ELT : Education and Technology

 

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  ELT : Education and Technology : 

 

 Here I'm going to write about Education and Technology...

(3) History of CALL- [add also about MALL Mobile Assisted Language Learning. Refer to article by Agnes Kukulska-Hulme and Lesley Shield + your experience of using Mobile phone for learning/teaching)

      Introduction :

In This article discusses the effectiveness of using computer assisted language learning (CALL) in motivating fourth-grade English as a second language (ESL) students to develop better writing skills. It also seeks to explore the perceptions of ESL teachers and students regarding the use of CALL in the ESL classroom. The study involved 48 fourth graders and their four teachers. Data were gathered during a three-month period using questionnaires, interviews, and observations. Findings revealed that teachers as well as students shared similar perceptions toward the use of CALL in the writing classroom and identified the same motivational factors that would encourage students to produce well-developed written work. Additional work on the productive integration of computer technology in the writing classroom and its effects on motivating students to produce work of high quality is recommended.

Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), grown at crossroads of technology and language learning, respond to human needs, industrial and educational development, cultural demands, entertainment and business. CALL programs, incorporated into distance-learning systems, offer students wide range of texts, multimedia materials, pre-structured exercises, tests, etc. In the paper, interconnection between e-learning Omega system and CALL course is given. As the course represents combination of theory, evaluation, development of individual practical skills and students' teamwork, advantages of the e-learning system will be presented. Use of new technologies in language learning offers unlimited possibilities, but also recognizes the irreplaceable role of teacher whose organizing and communication capabilities enforce interactive communication. Demanding higher level of linguistic knowledge and computer skills, use of e-learning system in CALL course would be more suitable for advanced learners as a supplement material to classical teaching.

The future of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) will depend on many factors, including research in applied linguistics, change in the status of languages and language learning, and sociological changes in schools and education. One important factor that will influence the future of CALL is technological change. In order to discuss this point, it is first necessary to clarify the relationship between technology change and other Technological determinism refers to the idea that the introduction of new technology automatically brings certain results Deterministic outlooks underlie many common beliefs about educational technology; note, for example, the frequent discussion of the alleged impact of computers on learning without regard to how the computers are actually used.

Repeated exposure to the same material is beneficial or even essential to learning A computer is ideal for carrying out repeated drills, since the machine does not get bored with presenting the same material and since it can provide immediate non-judgmental feedback A computer can present such material on an individualized basis, allowing students to proceed at their own pace and freeing up class time for other activities

Based on these notions, a number of CALL tutoring systems were developed for the mainframe computers which were used at that time. One of the most sophisticated of these was the PLATO system, which ran on its own special PLATO hardware, including central computers and terminals. The PLATO system included vocabulary drills, brief grammar explanations and drills, and translations tests at various intervals.

Conclusion

The history of CALL suggests that the computer can serve a variety of uses for language teaching. It can be a tutor which offers language drills or skill practice; a stimulus for discussion and interaction; or a tool for writing and research. With the advent of the Internet, it can also be a medium of global communication and a source of limitless authentic materials.