Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Thursday, March 26, 2015
CALL (Computer-Assisted Language Learning)
Definition of CALL
Computer Assisted Language
Learning (CALL) is defined as a kind of approach to language teaching and
learning which the computer is used as the tool to support the language
teaching and learning process itself, it can be presenting the material, doing
assessment, doing assignment, and so on. In other words, CALL is related to the utilization of
computer in the language teaching and learning process.
The Reason Why ELT Teachers Use CALL
According to this article
there are several reasons why ELT teachers use CALL.
1. Computers can do
some of the work of the teacher and provide great assistance to the learner
even without the presence of the teacher (Pennington and Steven, 1992).
2. New technologies have
seen computers become smaller, faster, and easier for the teacher to use (Evy,
1997). At present, well-designed CALL software is readily available to the
teacher.
3. Technologies
allow computers to do multimedia applications, incorporating video, sound, and
text, and this capacity allows the learner to interact with both the program
and other learners. (Felix, 1998).
4. The computer
offers great flexibility for class scheduling and pacing of individual
learning, choosing activities and content to suit individual learning styles.
(Oxford and others, 1998)
Uses of Call
in English Language Teaching
1.
Computer as Drill and Practice
In this use of CALL, computers are viewed as a tool for saving
time with the immediate feedback. Drill and practice consists of three steps: providing
stimulus; receiving active response from the learner; and giving immediate
feedback. There are several types of drill and practice activities (exercises)
such as paired associate (matching), sentence completion, multiple choice, part
identification, true-false and short-answer questions.
2. Computer as tutor
The role of the computer as tutor is to present to the students
the content of the lesson such as text graphics, video, animation, or slides,
including learning activities, drills and practice. The computer serves as a
means for delivering instructional materials.
3. Computer used for simulation / problem solving
Simulation and problem solving is used to train our critical
thinking, do discussion and writing activity. The program is designed to create
language interaction to face problematic situation or challenging problem for
learner to solve. This program is usually in form of game which is educational
and entertaining (edutainment)
4. Computer as game
The main principle behind computer gaming is that "Learning
is Fun." The main aim is to create a pleasurable learning environment, and
to motivate the language learner. However, good educational games should have
clear educational objectives. CALL games and simulation games are similar in
that both are designed to motivate students to learn through entertainment. However,
they are different in certain ways. Simulation games always use simulations
(real life situations) in the presentation of a game, while CALL games focus on
providing fun, but challenging environment to the learner.
5. Computer as tool for teachers and learners
Example :
-
Word processor :
Microsoft Word
-
Spelling checker :
Sentry Spelling-Checker Engine
-
Grammar checker :
Grammar check on Microsoft Word
6. Internet application
Example :
Email, FTP (File Transfer Protocol), and www (world wide web)
Tips in Using
CALL
The following are tips for ELT teachers in using CALL:
- CALL is one of many learning resources. In their teaching,
teachers should try to combine it with other learning resources and materials
such as books, magazines, video, audio tape, and etc.
- Teacher should choose appropriate CALL software for the learner.
They have to consider about the age, material, need, and interest of the
students.
- Teaching with computer may not be easy for all teachers. It
requires a lot of preparation, such as setting up the computer itself,
preparing suitable software and materials, including follow up activities.
There should be a good team work among the teachers to support the
implementation of CALL in class.
Conclusion
If teachers can choose the
appropriate program to be used, CALL will be really useful for supporting the
language learning and teaching process. It makes the learning process more interesting
and makes the students are motivated to learn. Using
effective and suitable software applications, CALL can provide communicative
meaningful language learning environments. But CALL will never replace the role
of the teacher. The effectiveness of CALL depends on how the teachers utilize
it to meet the language learning goals for individualized learners in specific
educational settings.
Sources :
Saturday, March 21, 2015
ICT Tools, Roles and Application in Education and Language Learning
ICT Tools and the Role
Nowadays, ICT is something that can’t be separated from our life. One of
its utilization is in educational life. What is meant by ICT tools here is a
technology that is useful for supporting learning and teaching process in
education like PC or laptop, projector, interactive whiteboard, LCD, monitor
and so on.
The use of ICT can give good
impact to the learning process, especially for the student learning and the
teaching methods. As cited from http://www.elmoglobal.com/en/html/ict/01.aspx, “A
report made by the National Institute of Multimedia Education in Japan, proved
that an increase in student exposure to educational ICT through
curriculum integration has a significant and positive impact on student
achievement, especially in terms of Knowledge
- Comprehension, Practical
skill, Presentation
skill in subject
areas such as mathematics, science, and social study.” For teachers, ICT helps
them to present the material and organize the class activity interestingly, dynamically,
and effectively. For example, teachers can use interactive board, video, power
point, blog, e-book and so on. For students, ICT helps them accessing
information easily, doing their assignments in more fun way, and gaining the
information or the material in more interesting way. It also makes the lesson
more enjoyable, which could improve students’ attendance and concentration. Students
will be more enthusiastic in doing their assignment if the teacher can make use
of the ICT tools appropriately. For example, watching or making a video as the
assignment, posting the assignment to their blogs, doing an online quiz, and so
on.
ICT
in English Class
In English class, ICT also
has an important role to support the learning and teaching process. For
example, for the teaching process, a teacher can make use of an online or
offline dictionary which is supported by the sound of how to pronounce a word
in teaching pronunciation. Then, she/he can also make us of video to give the
students example of how native speaker speak in listening class, to measure
their understanding of a story or speech in the video by asking the students to
retell or rewrite them and many others. For the learning process, a student can
also make use of the online or offline dictionary to help them in pronouncing
or translating something. Then, many websites that provide some material about
English can also help them in learning English. For example Zenius English, BBC Learning English, VOA Learning English, and so on.
The
ICT application in Education and Language Learning
For the detail, here are some
examples of the ICT application in Education and Language Learning.
1. Prezi
This is a kind of presentation software or what we
previously known as PowerPoint. But I think it is more interesting than
PowerPoint. Prezi provides us a virtual canvas upon which to pin text slides,
video clips and images and to present our ideas. In term of style, Prezi can
engage the students’ attention who is bored with the cheesy slide transition on
the white board.
2. StudyBlue
StudyBlue
is an online studying platform for high school and college students. The website
allows users to upload class study materials, create electronic flashcard to
study and share with others, and practice quizzes. StudyBlue allows students to
store their notes in the cloud and connect with other students studying the
same subjects. StudyBlue content can be accessed online or on mobile phone application.
3. Google Docs
Google Docs offers online word processing,
spreadsheet creation and presentation package. If students use Google Docs
forward processing, for example, their work is accessible from any computer
connected to the internet. Better still, when they add their teacher as a collaborator
to a document, not only can teachers add real-time comments to pupils' work,
but they can monitor every revision made by a pupil or group.
4. Edmodo
Edmodo is a social-networking website for teachers,
students, and parents. This website appearance is similar to Facebook. Teachers
can invite students into private groups that can be used for online classroom
discussions, but in a format that keeps the teacher firmly in control. Teachers
give students a class signup code, which can be deactivated once all students
have signed up, and students in turn are encouraged to share the code with
their parents, allowing them to monitor their own child's activity. The applications
are Discussions, Learning Communities, a Parent Role, Analytics, Security,
Groups, and many more. Edmodo has the right features, without there being so
much to learn that teachers get overwhelmed and lost.
5. Cambridge Learner's Dictionary
This dictionary has two versions, online and offline. For the online version you can visit here. You can also pin it to your website or blog. As the example, you can see it in right sidebar of this blog. For the offline one, you can download and install it from here. This dictionary is completed by the phonetic transcription and the sound of how to pronounce a word, thesaurus, word building (to find out the part of speech of a word), extra example, verb ending, and collocations. It's so complete that can help you learning English better.
5. Cambridge Learner's Dictionary
This dictionary has two versions, online and offline. For the online version you can visit here. You can also pin it to your website or blog. As the example, you can see it in right sidebar of this blog. For the offline one, you can download and install it from here. This dictionary is completed by the phonetic transcription and the sound of how to pronounce a word, thesaurus, word building (to find out the part of speech of a word), extra example, verb ending, and collocations. It's so complete that can help you learning English better.
Sources:
Friday, March 13, 2015
Management Information System
Management Information Sytem (MIS)
Management Information System (MIS) is a computer-based system used by managers to manage their works in an organization effectively. In MIS, there are three main resources, they are technology, information, and people. When studying management information system, those resources are the key component, and the most important recourse is people.
Hypertext
Hypertext is a text which connected or linked to other text. We usually find hypertext when we go to a website, we point to a text and we will be presented with the information of the text we pointed to. For example, on Edmodo page, when we point to “progress”, that website will show us the information of our progress (about the assignments and the grade) during attending a certain class. Another example is, on an email account, when we point to “inbox”, we will be lead to the list of mails we receive. This brown text also called hypertext. When we point to it, the information about brown colour will be showed.
Hypermedia
The concept of hypermedia is actually the same with hypertext. The difference is in the information we get. Hypertext presents the information in form of text, while hypermedia presents it in form of media (sounds, images, and movies). For example, when we point to a text or link, and that text or link lead us to a video in YouTube page.
Multimedia
Multimedia uses computers to present text, audio, video, animation, interactive features, and still images in various ways and combinations made possible through the advancement of technology. Multimedia can be accessed through computers or electronic devices and integrates the various forms together. One example of multimedia would be combining a website with video, like YouTube, audio like SoundCloud, or text images. Multimedia provides us a new way of communication and getting information. In terms of education, students can make use of it to support their study. They can search for many information and supporting material they need, like the use of google, google scholar, online and offline dictionary, or etc. Besides, teachers can also make use of it to share information to the students, to give them assignments, or to conduct an online test. They can use blog, Edmodo, group facility on facebook, or etc.
I conclude that Management Information System will help managers to manage their works in an organization. Things will be done efficiently and effectively. Then, the development of technology nowadays will make us easier to get information. Besides, by those facilities or technology - hypertext, hypermedia, and multimedia –we can also present something in more interesting way. People is the most important recourse to combine all those technologies to provide or get information. So, the combination of all above will give benefit for us
Management Information System (MIS) is a computer-based system used by managers to manage their works in an organization effectively. In MIS, there are three main resources, they are technology, information, and people. When studying management information system, those resources are the key component, and the most important recourse is people.
Hypertext
Hypertext is a text which connected or linked to other text. We usually find hypertext when we go to a website, we point to a text and we will be presented with the information of the text we pointed to. For example, on Edmodo page, when we point to “progress”, that website will show us the information of our progress (about the assignments and the grade) during attending a certain class. Another example is, on an email account, when we point to “inbox”, we will be lead to the list of mails we receive. This brown text also called hypertext. When we point to it, the information about brown colour will be showed.
Hypermedia
The concept of hypermedia is actually the same with hypertext. The difference is in the information we get. Hypertext presents the information in form of text, while hypermedia presents it in form of media (sounds, images, and movies). For example, when we point to a text or link, and that text or link lead us to a video in YouTube page.
Multimedia uses computers to present text, audio, video, animation, interactive features, and still images in various ways and combinations made possible through the advancement of technology. Multimedia can be accessed through computers or electronic devices and integrates the various forms together. One example of multimedia would be combining a website with video, like YouTube, audio like SoundCloud, or text images. Multimedia provides us a new way of communication and getting information. In terms of education, students can make use of it to support their study. They can search for many information and supporting material they need, like the use of google, google scholar, online and offline dictionary, or etc. Besides, teachers can also make use of it to share information to the students, to give them assignments, or to conduct an online test. They can use blog, Edmodo, group facility on facebook, or etc.
I conclude that Management Information System will help managers to manage their works in an organization. Things will be done efficiently and effectively. Then, the development of technology nowadays will make us easier to get information. Besides, by those facilities or technology - hypertext, hypermedia, and multimedia –we can also present something in more interesting way. People is the most important recourse to combine all those technologies to provide or get information. So, the combination of all above will give benefit for us
Sources :
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