Webbased English learning and teaching in Taiwan: Possibilities and challenges

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Web-based English learning and teaching in
Taiwan Possibilities and challenges

• by Wen-shuenn Wu (???)
• Department of Foreign Languages Literature,
  Chung Hua Unviersity
• Hsinchu, Taiwan
• E-mail wswu_at_chue.du.tw
• Website http//www.chu.edu.tw/wswu

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Introduction (1)

• In 1969, the Advanced Research Projects Agency
  Network (ARPANET) of the U.S. Department of
  Defense was the worlds first operational packet
  switching network.
• Computer-Assisted Language Instruction Consortium
  (CALICO) was established in 1984.
• In August 1991 Tim Berners-Lee publicized his new
  World Wide Web (WWW) project.

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introduction (2)

• In 1993, Tim Berners-Lee created HyperText Markup
  Language (HTML), a computer language designed for
  the creation of web pages, and HyperText Transfer
  Protocol (HTTP), a primary method used to convey
  information on the WWW.

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introduction (3)

• Since the 1990s, many researchers have used email
  in foreign language instruction (Lunde, 1990 Soh
  Soon, 1991 Kelm, 1992), in writing (Hawisher
  Moran, 1993), and in comparison of different
  communication modes (Mabrito, 1991 Kern, 1995
  Warschauer, 1996a).

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introduction (4)

• Chapelle (2000) pointed that while pre-network
  CALL learners in 1980s interacted with a computer
  program, users after the middle of 1990s usually
  interacted with other people in NBLT
  (network-based langague teaching) activities (p.
  204).

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application of Internet to EFL teaching learning

• Keypal Exchange for Collaborative Learning
• participation of class members
• collaboration of language learners
• interaction of students between the
  computer-assisted setting and face-to-face
  classroom
• Intercultural E-mail Classroom Connections (IECC)
• Listserv and BBS for Information Sharing
• listserv for teachers (e.g. TESLCA-L)
• BBS for students

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application of Internet to EFL teaching
learning (cont.)

• Computer-Mediated Synchronous Interaction
• Instant Messenger (e.g. MSN messenger)
• experimental 4-hour online virtual class with MSN
  Messenger by Wu (2004).
• learning effectiveness was not satisfactory, but
  interaction with teacher was satisfactory
• Internet Telephony Skype

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application of Internet to EFL teaching
learning (cont.)

• Blogs
• the visibility of blogs in Taiwan is pretty low
  (75 of my students in university hadnt heard
  about what a blog was before I asked them to
  created on in 2004)
• advantages user-friendly, graphical user
  interface, peer editing, automatic date-stamping
  for each post, automatic archiving

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application of Internet to EFL teaching
learning (cont.)

• Web Sites as a Learning Community
• Multimedia Presentation
• text, photo, audio, animation, and video
• Dynamic Interaction
• CGI, Javascript, PHP, ASP
• Database-enabled Interactivity
• combined with database

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guidelines of Web-based EFL teaching

• Consider Carefully Your Goals
• One of the ideal goals is to develop students
  technology-enhanced literacy and communication
  skills in the English language classroom.
  (Warschauer, Shetzer, and Meloni, 2000)

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guidelines of Web-based EFL teaching (cont.)

• Think Integration
• how web-based activities can be integrated into
  the overall design of a course rather than how to
  use them in an isolated, disconnected fashion.
• Dont Underestimate the Complexity
• trouble shoot computer problems (hardware,
  software, compatibility, or network)
• Its more complicated if it is a cross-cultural
  synchronous communication.

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guidelines of Web-based EFL teaching (cont.)

• Provide Necessary Support
• work with the staff of computer center or
  Internet-literate assistants
• Involve Students in Decisions
• In a learner-centered, network-enhanced
  classroom, teachers must learn how to shift their
  role from an authority to a guide or facilitator.

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Challenges of Web-based EFL teaching

• Technical Issues
• Digital Skepticism
• information overload can lead to techno-stress
• computer-mediated synchronous communication has
  generated more text with minimal interaction
• learners disappointment due to a lack of
  immediate feedback
• without enough CALL training for English
  teachers, NBLT simply result in learner apathy,
  disorientation and abuse

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Challenges of Web-based EFL teaching (cont.)

• Time-Consuming
• The use of computer may not save your time but
  increase your preparation time.
• Credibility of Web sites
• Are articles of the web site genuine and
  credible?
• Stable and fast accessibility of Web sites
• If the network traffic stalls, how long will it
  be before you give up viewing a web site? (20
  seconds, 30 seconds, or 1 minute?)

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Challenges of Web-based EFL teaching (cont.)

• Information explosion
• Type English learning as a key word in Google
  search engine ? 55,600,000 matched web sites in
  0.08 second.

So What?
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implications conclusion

• The computer itself, like any other educational
  technology (e.g., overhead projectors, tape
  recorders, CD players), does not bring about
  improvements in language learning. Never can they
  substitute English teachers. Engaging in CALL and
  NBLT is a continuing challenge that requires time
  and commitment. Internet is just a fast,
  convenient, and powerful learning tool what
  matters is social interaction behind it.

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