Tuesday, March 2, 2010
article review
A. CITATION:
OPPORTUNITIES IN TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED LANGUAGE LEARNING (TELL) CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS
Teaching English with Technology
A Journal for Teachers of English
ISSN 1642-1027
Vol. 4, Issue 4 (October 2004)
Hee-Jung Jung
Washington State University
Pullman, WA, USA
heejungmail@yahoo.com
Sang Hyun Kim
University of Mississippi
University, MS, USA
sang_hyunkim@yahoo.com
B. SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE:
The aim of the research was to explore the opportunities that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers have created to help students meet English language literacy goals in technology enhance language learning (TELL) classroom environment.
This was a qualitative study which examines the opportunities in two technology enhanced language learning (TELL) classroom environments through interviews, observation and document collection for two months. The language classroom observations would help understand the language-learning contexts and discover how the learning environment carried out goals of language learning in the classroom. The last method is through documentation. During the observations and interviews, important materials that could be helpful to understand the classroom environment such as lesson plan, hand outs, curriculum guidelines and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) guidelines for EFL classroom were collected. Students’ interviews were conducted after class observation while teachers were interviewed twice, at the beginning and end of the data collection period.
The participants in this research were the 5th grade EFL students and 8th grade EFL students from 2 different schools in the same local city in South Korea. The 5th graders were composed of 22 boys and 20 girls while the 8th graders were constituted of 15 boys and 25 girls. These students were all speaking Korean as their first language and learning English as foreign language. The teacher teaching the 5th graders is specializing in English education at a teacher education college. She had taught English for two years in the elementary school and had used technology since she started her teaching career in this elementary school. While teacher who taught the 8th graders had received his qualification from colleges of education and had taught English for 5 years. Like their students, both of the teachers spoke Korean as their first language and learnt English as their foreign language. They also did not have any chance to take a class related to CALL or educational technology, but they took some teacher training sessions at a local ministry of education (MOE) workshop. Unlike the first teacher, teacher who taught 8th graders had a rich background in computers; skilful in repairing hardware and in using multimedia software-performing also the function of a school technician to fix the computer applications when needed.
To discuss the TELL environments, a framework of eight conditions (interaction, authentic, audience, authentic task, opportunities for exposure and production, time/feedback, motivation, atmosphere and control) developed by Egbert (1993) was employed. The findings of the study can be summarized as follows: condition 1, learners have opportunities to interact and negotiate meaning. From observation, using software as a primary tool caused reducing chances to interact with classmates. However, the teachers tried their best to provide various chances to interact and negotiate meaning in the classroom. The teachers also believed that while technology is just a tool to provide ways to interact with other students rather than it interacts with the students directly. Thus, it was realized that the teachers believed that the technologies interacted with their students in their classrooms. Condition 2, learners interact in target language with an authentic audience. In this study, it was found that the technology supported the teachers and students to be authentic audiences. Unfortunately, technology in TELL classroom did not provide opportunities for human interactions. Nevertheless, the quality of interactions between classmates and teachers was improved with the aid of technology. Condition 3, learners are involved in authentic tasks. With the aid of software and the internet, the students were able to learn in authentic situation and overcoming the limitations of time, money and resources. However, the teachers sometimes focused on the completion of task without considering proper learning goals as they claimed that it was difficult to flexibly adjust their curriculum for authentic activities. Condition 4, learners are exposed and encouraged to produce varied and creative language. Students kept using expressions and new vocabulary in each lesson. However, the students became addicted to big activities. Condition 5, learners have enough time and feedback. Technology did not provide feedbacks for the students and unfortunately, teachers also did not have chances to check the assignments given to the students because of the time constrain. Condition 6, learners are guided to attend mindfully to the learning process. Both teachers claimed that they considered the students levels and designed the lesson to fit their levels to guide them to attend mindfully to the learning process. Condition 7, learners work in an atmosphere with an ideal stress/anxiety level. TELL language classroom did not stress the students as the activities are interesting and technology also help to create informal and intimate relationship between teachers and students. Condition 8, learners’ autonomy is supported. The classroom is teacher-centred. However, the students prefer it and they listen actively in the classroom.
C. REACTION:
This research is very valuable for teachers. This is because; teachers will know the real situation when using technology in the classroom. The framework used to evaluate the research is also suitable for classroom environment. Recently, most researches were focused on the effectiveness of technology, not on the using of the medium itself. And in CALL studies, technology is seen as “magic pill” to solve any problems in education. The focus of the researches has always been the advantages of the medium. However, there are a lot more than that in teaching and learning, classroom environment is also important for the students to learn optimally. This research is also well conducted as researchers used suitable amount of participants and several means of data collections. The only limitation of the study is the scope where it was too narrow. More researches to study this problem in other countries should be done to help the language teachers who want to implement technology in the classroom.
D. IMPLICATION OF RESEARCH IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (IN MALAYSIAN CONTEXT)
This research will help to make Malaysian teachers to be more aware of the advantages, disadvantages and other side effects that come with technology. In this research, the researches study the opportunities in learning when we integrate technology in the language classroom. In Malaysia, technology is seen as a teaching aid which is very important in helping teachers to make the lesson more interactive and interesting. However, when reading the findings of the research, teachers will understand the implications of technology in classroom. Especially regarding the students and whether their learning opportunities are bigger using technology. Most of the teacher trainees in Malaysia are taking CALL to learn more about technology and ways to best implement it in teaching. However, the in-service teachers do not have the formal classes to learn about technology. Thus, this research will be a good reading material for teachers who like to use multimedia in their teaching so that they will not omit certain crucial factors that need to be taken into consideration when learning using technology.
http://www.iatefl.org.pl/call/j_article19.htm
OPPORTUNITIES IN TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED LANGUAGE LEARNING (TELL) CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENTS
Teaching English with Technology
A Journal for Teachers of English
ISSN 1642-1027
Vol. 4, Issue 4 (October 2004)
Hee-Jung Jung
Washington State University
Pullman, WA, USA
heejungmail@yahoo.com
Sang Hyun Kim
University of Mississippi
University, MS, USA
sang_hyunkim@yahoo.com
B. SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE:
The aim of the research was to explore the opportunities that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers have created to help students meet English language literacy goals in technology enhance language learning (TELL) classroom environment.
This was a qualitative study which examines the opportunities in two technology enhanced language learning (TELL) classroom environments through interviews, observation and document collection for two months. The language classroom observations would help understand the language-learning contexts and discover how the learning environment carried out goals of language learning in the classroom. The last method is through documentation. During the observations and interviews, important materials that could be helpful to understand the classroom environment such as lesson plan, hand outs, curriculum guidelines and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) guidelines for EFL classroom were collected. Students’ interviews were conducted after class observation while teachers were interviewed twice, at the beginning and end of the data collection period.
The participants in this research were the 5th grade EFL students and 8th grade EFL students from 2 different schools in the same local city in South Korea. The 5th graders were composed of 22 boys and 20 girls while the 8th graders were constituted of 15 boys and 25 girls. These students were all speaking Korean as their first language and learning English as foreign language. The teacher teaching the 5th graders is specializing in English education at a teacher education college. She had taught English for two years in the elementary school and had used technology since she started her teaching career in this elementary school. While teacher who taught the 8th graders had received his qualification from colleges of education and had taught English for 5 years. Like their students, both of the teachers spoke Korean as their first language and learnt English as their foreign language. They also did not have any chance to take a class related to CALL or educational technology, but they took some teacher training sessions at a local ministry of education (MOE) workshop. Unlike the first teacher, teacher who taught 8th graders had a rich background in computers; skilful in repairing hardware and in using multimedia software-performing also the function of a school technician to fix the computer applications when needed.
To discuss the TELL environments, a framework of eight conditions (interaction, authentic, audience, authentic task, opportunities for exposure and production, time/feedback, motivation, atmosphere and control) developed by Egbert (1993) was employed. The findings of the study can be summarized as follows: condition 1, learners have opportunities to interact and negotiate meaning. From observation, using software as a primary tool caused reducing chances to interact with classmates. However, the teachers tried their best to provide various chances to interact and negotiate meaning in the classroom. The teachers also believed that while technology is just a tool to provide ways to interact with other students rather than it interacts with the students directly. Thus, it was realized that the teachers believed that the technologies interacted with their students in their classrooms. Condition 2, learners interact in target language with an authentic audience. In this study, it was found that the technology supported the teachers and students to be authentic audiences. Unfortunately, technology in TELL classroom did not provide opportunities for human interactions. Nevertheless, the quality of interactions between classmates and teachers was improved with the aid of technology. Condition 3, learners are involved in authentic tasks. With the aid of software and the internet, the students were able to learn in authentic situation and overcoming the limitations of time, money and resources. However, the teachers sometimes focused on the completion of task without considering proper learning goals as they claimed that it was difficult to flexibly adjust their curriculum for authentic activities. Condition 4, learners are exposed and encouraged to produce varied and creative language. Students kept using expressions and new vocabulary in each lesson. However, the students became addicted to big activities. Condition 5, learners have enough time and feedback. Technology did not provide feedbacks for the students and unfortunately, teachers also did not have chances to check the assignments given to the students because of the time constrain. Condition 6, learners are guided to attend mindfully to the learning process. Both teachers claimed that they considered the students levels and designed the lesson to fit their levels to guide them to attend mindfully to the learning process. Condition 7, learners work in an atmosphere with an ideal stress/anxiety level. TELL language classroom did not stress the students as the activities are interesting and technology also help to create informal and intimate relationship between teachers and students. Condition 8, learners’ autonomy is supported. The classroom is teacher-centred. However, the students prefer it and they listen actively in the classroom.
C. REACTION:
This research is very valuable for teachers. This is because; teachers will know the real situation when using technology in the classroom. The framework used to evaluate the research is also suitable for classroom environment. Recently, most researches were focused on the effectiveness of technology, not on the using of the medium itself. And in CALL studies, technology is seen as “magic pill” to solve any problems in education. The focus of the researches has always been the advantages of the medium. However, there are a lot more than that in teaching and learning, classroom environment is also important for the students to learn optimally. This research is also well conducted as researchers used suitable amount of participants and several means of data collections. The only limitation of the study is the scope where it was too narrow. More researches to study this problem in other countries should be done to help the language teachers who want to implement technology in the classroom.
D. IMPLICATION OF RESEARCH IN TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (IN MALAYSIAN CONTEXT)
This research will help to make Malaysian teachers to be more aware of the advantages, disadvantages and other side effects that come with technology. In this research, the researches study the opportunities in learning when we integrate technology in the language classroom. In Malaysia, technology is seen as a teaching aid which is very important in helping teachers to make the lesson more interactive and interesting. However, when reading the findings of the research, teachers will understand the implications of technology in classroom. Especially regarding the students and whether their learning opportunities are bigger using technology. Most of the teacher trainees in Malaysia are taking CALL to learn more about technology and ways to best implement it in teaching. However, the in-service teachers do not have the formal classes to learn about technology. Thus, this research will be a good reading material for teachers who like to use multimedia in their teaching so that they will not omit certain crucial factors that need to be taken into consideration when learning using technology.
http://www.iatefl.org.pl/call/j_article19.htm
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
1st blog ever!
hi ladies..
welcome to my 1st ever blog entry..
i dont even know what to write here..
not much of a writer myself..
have to create this to help me pass my CALL subject and graduate altogether..
hehe
but, if any of u ever read this, let's help each other..
what do u think is the best topic for this blog?
xoxo
atie
welcome to my 1st ever blog entry..
i dont even know what to write here..
not much of a writer myself..
have to create this to help me pass my CALL subject and graduate altogether..
hehe
but, if any of u ever read this, let's help each other..
what do u think is the best topic for this blog?
xoxo
atie
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