website evaluation

What does the application attempt to “teach”?

The application attempts to make English language learners practice speaking English. It focuses on conversations that learners use daily as well as those which are necessary when learners need assistance or clarification in doing something. Other than speaking, the application also provides learners with writing practice in which students have to type out their responses in a conversation and the program will correct any grammatical and spelling error.

What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?

The application user is expected to choose one of the topics provided such as small talk, college life and so on or they can also choose one of the three robots which are hotel robot, shopping robot and apartment robot by clicking on the label. Then, if learners choose one of the robots, they will have to study the conversations provided first by reading and listening to them several times. Then, learners can try practicing these conversations with the robot by typing their questions in the space provided for the computer to response with its computer voice.

What sorts of computer skills is the application users expected to have in order to operate/ access/ use the application?

There is not much skills in application that users are expected to be competent in. In order to operate the application, users need to be capable of using the keyboard and typing out their questions and responses. Other than that, if they want to utilize the sound system, they can do so. Thus, they have to install speech recognition software in order to ‘interact’ with the computer and they will have to know how to use the microphone.

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 a self-study?

While accessing the application, I could recall the time when I had to learn a third language which is Mandarin. We were provided with a courseware in which we could listen to the correct pronunciation and study the correct spelling of certain words in Mandarin. While struggling for the quizzes, I had to drill myself in order to memorize some of the long, daily conversations and the pronunciation is the most tricky part. Therefore, I had to really listen to the courseware and imitate as well as memorize the spoken conversations.

Other than that, I have to admit that I learnt Arabic language more or less the same way with learning Mandarin language. The only thing was, I practiced drilling more severely in learning Arabic compared to learning Mandarin language.

I would say that learners who use English as the second language and those who have some basic knowledge of English language would find the program less frustrating compared to those who perceive the language as a foreign one. Fortunately, the program is meant to be for ESL learners.

Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?

This application adopts one of the learning theories which is the Direct Method. This method “simulates the ‘natural’ way in which children learn their first language” (Brown, 2001). This application sufficiently fits the principles of the Direct Method by exposing learners to lots of oral interaction, teaching speech and listening comprehension and emphasizing correct pronunciation and grammar. Moreover, this application does not miss to adopt the core principal of the Direct Method which is conducting the teaching exclusively in the target language.

Other than that, the application also adopts some of the principals in the Audiolingual Method. Brown (2001) highlights the characteristics of the Audiolingual Method and some of the characteristics have been identified as being adopted in the principals. They are:
1) new material is presented in dialogue form
2) there is much use of tapes
3) there is dependence on mimicricy and memorization of set phrases
4) new material is presented in dialogue form
5) structural patterns are taught using repetitive drills

How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website(s)?

As we are well-aware of, constructivist theory of learning highlights learning as “the process where individuals construct new ideas or concepts based on prior knowledge and/or experience”.

The chosen website has not missed to adopt constructivist theory of learning. Even though it adopts the two learning theories mentioned in the previous question, there are still some principals in the constructivist theory of learning found in the program. This is apparent when learners get the chance to type out their questions or responses for the computer to respond to. Learners get to apply what they have in their schemata during practicing and construct new concepts. For example, some things that learners learn in the college life topic can also be applied in the conversations about food.

Overall, despite the fact that the program does apply Direct Method and Audiolingual Method of learning, it still integrates constructivist theory of learning where appropriate. Thus, we can say that the author has somehow succeeded in striking a balance in terms of methods of learning applied.

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?

Computer has undoubtedly been a helpful tool in assisting teaching and learning in a classroom and literacy in using it is beyond necessary. However, I personally think that the computer should not replace teachers on account of several grounds.

Firstly, a computer is by no means a human being, thus it has no feelings and emotions. Undeniably, feelings and emotions are very important in teaching and learning process since learners are human and they need all sorts of motivations and compassion. A study on the “Emotions of Teaching and educational Change” done by Hargreaves (2000) concludes the study with a statement that “if we are serious about standards, we must become serious about emotions too” (Glasgow & Hicks, 2003). Even though a computer is capable of assisting and guiding learners in learning, it is not capable of dealing with learners’ personal difficulty in learning. Therefore, emotional distance between the computer and students becomes more apparent and severe.

Secondly, since the computer is a robot, it definitely does not have good interaction skills. Undeniably, interaction skill is very important for teachers in order for them to guide, motivate and build good rapport with students. Moreover, one of the skills for teachers to interact better would be adding humor to student interaction. There is no way to deny that teachers have found “the use of humor as a positive way of putting students at ease, gaining attention and showing students that the teacher is indeed human” (Glasgow & Hicks, 2003; p 27).

Thirdly, learning process is not about teacher-student relationship only. It involves parents too. The involvement of parents in their children’s schooling has been associated with “better attendance, more positive student attitudes and behavior, greater willingness to do homework and higher academic achievement” (Becher, 1984; Epstein, 1984; Haynes, Corner, & Hamilton-Lee, 1989; Henderson, 1987; Henderson & Berla, 1995; Burden & Byrd, 1999). Thus, it is remarkable that the computer would not be able to replace teacher’s role especially in

Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?

I do not think I would use the application to teach my students since the range of conversation is quite limited whereas there are a lot of things to be learnt in carrying out daily conversation such as pragmatic aspect, formality to certain people and so on. Even though the website does provide students with the chance to type out their questions applied in their daily life to which the program will response, sometimes the response from the program is not appropriate, hence it will confuse learners.

However, this does not mean that I would avoid the application thoroughly. I might use the application to expose my children to daily English conversation as well as to get them practice speaking and writing. Even though in a way the scope is limited, I could still enhance and polish their knowledge and speaking skills as we do live our daily life.

Suggestions / Recommendations.

Personally, I do think that this website somehow can benefit learners although it has some weaknesses and it can benefit learners better in the weaknesses is overcame. Thus, there are two recommendations that I would like to share.

Firstly, the author may add more robots so that, despite the limitations highlighted, learners have wider chance of practicing speaking English. Secondly, the author can keep on upgrading the robots’ ‘intelligence’ so that the responses given are more appropriate and they can respond to more questions better.

All in all, the selected website is a good effort in churning out more competent English speakers in the world and parents and teachers can definitely grab the chance to polish their children’s English proficiency.


Website’s address: http://www.eslfast.com/robot/




















REFERENCES

Ø Glasgow, N. A., & Hicks, C. D., (2003) What Successful Teachers Do: Research-Based Classroom Strategies for New and Veteran Teachers. UK: Corwin Press, Inc.

Ø Brown, H. D., (2001) Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy (2nd. Ed). New York: Longman.


Ø Burden, P. R., & Byrd, D. M., (1999) Methods for Effective Teaching (2nd ed). USA: Allyn & Bacon.

why? why? why?

do you ever believe in 'blessings in disguise'? i do. but i think it's severely disguised that i couldn't see light though im reaching the end of the tunnel. does it take a lifetime of patience to be happily ever after? does it? shakespeare is a real master of love coz he once said, "the course of tru love never did run smooth". that's just so damn true! im just crippled..