Week 10 Reflection

Learner Autonomy and Tandem Learning: Putting Principles Into Practice in Synchronous and Asynchronous Telecommunications Environments

This article is mainly about learner autonomy and how various computer-mediated forms of language learning can implement learner autonomy principles.

Learner autonomy is defined as “a learner’s capacity for critical self-evaluation and self-determination, an ability to take control over and responsibility for his/her learning”. There are three approaches to learner autonomy. The first one is the individual-cognitive perspective which emphasizes that learners constantly try to improve their existing construct system. The second one is called social-interactive. Social interaction is regarded as a tool to increase consciousness, or conscious awareness which can be achieved through scaffolding or corrective feedback. The third approach views learner autonomy from an experimental-participatory perspective. Experimental work with tools and artifacts can raise awareness which learners can use to monitor and evaluate their learning progress.

Although learner autonomy means that learners should take control over their learning process, I think it does not mean that the role of teachers is no longer important. We have to help learners to build up their “capacity” so that they can assume responsibility for their own learning. For my students, in order to promote learner autonomy, the first step would be to arouse their interest in learning since most of them have very low motivation. I think rewards and positive reinforcement can help. Once they are motivated in learning, they would become more active in and take more responsibility for their learning.

Week 9 Reflection

Practical Considerations for Multimedia Courseware Development: An EFL IVD Experience

This article addresses the practical aspects of multimedia courseware development. It suggests that teachers should know the media, the institutional needs or constraints, and design principles before using multimedia or CALL courseware in teaching. It also mentions that we should incorporate three perspectives including the language, the learner and the language learning when we set our objectives.

I agree with the author that using CALL can strengthen individualized instructions because students can learn flexibly at their own pace without interfering with others. However, I think CALL should not be used alone without any linkage to the normal classroom activities. It should be integrated to our regular lessons. We should also incorporate cooperative learning when we use CALL to allow students to learn from both CALL and their peers. I think that evaluation during the development and actual practice is also important for improving the CALL and finding out its effectiveness.

I think it is really good for the author to have so much help in developing the IDV courseware. In the school setting, I think that it is almost impossible for us, teachers, to develop our own CALL courseware as we don’t have the skills, time and resources to do that.

Week 8 Reflection

Hong Kong's amended copyright law: a guide for teachers and students

The leaflet highlights some of the changes of Copyright Ordinance that affect teachers and students. I think the most important message is the “fair dealing” exemption which allows us, teachers and students to use or deal with reasonable portions of copyright works in a pair manner for our teaching and learning. Examples are also given which make me have a better understanding of the Ordinance.

When I was a secondary student, my teachers used to photocopy the past papers of the HKCEE and the HKAL for us but now we can’t do that and students have to buy their own copies. I also remember that my some of my classmates would photocopy the whole textbook because it was much cheaper than buying one. However, students cannot do that now because it infringes copyright. In recent years, people have shown more concerns for copyright. My school brought up this issue in one of the staff meetings. Also, the panel chair keeps reminding us that we should not infringe copyright when preparing exercises or setting tests. We must be very cautious when using copyright materials.

Week 6 Reflection

THEORY-DRIVEN CALL AND THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

The author aims to establish a clearer understanding of the relationship between theory and application of CALL by exploring the implications of theory-driven CALL in relation to the materials development process.

The literature shows that the development process of instructional design is prescriptive and is always based on an instructional theory. The generic model suggests that there are three stages: the analysis phase, the development or synthesis phase and the evaluation phrase. For the development of CALL, Meskill outlines a systematic approach and I agree with her that the initial thinking of the media to be used is important. It would be better to consider the technology early rather than late.

The author also summarizes the results of the CALL Survey. If I had to answer the questionnaire, I would say that I usually use CALL materials for lower level tasks or problems. I think I am a proceduralist rather than a formalist which means that I prefer to solve problems by writing programs instead of solving problems by formulating theory. However, when using CALL materials, we have to strike a balance between technology and theories.

Week 5 Reflection

Language Learner Behaviour in a Virtual Environment

The author states that people would feel less stressed, display less social anxiety, and reduce their public self-awareness when they are communicating via computer than in face-to-face situation. The study found that learners behaved differently when they were doing a communicative language task in a chat room. Those anxious and shy students were more willing to communicate in the chat room than they usually did in the classroom. The author states that “the illusion of anonymity that online work gives is a definite advantage to the shy and introvert language student”. There are a number of advantages for language students when working online. There is no accent to be distracted by, no time pressure nor any interruptions, and no immediate reactions. I think that it is also true for me. I remember that a few years ago, when ICQ was still popular, I enjoyed chatting with other English speakers. I felt free to communicate with them and I was not worried about making mistakes. However, when I was engaged in face-to-face situations, I was very shy and anxious that I seldom talked.

Although online language learning has its shortcoming, I think it is really useful in helping students to build up their confidence in communicating in English, especially those shy and anxious ones. As an English teacher, however, I don’t know what I can do to help those students. Could you share your ideas on what types of activities that I can use?

Week 3 Reflection

The reading provides an overview of the different principles we should take into consideration when using the Internet for teaching. The principles are divided into learning goals, teaching guidelines, and planning tips. I think that they are quite useful and I realized that I have already incorporated some of them in my own teaching.
I want to help my students to be more creative and become independent learners. They can cooperate and collaborate with others, and think critically. With the help of the Internet, I think these goals can be achieved.
In the teaching guidelines section, the authors mention that if computers are well integrated into the curriculum, dual immersion can be best achieved. The project-based learning approach allows students to gain experience in developing their learning goals and it goes along with the student-centered learning approach. In my school, IT is included in the teaching schedules and there are IT elements in each module. Also, students are often asked to do projects which they can choose the topic that they are interested in.
Once I asked my students to work in groups and give a presentation on a famous person who they really admire. First, students had to discuss and decide who they were going to work on and give reasons. Then they had to search the information of that person from the Internet. After that, they had to analyze and organize the information to prepare a PowerPoint presentation. Lastly, they had to give their presentation to the whole class. From my observation, I found my students enjoyed doing the project and they got the experience that can be never gained from normal lessons. For the product, most of them did give really great presentations. While the students were doing the project, I found my role was different. I was not the one who tell them what to do but be a facilitator and a guide that provided suitable instructions and help for them.

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