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CALL/CALLT Website(s) Evaluation

Some Basic CALL/CALLT Applications

The name and URL address of the website(s) used for this particular task are: (1) ESL Mania - http://www.eslmania.com/, and (2) Grammar Bytes - http://www.chompchomp.com/

#1: Who are the users of the website(s) is(are) targeting?
ESL Mania targets on beginner to intermediate adult learners and teachers. It provides basic information for both learners and teachers like grammar and recommended books/websites for reference (either for learning or teaching). Apart from that, it also provide tips on how one can reduce (or improve) his/her original accent as well as tips on how to speak better business English (I think this is why it provide the tips on reducing one’s original accent, that can hinder one to speak ‘properly or business-like’, in the first place).

Grammar Bytes target on students from beginner to intermediate level of proficiency. In my opinion, this website would be suitable for both lower and upper secondary forms, i.e. Form 1/2/3/4/5 (depends on the students’ level of proficiency respectively). Like its name, it focuses solely on grammar and it offers detailed explanations of common grammar terms, exercises, handouts, and tips and rules for both learners and teachers.

*ESL Mania looked more ‘serious’ than Grammar Bytes as it includes serious matter, e.g. business idioms and tips on speaking better business English*

#2: What sorts of things are the application users expected to do with regards to learning and using (or even manipulating!) the content?
Basically, both websites provide notes, exercises, handouts and the like. Both of the websites are very, very simple to handle. All the users have to do is just select and click on the preferred links and the new window(s) of one’s choice will immediately open. Even in ESL Mania’s Tongue Twisters audio, users only have to select and click on the ‘play’ button to listen to the audio of correct pronunciation of the tongue twister of one’s own choice. And the same thing goes for Grammar Bytes’ Interactive Exercises – read instruction - select answer - get result (whether one can win the cyber prizes offered, e.g. car, or not) but to view the accompanying handouts, one must have Adobe Reader on one’s computer.

#3: What sorts of computer skills are the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?
No additional computer skills are necessary, as long as the users know how to click on the preferred links, the users will be able to ‘survive’ throughout the application-surfing.

#4: While you are “playing”/”accessing”/”assessing” the website(s), does it remind you of anything you do (or have done) in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with a fellow classmate, or in self-study?
Well, both websites do offers notes and exercises (i.e. handouts of multiple-choice questions, crossword puzzles) which remind me that I also gone through the same thing during my both primary and secondary school years... Guess that it haven’t change much, except that technologies are (either partially or wholly) being incorporated in classroom nowadays, which isn’t (so) available during my schooling years.

#5: What setting will the website(s) best used in: independent study lab with no teacher available, lab associated with a class, a teacher-lab class with one or a few computers?
In my opinion, these websites are best used in an independent study lab with teacher(s) available to help/guide the learners, as well as to facilitate and give feedback on tasks students are to complete about. It’s not that learners cannot handle these websites on their own (e.g. independently at home), but for me, it is better to have someone who is more knowledgeable in the language/skills of handling whatever things learners might encounter while using the websites.

#6: Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
Personally, I do think that both websites are incorporating only Cognitive theory, in which they use drilling exercises where learners have to answer similar questions for a few times (to ensure the learners’ understanding of the subject s/he is learning or has learnt). Moreover, these websites also provides some kind of experiential learning that enable students to do things (e.g. doing exercise or move to another topic) on their own and at their own pace, with minimal guidance/help from teachers/others.

#7: How well are the Vygotsky’s Constructivist Theory of Learning and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory applied to the chosen website(s)?
It is mentioned in the Vygotsky’s Constructivist Theory of Learning that constructivism is child-centered, and for this particular reason, I do agree that both websites are child(user)-centered in which the activities offered by these websites focuses on knowledge construction (and in some way, the websites also applied knowledge reproduction where they uses similar questions/exercises for drilling), but that’s only it. As for the authenticity of the content for each websites, I don’t think that all of the examples used are appropriate to all cultures or backgrounds of the users(learners) that might come from all over the world and not only from United States of America (USA) – i.e. the content for both websites are limited to things that are related to USA only, as if the websites only target only on those whom migrated to USA and wanting to learn the language only for the sake of ‘surviving’ in USA (e.g. getting the green card, job, etc).

As for Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, only Linguistic Intelligence is being practiced in both websites as the content in the websites doesn’t incorporate the interactive stuffs in it like logical-mathematical, musical, bodily-kinaesthetic, spatial, interpersonal, intrapersonal, naturalistic, spiritual kind of intelligences. Therefore, I conclude that both of the websites only apply a very, very small portion of both of the theories.

#8: 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 – is the computer a replacement for teachers, or merely an obedient servant to students?
For me, a computer can never replace a teacher. No matter how much one can learn from an ‘intelligent’ computer/website/software/and the like, it’s still only a mere emotionless-medium that is use to ease the teaching/learning process. It doesn’t have the ‘warmth’ of a living human being (i.e. teacher), who can converse with the student (e.g. giving feedback, advice and what not) or even show nonverbal (facial/body) gestures to them. Thus, I do find that the websites are the ‘slaves’ to the teaching/learning process as it only convey the instructions/information/and so on that have been programmed by the programmer, a human being, the ‘master’ of the computers.

#9: Would you like to use the website(s) yourself in your future work?
It depends actually, not just to the learners’ level of proficiency but to the learners’ age and background as well. Although these websites are not that interactive, YES, I would still use it but limited to tasks related to (mainly) writing only (as they only consists of mostly writing-based activities), and I’ll look for another websites if I am to incorporate other skills, apart from writing, in my classroom. To be specific, I would use ESL Mania if I am to teach adult beginner-intermediate learners (especially those who are having difficulties in ‘losing’ their accent of origin that hinder them from being able to be understood by others), but for younger beginner-intermediate learners, I would probably use stuffs from Grammar Bytes (more light and suitable for their age range, and also quite fun with the interactive exercise – one can win cyber prizes if s/he got the correct answers – in a way, it can boost the learners’ motivation to complete the exercises).

#10: Suggestions/Recommendations
Frankly, I don’t have any suggestions/recommendations in regard of the websites. But as for me, I think that how good or not-so-good is a website depends on its suitability (e.g. content, type exercises, and layout) to the level of proficiency, age and background of the users (teachers/learners). Therefore, teachers must first ensure that any website that s/he chose is appropriate to apply with his/her learners. Although the websites (i.e. ESL Mania and Grammar Bytes) are mainly about drills with a lack of interactivity, these kind of websites are necessary for those who want to learn ESL in a ‘serious’ way without hassle like having to install new software, application or whatsoever. But if the users like (or need) websites that are loaded with interactive stuffs like animations, colourful layouts, songs, etc. in order for him/her to learn the language, they are free to search and use those kinds of websites. And for the programmers, s/he may want to consider of upgrading the content of the websites to the universal level, where all of the users can use it regardless of their cultures or backgrounds (i.e. be less culture specific) as well adding more of interactive activities that comprise more of the traits mentioned by the two theories of Vygotsky and Gardner (e.g. audio/visual, layout, etc.).