TASK1 : WEBSITE EVALUATION

Website address: http://www.english-daily.com/

1. What does the application attempt to “teach”?

The website that I have chosen is attempting to teach English with different content daily. Each day, the users can learn different topics due to the constant daily updates. Basically, the English Daily website is created to improve their language competencies. A part from that, this website is actually teaching separately the components in English language in order to enhance the accuracy as well as the proficiency of the learners.

There are sixteen components altogether in the website which is divided into two categories eventhough they change the content daily which is the provided input/knowledge of English language without exercises or with exercises. They provide input for the users in term of Slang, Proverbs, Idioms, Word of The Day with the explanation of the word, Daily Abbreviations, Riddles that keeps us thinking, Tongue Twister that will make us practice spoken language as well as the Daily Help providing the users with writing skills such as explanation on the usage of punctuation and semicolon and also provided Quotes to motivate the users every day. Whereas there are also other components with explanations of the rules and together with exercises for example the Daily Exercise, Daily Grammar, Daily Business Exercise, Confusing Words, Travel Trips that will enhance the reading comprehension of the users and also the Daily Article given for the users. Not to mention that there is also Daily Games (Spelling Power) that caters all level of proficiency which is the beginner, intermediate and advance. Except for the Daily Games, the other components did not cover all of the levels.

The website is also attempting to “teach” self-directed learning for the users. It is also called intrinsic motivation in the users in order to enhance their knowledge and brushing-up their English language. Thus, this website was catered for individuals who wanted to personally widen their English in order to accomplish their desired proficiency.

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

The website serves as additional information for the users in learning English language. Thus, it doesn’t thoroughly teach English language to the users constantly according to the previous content provided in the website. So to say this website is appropriate for users with high motivation to enhance their proficiency in English knowledge and skills. Due to the daily updates, the users ought to visit the website everyday in order to keep on track on learning English language with the newest post. The users cannot choose the content that they wanted to learn but they can only choose the components listed on the website. They only have to click one after one of the components to get the input and try the exercises given whether reading the text, widen their knowledge in terms of grammar rules, proverbs and trying to solve the riddle as well having fun with the spelling power game. The users may click on which ever sixteen components on the website to experience the content of the day. It is up for the users to try it because they cannot choose the level of proficiency (beginner, intermediate or advance). The exercises given are user friendly because they will only have to either key in the answer or choose the answer true of false. After that, the results will be shown. If the users answered correctly, the letters will be in green with a smiley face shown at the end of the lines whereas if it is incorrect, red letters will appear with sad faces of smiley at the end of the lines also. The percentage of the users will appear at the bottom of the result together with other users’ results and the number of people whom already experience the English exercises. The answers to all of the questions are all provided with the explanation that are very easy to comprehend and easily understood. Afterwards, the users can click on back and choose other applications.

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

The website that I have chosen is a simple website for users to learn English language so they will only have to use their basic computer skills in order to use English Daily website. It is the very basic computer skill which is typing skills in order to key in the answers. Thus, there is no need for specific computer skills in order to use the website making it assessable for users regardless of the age. It is very simple and straight forward because all of the components in the website were hyperlinked. With only a click the desired sections will appear on the screen. There are no flash and Java Script being use in the website. It only appears that the website used HTML. A part from that, it is important that the users knows how to browse the website because they will have to click on the links provided to explore the entire website. Overall, there are no need for complicated applications and skills because the website is easy to use.

4. While you are “playing”/”accessing”/”assessing” the application, does it reminds you of anything you do in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with fellow classmate, or in self-study?

Yes, it reminds me during my school years. Reminiscence back on the old days during my schooling at MRSK Kuala Krai Kelantan, my teachers usually will either spoon-feed us with the knowledge and then they will explain it. Afterwards, exercises regarding the topic will be given for us. It is not authentic enough because it is more to drills and practices. But then, by using the technology and the World Wide Web, it is more interesting and it will absolutely grab the students’ attention and elongating their attention span. I did not really remember of playing this type of website during my school days but I clearly remembers using the internet to browse for information on the net. Mostly, I relied on books and courseware. During my practicum at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seksyen 4 Kota Damansara, I only get to use the computer lab once because they were reserved by the permanent teachers and they prioritize the clever classes. Nevertheless, I love to play word games on the internet and it clearly can add to my vocabulary. Whenever I feel like challenging my competency in English with word games, I will do it together with my nineteen years old sister. It is so much fun.

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

There are no direct theories being used in the website but I manage to identify some of it that I can relate and connect with the website. First of all is the Direct Method’. The website connects to this theory because the instruction in the website is conducted in the target language whereby English is being used as the medium of instructions. According to Brown (2001) “Concrete vocabulary was taught through demonstrations, objects and pictures; abstract vocabulary was taught by association of ideas”. A part from that, grammar was taught inductively whereby the users ought to discover it by themselves due to the activities that require the users to use their own knowledge in completing the exercises.

One more theory that I found relevant to the website is the theory of The Silent Way that promotes learning by discovery. By using the website, it is necessary for the users to work on their own and figuring out the questions and indications given. According to Brown (2001) again, he describes the Silent Way as “ Learners responses to commands, questions and visual cues,” and “ without grammatical explanation or modelling by the teachers”. As being found in the website, the users ought to discover the use of the applications on their own because there are no help menus included. A part from that, Brown (2001) also explained that “Learners are responsible for their own learning and must developed independence, autonomy, as well as responsibility”. It means that the users can control their own learning as well as their own pacing of it. Thus, they are responsible for their own learning and it is up to them whether they wanted to enhance their proficiency to a higher level.

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

According to J. Bruner (http://tip.psychology.org/bruner.html) constructivist learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge. The learner selects and transforms information, constructs hypotheses, and makes decisions, relying on a cognitive structure to do so. Cognitive structure (i.e., schema, mental models) provides meaning and organization to experiences and allows the individual to "go beyond the information given". Besides J.Bruner, other major pioneers relating to the constructivist theory are Vygotsky and Piaget. As mentioned above according to J. Bruner, ‘learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas based upon their current and past knowledge’. We are aware that students has their own ways as well as preference in learning and their proficiency differs from one another, thus teachers usually have difficulties in teaching mixed level of proficiency students. This website can help teachers with such problems due to the freedom for the students to choose their activities and caters to their needs as ESL students. The website is also promoting independent learning because the users require thinking and guessing for example the Daily Riddles and etc. So, the users ought to relate the given information with the existing knowledge that they already acquired and learned. This is connected with the Constructivist Learning Theory (2009) that “Students learn the new information that is presented to them by building upon knowledge that they already posses”.

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?

As mentioned during Computer Assisted Learning (CALL) class by Dr. Izaham Shah, the computer is as tutor because it knows all of the answers to the questions given; a stimulus, because it puts the students in situations that the students ought to solve in a real life situation for example the Sim City games and it applies the higher order thinking which are the synthesis, analysis and application and lastly the computer as a tool because there are different programs created in order to learn languages and etc. Thus, in my opinion, computer is neither a replacement for teachers nor as an obedient servant for the students. The computer is created by humans in order to help us in doing our jobs. Imagine we ought to use our hands to write lengthy essays or even books. We could not survive it. It will be a real burden for us. So, computer helps us in many ways and it complements our life. Computer cannot be an obedient servant to students if we controls and monitors the usage of computer by the students. Even parents can block certain contents in the internet that are not related for the students to use. Overall, the computer is a convenient aid or helper for teachers to convey their teaching to the students in a very authentic way of teaching.

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

Yes? Give reasons: No? Give reasons:

No, I won’t apply it in my future work because there are many other websites that are better than this one. Frankly, it is good that they keep on updating the content of the website but I cannot keep on track on what I have been learning thus it deters me to use it for my teaching. Nevertheless, I personally like to visit this site because I want to try the new exercises and practise on my own but the content is not enough for me to be use in class. A part from that, it is not attractive enough for me. The layout is so dull and as we all know, students just simply loves colourful stuffs and cute pictures. Eventhough I am 24 years old this 2010, I still love it too. Nevertheless, I have to admit that this website is so easy to use but it is not complete enough for me in order to use it for my future use.

Suggestions/Recommendations.

First and foremost, the websites needs to enhance the content and add the exercises because it is not enough. They need to be more specific on the purpose of the website in order to be useful for the users. This website serves as a mere exercise for the students who wanted to widen their knowledge in English. In my opinion, this website can be use as a follow-up activity for the teachers to give to the students. As I said before, the website is quite dull because there are no flash and Java script. Animation or visual can help the users in doing the exercises; it can develop the creativity of the users. A part from that, if added animation as well as the colours to the websites and more games regarding topics, I am sure that the website can catch more of the interest of the users.

References:

1) Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy (Second Edition), Brown H. Douglas.

2) http://tip.psychology.org/bruner.html