1. What does the application attempt to "teach"?
In English, the four essential skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking are important to be developed by the learner. From the evaluation, the application does not applied all the four skills, in which it is focusing more on the reading skill of the learners because the learners needs to read in order to perform the exercises given. Besides that, the application also attempt to "teach" mainly on the grammar aspects of English language that comprising the eight parts of speech. The eight parts will be the noun, pronoun, verb, adjective, adverb, preposition, conjunction and interjection. In addition to these, the application also attempt to "teach" the vocabulary aspect of English and among the interesting topic will be the homonyms, idioms, expressions, phrasal verbs and so on. The application also provides the crosswords exercises in order for the learners to improve more on their schemata on English.
Furthermore, the application also caters to different level of language proficiency of the learner, right from the beginner, intermediate and advanced level in which in this application the stages will be from easy, not so easy, medium and difficult stage. From these identified stages, the exercises provided are designed to fit every learners learning level and capability.
2. What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?
In learning the content, the application is likely to promote the autonomous learning of the learners in which the learners have the power and freedom on their own learning pace. However, the learners seem to have the very basic knowledge on English language, in order for them to understand and perform the exercises provided. In this matter, the learner will be able to improve their learning pace depending on their dependency level on the application. Besides that, the application is likely the trial and error application in order for the learner to learn better. This is because, for each question or exercise, there will be clue, list up answer and hint as well as encouragement word either if the learners get it right or wrong. The learners also been given another chance if they think they want to re-do the exercises or even for certain number of questions. By having all these, the application can be said to be very helpful tool in order for the learners to improve and polish up their language knowledge and competency.
3. What sorts of computer skills in the application users expected to have in order to operate/access/use the application?
This application can be labeled as an user-friendly application for language learners to learn English language. It is because even with a minimal of ground knowledge on computer and technology such as the Internet, the websites, usage of the mouse and keyboard, the learners can easily access the series of exercises provided in this application. Together with the knowledge of computer and technology, the learners also likely to have the knowledge on Javascript and Flash and have it to be installed in their computers. This application also can be considered as practical and suitable for all learners because the exercises provided been categorized properly with a proper heading in which will lead the learners directly to their right level of language proficiency. By having all these, its like a package for the students because they will easily understand the application usage even if they were novice users of computer.
4. While you are "playing"/"accessing" 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?
While "accessing" the application, I am able to recall back the time of my practicum teaching, in which I do applied some exercises that I searched from various ELS websites. Even my school does not have the technology in every class, but I tried to make it realistic for classroom usage by make it like a game for the students to practice out and it is like a trial and error as well as drilling practice for them. Then, I do remembered during my secondary time, my English teacher always taught me English in various ways and one of it is the crosswords puzzle. It really help to develop my thinking and knowledge on the language itself. Moreover, it also reminds me of being together with my classmates during study time as we always encourage each other and let the chance to occur repetitively so that we will learn better time by time.
5. Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and/or teaching underlying the application?
The application can be said to have the blending of various theories or approach in order for the students to learn well. Firstly, the application have the basic foundation of Behaviorist Theory in which the students will have the drill and practice session in order to improve their knowledge of the language. The students can always re-do the exercises provided until they gain the understanding and able to imitate the exercises in their learning process. Next, there is also the Direct Method been applied in this application, as the exercises are focusing more on grammar and all the exercises been mainly in the target language aiming to let the students discover the grammar rules on their own based on the example and exercises given. The students will also be able to get the feedback on their errors so that they will be able to gather the input comprehensively during the learning process using the application. Moreover, in order to cater more students from various races and regions, the application applied the Grammar Translation Method as it provides bilingual quizzes for the learner.
6. How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website(s)?
According to Bruner, learning is an active process in which learners construct new ideas or concepts based upon their current/past knowledge. This can be applied to the website usage as it guided and provide the opportunity for the learner either the beginner of advanced learner to learn and construct new knowledge int their schemata. By doing the exercises provided, the learners can transmit the information they learn in the websites into their daily life situation or even in their learning process. Here, the trial and error approach let the students to discover the learning process themselves and make it as a meaningful experience for them as well as blending it together with their existing knowledge of the language matter. Besides that, this website can also be said to practice the Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, whereby the developmental level of the learner either by working alone or with the guide of expert or the teacher in problem-solving process or in-life decision making. The key word for ZPD will be "scaffolding", in which in this website, it has the various level of aid in helping the students to complete the exercises, such as the usage of hints and clues. The aid will be differ for each level or stage of exercises, meaning that as the student is moving forward, the scaffolding will become lesser compared to the beginner students.
7. 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?
From my point of view, the computer neither a replacement for teachers nor merely an obedient servant to students as the computer is like co-teacher in assisting the teachers as well as the servant to the students in term of learning process. It is because no matter how powerful the computer is, its memory still cannot be compared to the capability of human mind. Computer can be the co-teacher because it will be one of the medium for the teachers to apply in their teaching process in a way where the exercises can be practiced by the students after the lesson given. Besides that, the computer can be an attractive instrument in attracting the students' attention in any lesson and it all depends on the teacher's creativity on how to bring it alive during the teaching process. After all, computer also seem to be an aid for the teacher to teach and not the major teaching figure in class as students still need to be guided and facilitated time by time by the teacher.
Then, as the servant to the students, the computer will be the tool for the students to make use of in the learning process. This means that, the students have the freedom in using the computer in their effort on learning the language itself. The computer cannot directed the students, but then, the students themselves will be the one who control the computer usage up to their proficiency level expectations.
8. Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?
Yes? Give reasons:
No? Give reasons:
I will choose to answer yes to the use of the application in my future working environment due to several reasons. Among the reason is the availability of the application itself, meaning that, the application is easily to be retrieved and accessed at any different place and time in which I can make use at any time that I like without any hassle. Then, aligned with the globalization era nowadays, it seems crucial to applied technology aspect in the teaching and learning process so that the learners will be engaged more to the process because it relates closely to the present phenomena. Furthermore, based on the previous practicum experience, I do realized that students are more attracted to learn when it comes to multimedia and graphic as well as the usage of computer, so for me, in order to gain their attention span on the lesson, the usage of application is highly recommended. Not only that, the application also have the value of practicality and able to meet the teachers and students expectation because of the level of the exercises as well as the score point for each exercise.
Suggestions/Recommendations
Overall, I think the application able to cater to all different needs of students in learning English language. However, it might be more attractive if the website author or host on considering the usage of images and animations especially at the Home page of the website. It is also attractive to have different font colour for each label and list of exercises for each level so that the wording can be more catchy. Perhaps, with some improvisation, the application can be utilized wisely by more students because it is such a good application with all those application and the bilingual lesson in means to provide learning opportunities to everyone.
