-60 students), and inadequately equipped classrooms and educational technology should be taken into account. In rural or remote areas, using CALL materials with the Internet is still limited due to budget allocation. Drill and practiseis to review the content background knowledge, and to assist students to master their language skills such as reading, listening, etc. Providing stimulus, receiving active response from the students, and giving immediate feedback are core steps of this program. Demonstration teaching and learning through computer based instruction is very helping with self directed learning. With self – directed learning approaches, students will be encouraged to learn by themselves. Particularly, they will gain more experience in meaningful contexts. Simulation or so-called problem solving is used, aiming to raise students critical thinking, discussion skills and writing abilities. Games are used to provide a rich learning and teaching environment. Testing is a tool for assessment and a method to determine what students know and do not know. It can take the form of an informal quiz or a formal evaluation. There are various types of computer – based learning tests. The activities illustrated above, not only course software based CALL but also online programs, including web – based learning, learning management system, multimedia courseware.

Studies on CALL in the Thai Context

Conclusion

Although the utilization of CALL in language instruction is beneficial heavy reliance on CALL cannot be healthy (Kanoksilapatham,2009). Indeed, CALL should not be considered a replacement or substitution for classroom teachers. It is believed that the learners will be able to make valid generalization from individual cases and thus implement these technologies capitalizing their specific features. For Thai learners, they need to be able to continuously use, experiment and evaluate appropriate and meaningful CALL activities to enhance English proficiency and master English language skills which is the goals of language learning.

The difficulties and Challenges of Teachers’ Integrating

Computer Assisted Instruction into Teaching

ABSTRACT

This project aims to investigate and discuss the effect of teacher’ integrating computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and multimedia into teaching. 

However, how to use instructional technology to practice English teaching successfully and efficiently is not an easy task. The instructors should understand the development of CALL, the trends of instructional technology, and principles applied in technology. In the study, during the process of teaching in the computer-assisted environment, the teacher encountered numerous difficulties and challenges from students' presentation, and assignments.

INTRODUCTION

With the change of times and rapid development in technology, computer assisted language learning has become a trend in resent years. Multiple multimedia has connected the new technology education.

Recently, teachers' teaching task is growing more and more different from that of the traditional teaching. Teachers are not only instructors but also assistants to students' learning. Now teachers should try to inspire students' potentials, and give them chance of creative and critical thinking. The role of instructors in this modern environment of CALL has become active, creative and innovative.

Every teacher should have e-learning perception, computer technology training and then the teacher will face new challenges to adopt new appropriate instructional strategies and to facilitate student's learning. It is teachers' duty of how to put CAI into practice that can bear the fruit of teaching and learning. Therefore, how to apply computer assisted instruction into educational technology efficiently and effectively is English language teachers’ main task (Wei, 2005).

LITERATURE REVIEW

The Brief History of Computer Assisted Language Learning

In recent years, computers have become so widespread in schools and homes that their uses have to be re-examined. The development of CALL is divided into three main phases, behaviorist CALL, communicative CALL, and integrative CALL.

Behaviorist CALL was the first phase of computer assisted language learning implemented in the 1960 and 1970s. The programs of this phase were based on then main behaviorist theories of learning. Drill and practice courseware was based on the model of computer as tutor (Taylor, 1980). A number of CALL tutoring systems were developed in the era of the mainframe and the best-known tutorial system PLATO.

Communicative CALL based on the communicative teaching approaches promoted communicative competence and real communication. It appeared and became outstanding in the 1970s and early 1980s (Underwood, 1984). Besides using computer as a tutor, computer should play the role of a stimulus and a tool (Taylor, 1980). The former role adopted communicative activities to encourage learners. And the latter role enabled students to understand and use the language through word processing, spelling and grammar checking desktop publishing programs (Warschauer, 1998).

Integrative CALL emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s based on multimedia computers and the Internet was aimed to integrate the four skills (listening, speaking, writing and reading) as well as technology in the language learning process (Warschauer & Healey, 1998). For language students, they could involve themselves in their learning in a more authentic learning environment by interesting all language skills. It is thus not surprising the EFL will have get on the stage of CALL in the future development.

Multimedia in the CALL Classroom

Multimedia as a class of computer-driven interactive communication systems which create, store, transmit, and retrieve textual, graphic, and auditory networks of information. Today’s multimedia is integrated into the CALL classroom. Multimedia allows a variety of media such a texts, graphics, sound, animations, videos, and creates various integrative language environments. The students can obtain the multimedia resources and navigate their own path simply by pointing and clicking the mouse

The Principles and Factors are Applied in Technology

            The common rationale for using technology is based on two major points. According to societal inevitability theory, technology is everywhere. And researches have been shown that using the computer is efficient on education.

            Applying computer technology makes teachers have rich productivity, teaching effect, and change students learning styles, which can make the relationship of interaction and connection between teachers and students closely.

THE STUDY

During the speaking and listening course in CALL environment, the teacher set up E-learning campus. Students had to post their assignments, watching other groups' report to give their opinions and to correct each other's assignment, using e-mail, bulletin board and chat room to exchange to obtain much more resource. Several items were noticed:

1. Four or five students formed a group in cooperative learning.

2. The teacher gave the students a specific topic "A trip to a historic attraction and scenic place", playing the CD Rom to motivate learning.

3. The teacher explained to students how to search resources, connect related web-site, and showed students to do procedure according to the task assigned

4. Each member in the group was responsible for his own work then group discussed the assignment together and brain stormed with each other to integrate their opinions to solve their difficulties.

5. After discussing, each group took a picture and video, modified the scripts and added music effect prepare for their performance.

6. The students visited traveler interviewed the employers of the stores, collected information and recorded the viewpoint.

7. Each week the group students posted their report and the group revised the report each other e-learning campus.

8. The group students’ presented their product by video and power point.

9. The teacher and students examined together.

DIFFICULTIES OF APPLYING COMPUTER ASSISTED INSTRUCTION TO TEACHING

Applying the computer technology in English class is so complicated and important that we don't ignore it, but nowadays using CAI strategies is still not pervasive. Several difficulties and challenges need be solved; several conditions have room to be desired. The researcher analyzes as follows:

Facilities of the School and Classroom

the computer classroom difficult to use, and the administrator and the programmer had not enough time to aid teachers in time. And mechanics were necessaries to maintain and remedy computers

Related Administrators Emphasis

The biggest problem was lack of the principle’s and the administrator's sufficient support. So teaching practice in CALL was not easy to set into action.

Teachers' Teaching Beliefs and Styles

Teachers' aptitude and beliefs play an important part. Whether teachers decide to apply computer technology depends on their beliefs. So the teachers' attitude and beliefs influence teaching and learning effect of the students (Fang, 1996)

Teachers' Computer Competence

In the course of the process of teaching, teachers act as facilitators, designers, guides and assistants (Warschauer, 1998). So teachers' technology competence should be enhanced. If the teachers are lack of competence, such as computer multimedia contents presented, systematic teaching models applied and multimedia sources utilized, it is impossible for the teachers to integrate technology into teaching efficiently (Wei,2005).

Teachers’ Heavy Burden

            The teacher posted important information on the bulletin board and reminded the students assignments and test scores. The teacher always spent much time to deal with the computer shutdown and contacted mechanics and programmers to repair the computer right away.

Students’ Computer Competence

            The teacher always found that a lot of information students collected was copied, and posted. To raise learning effect, enhancing students’ computer competence was urgent (Chien,2004).

CONCLUSION

This process of applying new technology in English teaching is a challenge every English teacher will have to face. Applying computer assisted language learning to teaching has become a new trend to the advanced countries in the current world. Meanwhile, information technology and multimedia teaching will be a direction that the government advocates in our educational policy. Whether there integration between technology and English teaching efficiently and successfully depends on the teachers' efforts and professional abilities. More importantly, the government and education authorities concerned should emphasis on the need of information technology in schools, fostering the coordination of policy and resources. Although the integration of technology into English is difficult and complicated, it is suggested that teachers can build up confidence, and consult with the professional teachers to continue innovation. It hoped that the difficulties the teacher has faced in the study can serve as the future reference for improving language learning strategies in college English teachers.

🍄🌵 Week 13 🌵🍄

🐧 Week 12 🐧

🐶 Week 12 🐶

🐭 Week 11 🐭