The website that I have chosen for Task 2 - Website Evaluation is
http://www.esltower.com/. Below is all the evaluation done based on the nine questions given.
1. What does the application attempt to “teach”?
Esltower.com is a free ESL, EFL & ELT website that offers top quality printable and interactive English grammar and vocabulary exercises for teachers and students. There are grammar & vocabulary quizzes, crosswords, word search and several fun puzzles that make the learning and teaching of English easy and fun. These grammar and vocabulary resources will save English teachers lesson planning time and offer students a great free opportunity at online self-study. Since this website focuses more on grammar, therefore, among them would be Adjectives, Adverbs, Nouns, Comparatives/Superlatives, Conjunctions and many more. Apart from grammar, there is also pronunciation aspect that has been added recently to enhance students’ speaking ability.
2. What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?
In this website, there are grammar and vocabulary quizzes, crosswords, word search and several fun puzzles that make the learning and teaching of English more fun and enjoyable. Not only focuses on exercises, this website also has speaking aspect for students to improve their communication style. Pronunciation is one area that recently added as one of the contents. It comprises phonetic vowel and consonant exercises in the form of videos, worksheets, self-tests and mp3 downloads. It has many features which users can use in order to learn English language. This website is very simple yet offers many interactive and quality exercises from beginner to advanced level. All the users have to do is to select and click on the preferred level and activities, and users will be taken to a page with all the worksheets displayed as thumbnails. Or, users can click on the graphic to download the pdf files they want. After answering the exercises, students will be given feedbacks of their performance. Simply speaking, everything is on your fingers tips with just one click!
3. What sorts of computer skills is the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/assess/use the application?
There are no specific computer skills that users need to have as this application is easily accessible. It requires minimal knowledge of computer skills such as the ability to choose the preferred activities appeared on the screen and also by clicking the correct answers. However, it would be an advantage if users know how to download files as in this website, there are many pdf files that can be downloaded for further usage. Users also have options to print out the exercises as it also comes in printable version of exercises for the ease of the users. Yes, being alert with the latest gadgets invention is a blessed, but this application is the exact one to be used by teachers as it requires minimal knowledge of technology.
Most importantly, one has to have internet connection to get access to this website. There is no subscription fee since it is free for everyone to use it. Also, there is no log in ID if users intend to operate this website. The instructions given are clear and users can automatically understand what they have to do. It will automatically pop-up on the monitor and users don’t have to wait for quite a long time for the program to run. Basically, if one knows how to operate computers, he or she will know to use this website as basic computer skills would be helpful.
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 classmates, or in self-study?
Yes, it does remind me of some activities that I did in school when I was studying especially when doing grammar exercises. Even though this website is a virtual style of learning, but when it comes to doing the exercises, it is like any other normal classroom routines. Users are required to do the exercises and then check the answers. By giving out the correct answers, it resembles teachers’ roles in a classroom situation. Moreover, doing the online exercises reflects a situation in which users do self-study. Users will revise certain topics and then do the exercises to test their understanding. Basically, these aspects mentioned are the same, it is just the matter of doing it in reality and also in virtual.
As to relate this website to my practicum session, I sometimes used this website especially if I want to teach grammar. It is such a helpful aid when in need. The exercises are practical and easily comprehend by my students especially those who come from the last class. When talking about grammar, undeniably it takes a lot of practice and exercises. But, with the assistance of this website, everything comes in handy. Such a blessed creation for novice teachers likes me, indeed!
5. Can you pin-point some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
Frankly speaking, as this website focuses more on grammar, therefore, there are Inductive and Deductive Approaches involved. Inductive approach starts with some examples from which a rule is inferred. Deductive approach on the other hand starts with the presentation of a rule and is followed by examples in which the rule is applied. Students are presented with examples and rules of certain grammar aspects, then, they are required to do the exercises given. Therefore, either Inductive or Deductive approach, students are more motivated and attentive as active learning is promoted. It also promotes greater self-reliance and leaner autonomy.
This approach also can be related to Experiential Learning in which inductive learning by discovery activates strategies that enable students to “take charge” of their own learning progress. As American educator John Dewey said “one learns best by doing and by active experimentation”, it also applies to this theory, “learning by experience”. It gives users concrete experiences through which they discover language by trial and error, by processing feedback, by building hypotheses about language and by revising it to become more fluent (Eyring, 1991).
Lastly, it also involves Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). Students are given opportunities to focus on their own learning process through an understanding of their own learning styles of learning. It means that, students take control of their own learning. In relation to this, Student-Centred approach also comes in context. The role of the teacher is that of facilitator and guide, no more an all-knowing dictionary or encyclopedia. Students are therefore encouraged to construct meaning through genuine linguistic interaction with others.
6. How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website(s)?
Constructivism can be understood as an approach to learning which emphasizes that individuals actively construct knowledge and understanding Santrock, 2006). The impact of constructivist theory of learning applied in this website can be seen clearly in the aspect in which users make their own learning independently. As they explore more about the website, the more they can gain from it. For example, when they make mistakes while doing the activities, they learn from the mistakes they made and subsequently trying not to repeat the same mistake when they attempt to answer the activities again next time. In this way, users are expected to check their own performance and progress in learning English. Users are responsible for their own learning. In the constructivist view, teachers should not attempt to simply pour information into student’s minds. Rather, students should be encouraged to explore their world, discover knowledge, reflect and think critically. Reflecting to this website, the constructivist theory of learning can be found in which students take control of their own learning and teacher functions as facilitator only.
7. In 1980s 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?
Personally, I think that to an extent, I agree that computer as a replacement for teachers. Students can learn independently. This statement is especially true for advanced learners who require minimal support and guidance from teachers. They can survive via computers when doing online exercises. In fact, they may perform better in class if they really manipulate the advantage of these online exercises. It also benefits teachers when they are busy with other administrative works that requires much of their time and attention. It is undeniably not easy to coming up with meaningful interaction among students. It takes energy and creativity to devise authentic contexts and meaningful interaction, yet, with the help of this application, it surely can be helpful. It is less burdening for teachers and less time consuming to come out with own lesson of teaching. So, this application comes in handy to teachers as their teaching aids. With the help from this website, teachers can ensure that their lesson are more organized and follow smoothly. Everything is just a click away with computer.
However, to an extent also, I personally agree with the statement that computers merely an obedient servant to students. One thing that computers are lacking of is the interaction between the learners and computer who is supposed to monitor the progress of the students. When learning something, students need realistic respond from their teachers. They need support, guidance, praise and even sarcasm to boost up their motivation in learning. If this aspect is missing, students will be demotivated to learn. It also can’t cater to different needs of the students as students are different from one another. They are absolutely diverse in terms of learning styles. Some of them are Visual learners, some of them are Auditory learners and even some are Tactile/Kinesthetic learners. When attention is given to the learning styles of the students and incorporated into the classroom decision, students’ ease in learning and retention of material will increase. And this can only be done with the significance of real English teachers.
Computers are just connection of thousands mechanical entities, unlike humans who are filled with affective instincts, cognitive notions and also kinesthetic motions. Sometimes, to an extreme point, students learn better with the real vicious expression and vigorous body movement from the teachers, as the retention of the teachers doing weird phenomenon like that stays longer in their minds. It somehow helps them understand things better than usual monotonous teaching.
In short, I would say that computers are merely an obedient servant to students but definitely would never be a total replacement for teachers. Computers only serve as helping tool to aid in the teaching and learning process of English.
8. Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?
Yes? Give reasons:
Yes, I would definitely use this website for my future work. This website offers free ESL resources for both teachers and also students. As I mentioned earlier, these grammar and vocabulary resources will save English teachers lesson planning time and offer students a great free opportunity at online self-study. It is best used when I want to teach grammar in the class. The content is well-organized, the vocabulary is comprehensible and it is motivating for the students to learn. This website also is easily accessible and user-friendly, thus practical for everyday use.
Moreover, the website has partnered with other useful links of ESL websites such as
http://www.english4kids.com/ and
http://www.medialab.com/ that offer various interesting and quality resources. So, I have thousands of materials that can be utilized in my classroom. Thus, it should not be a problem for me to run away from the conventional chalk-and-talk kind of learning. The worksheets come on printable version, hence saving my time for other things.
No? Give reasons:
Nevertheless, with the assistance of this website, it can make me too dependent on it. If I were over relying on this website, it somehow decreases my creativity and critical thinking of coming out with own lesson. This website should only functions as supplementary material but not the core of my lesson. Maybe sometimes I can use the activities, and some other times using my own creation of lesson. As a novice teacher, this is the time where I apply all what I have learned in university, rather than depend too much on the already-prepared materials.
9. Suggestions/ Recommendations.
I strongly believe that Esltower.com is a good website for both teachers and students. Nonetheless, I would like to suggest several things that can make this website even a wonderful resource centre for everyone. First, the web moderator can add up more graphics, animations, pictures and colourful layout. As teenagers are considered to be the target group for this program, therefore, there should be more graphics and animation to aid the learning process. Therefore, the program created should be interesting, lively and fun. Teenagers need this exaggeration to keep their spirits buoyed and minds alert. This serves as to make them stay focus and less distracted. Without these additional factors, students can easily get bored and demotivated to learn.
Second, the website can also include online discussion or forum. Via this forum, teachers, students and even parents can interact with others all over the world. They can discuss among themselves various topics; be it about ESL or even about ways to improve their language learning. This exchange and ideas sharing session can somehow improve their perspectives of seeing things; through experiences, ideas and also critics partaking.
Lastly, this website can also add more of other English aspects other than grammar per say. The web moderator can also include about Reading and Writing skills. If these elements are attached together, this website can serve as one stop centre for students to learn English. These varieties can help students learn English better online by monitoring their own progress. This is also somehow to promote Experiential Learning among the students. In a way, it reduces the dependency of students clinging on teachers, to be more independent and responsible of their own learning.
As a conclusion, despite of its weaknesses mentioned above, this weebsite can still be exploited in classroom of language learning due to its good features. By utilizing classroom teaching techniques that build on individual style, teachers can facilitate the second language learning process for children.
References:
1. Brown, H.D. (2001). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to Language Pedagogy. (2nd ed.). New York, United States of America: Addison Wesley Longman Inc.
2. Santrock, W. J. (2006). Educational Psychology: Classroom Update, Preparing for PRAXIS and Practice. (2nd ed.). New York: The McGraw Hill Companies.
3. Thornbury, S. (2004). How to Teach Grammar. England: Pearson Education
