The website picked to be assessed is the http://www.learn-english-today.com/ and you can access to the website through here. This website was taken in the http://tsl641.blogspot.com/ listed by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Izaham Shah Ismail in helping the fellow students to get access with the ESL language games and content online.
1. What does the application attempt to “teach”?
This is an online lesson and wordgame that mainly to teach the students of various grade levels ESL and EFL. It also provides an e-Learning of vocabulary, idioms, proverbs and English lessons. For example, http://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/ambition-determination.htm and http://www.learn-english-today.com/Proverbs/proverbs_A-K.html. The English lessons provided in the web teach the students the basic of English to the advanced level of the language. Its main concerns are to provide the students with the vast information of the language as well as to develop the students’ proficiency. For example, students can get access to English verbs and exercises online without any hassle of traditional chalk and talk by the teacher; http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/present_simple_lesson.html. Its detailed explanation, examples and exercises are very convenient and comprehensible. The wordgames included on the other hand, are merely to expose the students about the fun and interesting part about grammar and the language components. There are also jokes, riddles, and brain-teasers in which can help students to increase their vocabulary and power of the use of the language. For example, http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-xwords/entertainment.html.
2. What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?
The free and no-signing in application that provides the application users to gain access to build up and develop their skills in increasing their vocabulary as well as to brush up their grammar skills in English. The learning from this application can be applied by the students writing and reading comprehension activities. For example, after a detailed explanation of Active and Passive form of Verbs, teachers may give the students an exercise to replace active phrases to passive ones like this, http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/passive-ex.htm. The lists of idioms and proverbs provided here; http://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idioms_proverbs.html can as well be the students’ reference for everyday conversations and reading.
3. What sorts of computer skills is the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?
This is an easy access application in which if the application users have the Internet connection and without worrying about the hassles of signing in as a member or underlying cost the application is ready to be operate/access/use. There is no need of downloading any special software to open the website or any usage of the Microsoft Office. All needed is Internet connection, a personal desktop and a basic language skills and the application is good to go.
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. The exercises provided in the English Verbs, Grammar and Vocabs where the explanation is slightly the same with the textbook and the exercise books. However, it is rather interesting to have it in an application whereby there are hands-on activities than reading and copying from the textbook to the exercise book. As for future teachers, the wordgames such as crosswords puzzles and matching exercises; http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-match/meanings_run-match2.html it would be easier to be used in the classroom rather than writing them out on a Mahjong paper. This will give less chaos in the classroom as well as saves the teacher’s energy, time and money in producing the game on paper.
As for the quizzes in the application, there are several questions in the quizzes that were used by the teachers during the in-class exercises such as; http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-quizzes/Prepositions-quiz1.htm and http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-missingwords/shaggy-dog.htm.
5. Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
There are several theories of language learning that can be found in the application and one of them is the Bloom’s Taxonomy in which the activities provided are according to the students’ levels of thinking. The questions in the quizzes and wordgames are arranged accordingly level by level according to the students’ proficiency. The order of thinking skills varied from beginner, intermediate to advance levels and it is appropriately for the students to start from scratch and to keep up to date with the development from time to time. It helps to motivate the students to learn and at the same time to have fun with the ESL activities. Also, this application emphasizes on the Communicative Competence or the grammatical competence provided. Examples of this can be seen in the quizzes section.
This application’s vast activities on grammar simplified that the generator of the application believes that every child owns the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) by Noam Chomsky. According to David, 2004, Chomsky’s theory supposes that the ability to learn language is inborn, that nature is more important than nurture and that experience using language is only necessary in order to activate the LAD. Therefore, the exercises, quizzes and lessons of grammatical components are included in the application.
6. How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website(s)?
According to Jean Piaget, individuals construct new knowledge from their experiences through processes of accommodation and assimilation. This application focuses on the aspects of the two processes.
This application not merely providing grammar exercises also motivation for learning in which the learning is strongly dependent on the learner’s confidence in his or her potential for learning. The teacher acts only as a facilitator or instructor when the application is being operated. From here the Constructivist Intervention is applied, Baursfeld (1995) .
7. 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?
The matter of computers replacing the job of a teacher is oblivious. How can a career of a teacher be replaced by non-living things that we call technology? Is it simply because of its highly technological usage in everyday situation that teachers are no longer needed in school or the society? Well, as for me, computers made life easier and that does not give the implication that we don’t need a teacher.
Technology, computers and Internet are the medium of interaction in which everyone is able to use to ease the everyday routines. It can be used for good purpose such as retrieving new knowledge and education but can never be a replacement of a noble job as an educator. An educator or a teacher’s responsibility is not merely of teaching and implying knowledge also to guide the students towards moral, experience and the meaning of life. Yes, ironically we can see the whole world and experience events of life just at the tip our fingers but to think of it, can it help our future leaders and generation about the authenticity of life and how morality and humanity can be infuse in the hearts of our children.
8. Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?
Yes, I will use this application in my future work. Apart of its free access, simple and easily operated by everyone it also provides various grammatical exercises and interesting wordgames which are suitable for all age levels. Moreover, its various levels of thinking skills make it applicable to all grade levels.
9. Suggestions/recommendations
There are few recommendations and suggestions to help the application more lively and more interesting is that to add on more colourful pictures and images. The activities provided are fun but by adding some beautiful, 3D animations and pictures the experience can get more pleasurable.
Also, phonetics components such as pronunciations and sounds can be more interesting and authentic for conversations and dialogues.
Prepared by:
Siti Adibah Abdul Mutalib
2005478342
U8A
Date of Submission:
6th February 2009
1. What does the application attempt to “teach”?
This is an online lesson and wordgame that mainly to teach the students of various grade levels ESL and EFL. It also provides an e-Learning of vocabulary, idioms, proverbs and English lessons. For example, http://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idiom-categories/ambition-determination.htm and http://www.learn-english-today.com/Proverbs/proverbs_A-K.html. The English lessons provided in the web teach the students the basic of English to the advanced level of the language. Its main concerns are to provide the students with the vast information of the language as well as to develop the students’ proficiency. For example, students can get access to English verbs and exercises online without any hassle of traditional chalk and talk by the teacher; http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/present_simple_lesson.html. Its detailed explanation, examples and exercises are very convenient and comprehensible. The wordgames included on the other hand, are merely to expose the students about the fun and interesting part about grammar and the language components. There are also jokes, riddles, and brain-teasers in which can help students to increase their vocabulary and power of the use of the language. For example, http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-xwords/entertainment.html.
2. What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?
The free and no-signing in application that provides the application users to gain access to build up and develop their skills in increasing their vocabulary as well as to brush up their grammar skills in English. The learning from this application can be applied by the students writing and reading comprehension activities. For example, after a detailed explanation of Active and Passive form of Verbs, teachers may give the students an exercise to replace active phrases to passive ones like this, http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/passive-ex.htm. The lists of idioms and proverbs provided here; http://www.learn-english-today.com/idioms/idioms_proverbs.html can as well be the students’ reference for everyday conversations and reading.
3. What sorts of computer skills is the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?
This is an easy access application in which if the application users have the Internet connection and without worrying about the hassles of signing in as a member or underlying cost the application is ready to be operate/access/use. There is no need of downloading any special software to open the website or any usage of the Microsoft Office. All needed is Internet connection, a personal desktop and a basic language skills and the application is good to go.
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. The exercises provided in the English Verbs, Grammar and Vocabs where the explanation is slightly the same with the textbook and the exercise books. However, it is rather interesting to have it in an application whereby there are hands-on activities than reading and copying from the textbook to the exercise book. As for future teachers, the wordgames such as crosswords puzzles and matching exercises; http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-match/meanings_run-match2.html it would be easier to be used in the classroom rather than writing them out on a Mahjong paper. This will give less chaos in the classroom as well as saves the teacher’s energy, time and money in producing the game on paper.
As for the quizzes in the application, there are several questions in the quizzes that were used by the teachers during the in-class exercises such as; http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-quizzes/Prepositions-quiz1.htm and http://www.learn-english-today.com/wordgames/hotpot-missingwords/shaggy-dog.htm.
5. Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
There are several theories of language learning that can be found in the application and one of them is the Bloom’s Taxonomy in which the activities provided are according to the students’ levels of thinking. The questions in the quizzes and wordgames are arranged accordingly level by level according to the students’ proficiency. The order of thinking skills varied from beginner, intermediate to advance levels and it is appropriately for the students to start from scratch and to keep up to date with the development from time to time. It helps to motivate the students to learn and at the same time to have fun with the ESL activities. Also, this application emphasizes on the Communicative Competence or the grammatical competence provided. Examples of this can be seen in the quizzes section.
This application’s vast activities on grammar simplified that the generator of the application believes that every child owns the Language Acquisition Device (LAD) by Noam Chomsky. According to David, 2004, Chomsky’s theory supposes that the ability to learn language is inborn, that nature is more important than nurture and that experience using language is only necessary in order to activate the LAD. Therefore, the exercises, quizzes and lessons of grammatical components are included in the application.
6. How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website(s)?
According to Jean Piaget, individuals construct new knowledge from their experiences through processes of accommodation and assimilation. This application focuses on the aspects of the two processes.
This application not merely providing grammar exercises also motivation for learning in which the learning is strongly dependent on the learner’s confidence in his or her potential for learning. The teacher acts only as a facilitator or instructor when the application is being operated. From here the Constructivist Intervention is applied, Baursfeld (1995) .
7. 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?
The matter of computers replacing the job of a teacher is oblivious. How can a career of a teacher be replaced by non-living things that we call technology? Is it simply because of its highly technological usage in everyday situation that teachers are no longer needed in school or the society? Well, as for me, computers made life easier and that does not give the implication that we don’t need a teacher.
Technology, computers and Internet are the medium of interaction in which everyone is able to use to ease the everyday routines. It can be used for good purpose such as retrieving new knowledge and education but can never be a replacement of a noble job as an educator. An educator or a teacher’s responsibility is not merely of teaching and implying knowledge also to guide the students towards moral, experience and the meaning of life. Yes, ironically we can see the whole world and experience events of life just at the tip our fingers but to think of it, can it help our future leaders and generation about the authenticity of life and how morality and humanity can be infuse in the hearts of our children.
8. Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?
Yes, I will use this application in my future work. Apart of its free access, simple and easily operated by everyone it also provides various grammatical exercises and interesting wordgames which are suitable for all age levels. Moreover, its various levels of thinking skills make it applicable to all grade levels.
9. Suggestions/recommendations
There are few recommendations and suggestions to help the application more lively and more interesting is that to add on more colourful pictures and images. The activities provided are fun but by adding some beautiful, 3D animations and pictures the experience can get more pleasurable.
Also, phonetics components such as pronunciations and sounds can be more interesting and authentic for conversations and dialogues.
Prepared by:
Siti Adibah Abdul Mutalib
2005478342
U8A
Date of Submission:
6th February 2009
