Blog post (4/15): Computer Mediated Collaborative Learning

According to Warschauer (1997), there are five features that distinguish Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) from other communication media:
1. text-based and computer-mediated interaction
2. many-to-many communication
3. time-and place-independence
4. long distance exchanges
5. hypermedia links

Considering these features, CMC has a lot of benefits. First, in text-based interaction, such as online chatting, learners can practice rapid interaction with opportunities for reflection, and many of them can be more expressive. Also, it can mediate writing to speaking in that learners can experience real conversation through writing. Second, CMC is free from time and place; it means that learners can have more time to reflect (in cases such as sending emails), and they can access to it as long as they have internet capability and computer accessibility. Third, learners can interact with people form any countries around the world, which broadens their possibility to learn the language. Finally, they can share links of materials with other learners so that they can easily look through it and reflect, and discuss it.
These are the potentials and realities of CMC, but some questions are remained, such as what is the new roll of teachers in CMC environment, or how to deal with ethnic, linguistic or cultural difference between the learners.
Although questions are still remained, it can be said that CMC is starting to change the way of collaborative learning. A well designed CMC will help learners learn from the new technology.

Above is the summary of the article, and as I read this, I came up a question which post a different view on the role of CMC in language learning.
Question is: is CMC (in writing) really helps learners enhance communication ability? Not only this article, but also other articles about CMC suggest that through CMC, learners tend to express their thoughts more than face-to-face communication, and they can have more time to reflect on what others say and what their responses are. As an opportunityu to practice their target language, CMC will work good with these points. I doubt, however, if it works as an opportunity to enhance communication ability, since in face-to-face communication, they don't have time to reflect or cannot have excuse to express their thoughts less. Of course, CMC will work good to enforce learners' ability, with providing chances for practice, but I don't think CMC (in writing) itself works to enhance their communication ability.

Mark Warschauer, 1997, Computer-Mediated Collaborative Learning: Theory and Practice

Blog post (3/18 #2). Using wikis as CALL material?

It seems that using wikis is one of the possibilities for a CALL material these days. One merit of using wikis is that students can collaborate in their work anytime, and anywhere. This is a strong point which other CALL materials does not seem to have, especially in terms of writing (we can say that voicethread can be a counterpart in speaking field). It sounds like an attractive material, but we still have to be careful how we use it in language classes. One of our reading shows that the engineering students did not feel comfortable with using wikis for their class. The reasons the researcher gave why it did not work good were: the students were not familiar using wikis; they needed to have extra work besides wiki writing; engineering majors may have a negative attitude towards collaborative writing tasks. This study shows that wikis are not almighty. However, if we use it in an appropriate way, it will work good for language acquisition. To use it appropriately, we first need to know the merits of using wikis. As I wrote at the beginning, one, and maybe the biggest merit is that students can collaborate in their work. So, wikis will be most appropriate when it is used for group works (in the research, it was not used for a well designed group work, and I think that is a reason why the students felt uncomfortable with wikis). Also, easy accessibility is another merit for wikis. In my opinion, I think it will be better to assign simple tasks for wiki tasks, not very complicated and hard tasks. This is because if the tasks are very hard, learners may feel reluctant to access wikis, which will spoil one of its merits.

YouTube video for ESL study

I think this series of videos is very helpful for learners of English.

First of all, this website has many categories of videos, such as grammar, pronunciation, expressions for special topics, and even slangs. Also, in each category, they mention about nuance of English, more than simple explanations of grammar or usage, which I think are very important when we learn a language.

Although some of the dialogues are unnatural, they provide authentic English in general. So, as long as learners want to learn English for the purpose of use English, I think this website is very beneficial for them.

This is more for intermediate to advanced level learners of ESL.

http://www.youtube.com/user/JenniferESL

My Previous CALL experience (listening)

I took a CALL English class in my home country 2 years ago.
It was especially for listening, and it was called 'Three Round CALL system". As the name tells us, there are three rounds in the system.

In the first round, we watch a video (news, interviews, etc.) and catch what is talked in it. We first watch the whole video, and then we watch it again, with the video being cut into some parts. After that, we learn vocabulary and expressions used in it, and get general knowledge about the topic.

In the second round, we watch the video again, and catch the details of the topic. We watch it with small parts, too. After that, we review the vocabulary and expressions, and have small quiz about the topic.

In the last round, we watch the whole video and try to catch more details. Finally we have a quiz and measre how deeply we understand the video.

For many of us, this system worked effectively to improve our listening skills, and most of them liked the system.


Qestion: Can CALL be effective for all the four skills: reading, listening, writing, and speaking? (I'm wondering if CALL can be more effective than other materials, especially in reading and writing.)