#What does the application attempt to teach?
Looking at the title of the web which stated Learn-English-Today and by scrutinizing the pages and different contents of the web, I believe that it tries to cover all aspects of English language. It consists of 6 columns with each entitled to its own subjects which are :
+ Lessons
+ Vocabulary
+ Idioms
+ Proverbs
+Wordgames
+ Quotations.
Under every subject, it excavates deeper. For example under the column Lesson, there are myriads choices of tutorials about grammar. The tutorials provide the user with explanation and hands-on exercises. This is essential because after the user finishes reading about the explanations, he can easily access to the exercises provided adjacent to the explanations. I also noted that this web is divided into 2 major English which is English Business. However, even though there are 6 functional columns that the website offers, the main focus of the web falls under the column Lessons. The other columns act as an additional and optional subjects.
#What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?
Users who wish to try the application is advised to have a consistent thought of what to learn because the application has a plethora of tutorials and exercises. Thus having a clear goal and focus will help to guide the user in accessing the application. The application doesn’t require any difficult task that needs to be done so I guess it’s a rather user-friendly. The activities too are rather easy and suitable for beginners. Since this site uses British English as its medium, users too are expected to be familiar with the different context of the language that both British and American English posses.
#What sorts of computer skills is the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?
This application, just like I have stated earlier, is user-friendly. It requires neither advanced nor any meticulous method to access the application. Users don’t need to be skillful in any skill to access the application. It requires the basic skills of handling a computer or a laptop and users should be able to access the internet. The cursor is the prime thing that does all the works in the application. Thus, I believe users will not have any problem in navigating the application because the cursor is the simplest and easiest thing compared to all the computer skills. Users just need to navigate the cursor to any column they wish to tackle. Personally, this is a very good approach because younglings can actually utilize the application as it doesn’t require any particular computer skills.
#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?
For this question, I would answer based on the Lessons column because I think that’s the main subject most users will click. In this column, there are explanations and tutorials/exercises that are provided. The column focuses on Grammar and I think it does remind me of something that I did in my classroom. This is solely because of the explanations part of the exercises. The explanations are put first instead of the exercises which I believe is rather deductive. Deductive approach is the common approach used by most of the teachers in teaching grammar. For that matter, I was quite disappointed regarding this because I think the deductive approach isn’t what I expect the web to be. Although the explanations are very easy to fathom, the part where the explanations are placed before the exercises is a definite turn off to me. However, what’s good about this application is the simplicity and the vibrant feeling I had when I was accessing it, especially the Lesson column. Personally, the examples and explanations are the usual examples that a teacher would use in a classroom, thus it reminds me of a lesson I did in the class. The column wordgame, idioms and proverb too remind me of things that I did in my classroom even though there are no exercises that can be done.
#Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
One of the theories that I believe exists in the application is Cognitive Load Theory of Multimedia Learning. This was pioneered by John Sweller who believed that the load on working memory during instruction. This is because the application provides explanations for the exercises that users need to keep in their memory in order to answer the questions. This is referring to the exercises from the Lessons column. Another underlying theory that I believe exists in the application is Discovery learning. This one was proposed by Jerome Brunner, who he believes that learning is a method of inquiry-based instructions that it is best for the learners to discover facts and relationships for themselves. This one is obvious in which the application provides the users with an online dictionary or vocabulary which they can search and learn any word themselves. In fact, the games such as the wordgames are meant for this type of learning. Users need to be independent as they are required to learn by themselves. The activities that the application provides too are meant to be answered independently but with explanations attached to every question. This is why I think the application attempts to teach its users via Discovery learning which I think is quite similar with constructivist theory of learning.
#How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website?
From the rate of 1 to 10-one being the lowest and 10 the highest- I would rate the implementation of constructivist theory as being 8. Constructivism brings about the belief that learners to construct knowledge for themselves. This application has somehow managed to prove that constructivist theory of learning is applied in the website by looking at all the applications, the columns, the activities and etc. All of these necessitate the users to create the own lessons. The grammar exercises for instance, consists of numerous exercises and explanations that the users can choose depending on what he/she wants to learn. This too requires experiences and direct contact of the real world because constructivist theory of learning suggests that learners need to create their own understanding of certain subjects.
#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?
In my personal view, even though I graded the website as being 8 in terms of having constructivist theory of learning, I believe that it is somehow more to being an obedient servant to the students/users more than being a replacement for teachers. This is because I think this application will serve better as a teaching aid. Students will benefit this more if teachers implement or utilize this application in their classes. I believe that this application will act as a supplementary as what the students have in their lesson because some of the lessons provided in the application needs audio and visual method. What I am is some of the lessons in the application can’t really stand on their own even with the explanation given because it doesn’t cater the needs of students who learn via audio and visual. This type of students may have difficulties if they were to access the website.
#Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?
One of the flaws that I can trace in this website is it’s lacking of visual and may be perceived as boring to some students. The presentation of the website is rather uninviting. This little and trivial thing like the design and lacking of visual is something that should be taken into consideration if I were to use it in my future work. However, I would say that this application is an option for me to use it because of the simplicity it conveys. The various explanations and simple exercises would assist my students-If I were to be a teacher some day-in learning the language. This website would be a very nice homework for the students and also as supplementary to learn the language because of the fun activities and games it offers.
#Suggestions:
I am suggesting this by trying to imagine myself as a teacher and what I expect this website to be. First of all, what needs to be improved is the usage of visuals and audio. Students have different learning skills. Some of them learn best with the aid of visual such as photos and pictures. While some students like learning kinesthetically, some of the students prefer to have audio as their skills. This is what I would suggest for the betterment of the website. What it has now doesn’t cater to all type of students who have different skills in learning.
Another aspect that can be looked into consideration is regarding the idioms and proverbs sections. These two aspects are very essential in learning the language so this section would be better if it is provided with exercises as well instead of just mere explanations. Practice makes perfect and usually the students or learner will grasp the meaning of something by doing it themselves. What can be upgraded is hands-on exercises that can bring about the students’ understanding of every idioms and proverbs they encounter. This is rather practical rather than having a vague explanation on things that can contribute to ambiguity such as idioms and proverbs. Certain people have their own understanding and interpretation of the subjects so I think it is very nice to see the learners’ diverse perceptions.
In conclusion, if these suggestions can be turned into realization, I personally think that it would be much better to serve the users.
p.s. You can download the draft HERE
Ok, 7.9/10
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