Task 1

ESL WEBSITE EVALUATION

This ‘ESL Website Evaluation’ is based from the website of ‘Activities for ESL Students’. The web address is http://a4esl.org

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

            The application attempts to teach on the development of English for the non-native speakers. It also focuses on the improvement as well as the enrichment of the language as well. This website is mainly for the benefit of the students as it contains of activities, games and exercises; contributions from many teachers who sure have so much experience in teaching that enable them to post variations of activities into the website.

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

There are 3 levels of exercise; easy, medium and difficult. The user needs to have basic knowledge of English at the very least, especially on the part of vocabulary, grammar and crosswords in the website. Even on the easy mode, they need to understand the instruction of what they have to do in each type of activities.

If the user’s knowledge of English is very basic, he/she may start from the easy one. The instruction is very straightforward, using simple language. The questions also assist the learner by giving the true answer if he/she answers wrongly.

There were several sections in the website; crosswords, grammar, vocabulary, bilingual exercise with different level of difficulty. The user could do the exercise by choice on which one of the section and level of difficulty that he/she prefers. All that he/she needs to do is by clicking and typing the answer on the space provided.

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

            The user needs to have basic computer literacy in order to navigate through the website. He/she should know on how to use the mouse and the keyboard as the tasks assigned in the website are based on clicking and typing on the answer. Besides that, he/she also needs to have some idea on how to surf on the internet as well.

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?

            While going through the application, it reminds me on the knowledge that I have gained along from the learning. The knowledge that I have are based from many resources; learning in classroom, from my friends, self-study, reading and many other sources. Therefore, when I tried browsing around the application, I was able to practice on things that I already know by doing the drill on the activities prepared in it. On top of that, it helps to strengthen my memory and knowledge by giving the correct answer when I answered the questions wrongly. Thus, I was able to learn more based from my mistakes.

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

            The application is using on certain theories of language. Roughly, it focuses on drilling. In the learning process, the user will answer questions that strengthen his/her knowledge by answering them correctly or learning by mistakes. Second is from the Monitor Model by Krashen; on input hypothesis (comprehensible input).

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

            There is indeed the theory is applied in some ways. Users will be able to experiment by applying their knowledge, trial and error and learned when they make mistakes. The activities can be done in collaborative ways with more capable peers. However, it does not provided on the interaction between learners and teachers; no teachers as deductors in the application. Therefore, teacher’s help is needed when students are not understand when they are doing the exercises on the application

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?

Along my trial with the website, I found that I have to disagree with the statement/perception that computer is a replacement for teachers. It is merely an aid in learning, not becoming the ultimate teaching by itself. For example, a teacher may know the suitable approach to teach students or what is/are the problem/s that his/her students are going through while going through the teaching process is taking place whereas computer is not able to do so. It also simply stated the answer of the user is wrong without giving any explanations. It just provided the answer for the activities. Moreover, teachers will be able to explain in ways their students may understand based on their level of competency unlike computer. So, computer simply helps the teachers and students to make the teaching and learning process easier and more interesting.

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

            Yes. I could use the application in terms of getting the idea of the drill to give to my students in my classroom. Plus, it can help me to do many types of activities (hands-on, kinaesthetic, reading, etc.) by reconstruct them based from the activities provided in the website. Hence, the learning will not merely on the typical ‘chalk-and-talk’ method.

            However, I will have to make other applications as my references in my future work as well. This is due to some limitations in types of activities in it. Furthermore, the colour and background of the website is pretty bland that I need additional references to help me in my teaching material. It also simply stated the answer of the user is wrong without giving any explanations. It just provided the answer for the activities.

All in all, this is still a good website to make use of.