- What does the application attempt to “teach”?
After perusing lots of language learning websites, I have come to a conclusion to evaluate a website called as UsingEnglish.com. This website really captures my heart due to its uniqueness and special features. First of all, user may sign up for free and utilize the content provided by the author. It is really cool. I was quite surprised when I find out such a very useful website which is absolutely free. This is because I used to find a really fine website and I extremely need the information in the website but it can only be accessed or purchased using credit card which I do not have. Secondly, it has functions merely like what we have in Facebook, Friendster, MySpace and etc. Shortly after the user signed up, the user may edit their profile by uploading profile picture, editing avatar, adding contacts and friends, editing messages folder and also event reminders. I think it has almost everything that I desire to find in a website. In my opinion, features offered by the website do not only attract the users but it also very practical and useful for the users to make full use of it for educational purposes as well as entertainment. I find it very useful because beside than looking for information regarding English, we can also share information with other users via forum and we can save the information shared with our contacts in attachment folder, message folder. It is like you have your own online diary that helps you to organize things for you. These features are not something new because we already have it in our Facebook account and etc but it is lovely to have it in an educational website like this. Learning is fun….adding these cute and in trend features like these would motivate user or learner to use it. In fact, I think it is not wrong to integrate two different elements to be in an educational website. I love it! Other than that, this website is user friendly. I have no problem in accessing it.
Basically, this website is aimed in providing useful large collection of English as a Second Language (ESL) tools & resources for students, teachers, learners and academics. Generally, UsingEnglish.com covered the four skills emphasized in English language learning which was listening, speaking, reading and writing, but the focus is channeled on grammar. This website emphasized more on teaching and learning grammar.
This website attempt to “teach” the users to be independent learners as they have to experience the process of gaining the knowledge by themselves. (Brandes&Ginnis, 1986)As proposed by Dewey (Experiential learning) and Rogers (Student-centered learning), it is important for learners to take full responsibility of their own learning. A part from other vital elements in learning English, I think acquiring good command of English grammar is the hardest part. According to (Thornbury, 1999), there are apparently two methods of teaching grammar. They are; ruled-governed creativity which know as deductive approach and the other one is rule-driven method know as inductive approach. In my opinion, I could not agree more with Noam Chomsky in ruled-governed creativity because I believe in the principle of discovery learning. I strongly believe that using this website does teach the users or learners in learning grammar via discovery learning as the learners have to discover the rules of grammar by themselves via topical exercises provided by the website.
As proposed by Pascal “People are generally better persuaded by the reasons which they themselves have discovered than by those which have come into the minds of others”. As a result, the learners will be trained to be independent and responsible in their learning and they do not solely depend on the teachers to teach them, yet receive adequate guidance from the teachers.
- What sorts of things is the application users expected to do with regards to learning content?
As stated earlier, the users can sign up for free. After signing in the website, the users can utilize more information and application provided by the website. First of all, there are six prominent parts in the website. They are English Reference, Teacher Resources, Test & Quizzes, Forums, Articles and Tools& Resources. The users need to choose any of these parts provided by the author and click on the title. For example; the user who is an English teacher decides to search for lesson plan for his or her lesson, the teacher can click on “Teacher Resources” and choose the level of proficiency in English. Generally, there are three levels; Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels. Then, choose the preferred topic, such as “Adjectives and Adverbs” and click on it. When the page appear, the users will see there are three options; “Print this page, Answer Sheet and As an Online Quiz”. So, the users can choose whether to print this page and use it as task sheet in class or the teacher can also ask the students to surf this website and answer the quiz by themselves. Students can answer the online quiz and get immediate feedback via clicking at the button “Grade Me”. After that, the website will calculate the marks for the learner and at the same time state the question the learners get wrong and the learners may take the quiz again.
- What sorts of computer skills is the application users expected to have in order to operate/ access/ use the application.
One of the reasons why I think that this website is marvelous because it does not require the users to have advanced computer skills in using the applications provided in the website. The website only requires the users to have basics computer skills such as browsing, typing and etc.
Among the basics computer skills that a user need to know is typing. Typing skill is needed for learners to search for information that he or she desires. Furthermore, they also need to know how to browse a website. They need to click on preferred component they wish to link them to the page they desire such as “Quizzes”. It is also important for users to know downloading skills because it will be useful to them when they need to download PDF files for lesson plans and task sheets. Other than that, the users need to know the printing skills because the users can straight away print the page they want from the website. All they need to do is click on “Print this page”.
Generally, the users only need to know basics computer skills in order to access this website, such as printing, downloading, typing, clicking, browsing and attaching files.
4. 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?
Yes, it does remind me of my CALL class. In CALL class, almost everything is much student-centered. Firstly, we ought to have our own blog which in a way we are responsible to make our own learning process is fun. This is because it is really exciting to design our own blog to make it as cute and practical as possible. Especially for a first timer like me who never in my entire life before have a blog.
In addition, in-class tasks such as applying HOT POTATOES software train us the learners to experience and take part in the process of learning as proposed by Dewey. In fact, it also helps me as the learner to see myself differently as a result of my learning experience and this will help me to be more student-centered. As stated by
The learner comes to see himself differently...
He becomes more self-confident and self-directing.
He becomes more the person he would like to be.
He behaves in a more mature fashion.
He adopts more realistic goals for himself.
He changes his maladjustive behavior
He becomes more open to the evidence, both to what is going on outside himself,…and inside himself.
(Brandes&Ginnis, 1986)
Moreover, it also helps us the learners to compete with each other positively. For example, I can view my friends’ blog and set a bench mark that I should do something better than this or I should be more critical and creative in presenting my blog. I really make use of TSL641 blog because it connects me with my friends and also help me in completing the assignments as I can see how my seniors and friends do it. Sometimes reading the instructions alone are not that helpful, but if we see the examples of the tasks then it will help us to comprehend the gist of the assignment really is.
Secondly, it reminds me of self-study. As a learner, I use a lot of references to complete my assignments, one of it is internet. I have learned a lot from this source. Sometimes, I myself am not sure about the correct pronunciation of few vocabularies. Then, I usually use online dictionary to help me to get the right pronunciation of the word.
When I was doing my practicum, sometimes I am too tired to construct my own task sheet to be used in my teaching. I often surf ESL websites to get a printable task sheets and search for pictures, information and also videos to be used in my teaching.
5. Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
There are two characteristics of the
“Learning is facilitated if the learners discovers or creates rather than remembers and repeats what is to be learned” and “learning is facilitated by problem solving involving the material to be learned” (Brown 2001; pg 28).
As stated by (Brown 2001; pg 28) above, the
I also found that this website application fit the characteristics of Direct Method theory of learning. Direct Method proposed that modeling examples is really important in the process of learning. The website that I have chosen is a website that makes learners to learn through examples, for example the quizzes and the task sheets provided in the website.
As Brandes and Ginnis put it;
“A system of providing education which has the student at its heart”
Based on the sacred statement above, I think that the most vital thing in education is the learners. A system which focuses on the students’ needs and aims in enhancing students’ learning. As I said earlier, I noticed that this website is very much student-centered which view the learners as the main focus in the learning process. There are several characteristics of student-centered learning related to the website. This website requires the users to experience and participate in the learning process as they have to gain the knowledge by themselves as suggested by Bennett (1976, p.38) regarding Progressive approach, “Pupils participate in curriculum planning”. The learners have freedom to choose what they are going to learn. The website provides many quizzes on various topics of English grammar and this gives the opportunity to users to take up the quizzes on the areas on English grammar that he or she does not master. After the learners take up the quizzes, they will get immediate feedback. The immediate feedback the learners get after taking up the quizzes motivates the learners extrinsically. It also promotes Discovery Learning as the students discover the knowledge via revising, analyzing and understanding rules of English grammar. As stated by (Thornbury, 1999), the knowledge the learners discover by themselves are more likely to fit their existing mental structures compared to the knowledge they have been presented with. This means what they have learned through discovery learning is more meaningful.
The application also involves the users with Collaborative Learning. Collaborative learning is about engaging the learners with others who are much superior such as teachers, advanced peers and etc. The users of the website can collaborate with others via forum in a slot called “Ask a Teacher”. Besides, we can also post a thread and other users will respond to the thread.
The website also relate to a theory of learning called Social Constructivist Approach. (Gauvain, 2001) stated that by interacting with others will help the learners to evaluate and refine their understanding as they were given the opportunity to see how other people think. This website exposed the learners to the thinking of others as they take part in creating shared understanding in forum. People think differently, by utilizing this website it helps us to see thing from other people’s window.
This website also draws my attention to a theory of learning on Cognitive Apprenticeship. According to (Santrock, 2001), Cognitive Apprenticeship can be defined as “A relationship in which an expert stretches and supports a novice’s understanding and use of a culture’s skills”. This shows the relationship of the learners with the skilled peers. Skilled peers or teachers will support students’ effort in understanding or doing a task. This will finally train the students to be independent learners as they continue to do the work on their own.
In my opinion, computer is neither “master” nor “slave” to the learning process. It is more to a helper or tools that help learners in learning process. Computer offer a great help in my teaching-learning process. When I was doing my practicum in SMKBJ, I use computer to assist me in constructing task sheets for my students. Computer helped me to serve the students a better understanding during the teaching-learning process. This relates to Situated Cognition in Constructivist theory. (Santrock,2001) define Situated Cognition as “ The idea that thinking is located (situated) in social and physical contexts, not within an individual’s mind”. I believe that human are prone to remember pictures rather than anything else. So, I use computer to show my students pictures, videos and etc to help them understand what they are going to learn.
Having computer is really helpful in teaching-learning process for both students and teachers, but it can never be a replacement for teachers. Somehow, students need guidance and assistance from the real teacher. Computer cannot fulfill students’ needs especially in term of motivation.
Yes, I will definitely use the application myself in my future work.
Firstly, it is because this website is definitely free and I do not have to purchase the information I need in the website. This means that I can access this website without to lose any penny. So, it’s economical.
Secondly, it is user friendly and it only requires the users to know basics computer skills such as clicking, browsing, printing, downloading and etc. it easy to access this website even in a low connectivity of internet.
Thirdly, I like the features as I mentioned in question 1. It has features just like what we have in Facebook and it works as my online educational diary, since I can organize things in event reminders feature provided in the user control panel of the website.
Fourthly, there will be always opportunity for me to improve myself by joining the forum and gain more knowledge from experienced teacher.
Fifthly, I really like the layout of the website. Some websites are muddled with too many pictures and animations. Website with many pictures will take quite some time to load the contents of the website, and I hate waiting for them to appear on my page.
Finally, the website provides me with extravagant tools and resources that will help me in my teaching-learning process such as topical quizzes, teacher forum, free handout, printable task sheet and lesson plan. It also provides me with easy tips to download software.
Based on my evaluation, most of the quizzes are in a form of multiple choice questions. It would be boring for students if they have to answer the MCQ all the time. Perhaps, the author should adopt other types of questioning such as in the form of passage, drag and drop pictures, mix and match, crossword puzzle and etc. So, it will be more fun for students to answer the quizzes.
Secondly, the website is lack of face validity as the color scheme of quizzes is so dull and uninviting. In fact, it would be better if the author put the sign up box and profile at the right side of homepage. As a member of the website, I enjoy using the features provided by the website, but for a first timer it is quite confusing to search for our own profile. So, it is better if the user control panel is located at the homepage, then it will be easier for the members to manage things.
Thirdly, I think it would be great if there is podcast or videos uploaded to this website. So that, the learners can also learns from videos and get better understanding of what they learn. In youtube.com, there are videos about Interjections, Nouns, Road Safety and etc. This might be useful to help the students to comprehend English grammar.
Finally, the website should not focus solely on grammar. It would be better if the website can “teach” the users in reading, listening, writing and writing skills. Just like the website evaluated by a friend of mine, Afni where the website covered the four skills which is listening, speaking, reading and writing and also provided variety of fun quizzes and language games. For example; a slot that could help learners to improve their speaking skills such as pronunciation of lexical.
3 comments:
Finally,i manage 2comment my own blog...hehe
Well done 9.6/10
Thank you, Dr :)
Post a Comment