Sunday, August 24, 2014

Teachers and CALL




Web blended CALL: Can a teacher with ‘basic ICT skills’ design online lessons?



Abstract
Many of my colleagues in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities at Arba Minch University, Ethiopia doubt if a higher education teacher in our context can design and teach online courses. Hence, the objective of this paper is to present two cases of a teacher with basic computer skills designing online lessons using a Learning Content Management software named Moodle. It, therefore, narrates the teachers' two experiences of designing online lessons . The courses for which the online lessons designed for was Communicative English Language Skills (Eng 1011) and Lesson Planning and Classroom Management (TEFL 6102).  The former is a common course for first degree students and the later is a course for second degree TEFL students at Arba Minch University. The later online lessons were practically tasted on the target group while the former is designed as part of the presenter’s a quasi experimental research for his PhD study. The presenter comes with this paper with the ambition of encouraging other EFL teachers in particular and all subject teachers in general strive to use blended learning in their teaching.

Key terms: blended learning, CALL, EFL, basic ICT skills



85 comments:

  1. I got a lot of information about CALL.Do you think CALL promets active learning?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, depending on what you mean by active learning. For instance, can promotes independent learning and collaboration as students can be arranged to a collaborative group. I would advise you to explore.

      Delete
  2. really, it is an input how to back up this technology.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Solomon but which particular aspect of the article can be an input?

      Delete
  3. People are from different walks of life thanks to blogger I think we will share a lot by the way do you have any thing to say with regard to perception and practice of EFL students about writing?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comments. I'm afraid I don't have any at the moment.

      Delete
  4. The course build up my prior experience and it pushed me to work in my school ICT center since I have been thought my students to give clue about computer technology since I have an access with Ms- word,Ms- excel ,Ms- access

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comments. It is now time to have your own blog.

      Delete
  5. I appreciate your research topic because you are assessing untouched points till now.This brings new things for language learning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the encouragement. I hope so, too.

      Delete
  6. splendid! this is the result of the course that I've gained through.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm happy that you liked it. Go on with your own blogger.

      Delete
  7. i have got varieties of information form this research which serves me an input how to contact my research

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm happy you liked it but it is not a research. It is just a personal reflection.

      Delete
  8. i enjoyed with your work about CALL and I have got constructive hint!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for this but it just a description of my experiences.

      Delete
  9. Dear Tesfaye, my answer for your genera question(Can students and teachers with basic ICT skills learn and teach online?) and for the specific one(Web blended CALL: can a teacher with 'basic ICT skills design online lessons?) is a big YES! My reasons are the following:
    1. as you have shared your experience of ICT skills, you were not comfortable enough at the beginning in creating e-learning site of the university; but now you have possessed expert like knowledge and skill and have started designing your own courses.
    2. As your student of TEFL, especially the course CALL, 20 of us were not sure about ourselves the practical part of this course through blended learning. But, at the end of the course, we all not only attended the course successfully but also created our own blogs.

    Hence, this concept of yours(implementing blended learning) would have a crucial impact on improving the status of our current teaching practice of the language. Furthermore, it would be a big input for both English language teachers and students to explore and experience what the other world is achieving through the combination of language and technology. This, in turn, motivates everybody who is interested in your idea for self- learning or any other learning options.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much sis. This shows that you have the interest, too. Please, see if blogs can be used with your students in your high school for learning English.

      Delete
  10. First of all I would like to say thank you for your help to enable me to have my own blog.
    To try to give comment on your work it is wonderful to choose this topic and the way you use the language expressions to describe the study is very interesting.
    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comments Dejen. In fact, this is just a reflection of my own experience not a study really.

      Delete
  11. I really like your abstract.you tried to high light the over all idea of the research with in a single paragraph . Since it is a good quality of one research , I share it as an experience for my research work.
    thank you

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the comments. I'm happy that you liked my abstract. This was just a simple presentation of my experience to motivate teachers be involved in online teaching and learning.

      Delete
  12. Really ! It is a wonderful work because I got a lot information for this new era technology.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm happy you liked it. I hope it motivates you to involve in CALL.

      Delete
  13. Your topic is very interesting and magnificent because it gives us information to back up ourself to join this technology.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tarik. This is actually what I want it to do.

      Delete
  14. you have done a good work. I really appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Geni. I would encourage you to do the same.

      Delete
  15. you have done a good work. I really appreciate it.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Blended teaching is a teaching practice in which the teacher substitutes part of his classroom teaching through e -learning. This will make the classroom performance more real-like and authentic. The more a lesson becomes authentic, the more enjoyable and interactive it becomes to teachers and students.Therefore, I strongly believe that your innovative intention to make a difference in teachers' classroom performance through the use of CALL will one day win everyone's consent and may become every teacher's issue.The only thing to do at this moment is to insist on doing your best to show the validity of your proposition.I wish you all the best. My venture to write you this comment on a computer by my own is surely a promising sign for your inevitable success. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Mesfin. I'm happy that I have influenced you this way. This is a success for me. I now have another story to tell to my other students.

      Regarding my insistence, I will never stop till my spirit of CALL engulfs every ELT classrooms in Ethiopia, perhaps i'm too ambitious.

      Delete
  17. To be honest it is very interesting issue and crucial since we are in the era of technology.I wish all the best

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Fikadu. I hope this encourages you, too.

      Delete
  18. I think the study in ethiopian context could be good.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I found it very interesting as it is new and i hope it is vital to familiarize teachers with new technologies.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Dear Instructor Tesfaye H/Mariam:I appreciate the ambition and courage you have got and the determination you have made to be a model for EFL teachers and all subjects teachers of the Arba Minch University in showing that a teacher with basic computer skills can design an online course using learning content management software called MOODLE. The reasons you have presented for your involvement in blended e-learning are all geared towards the improvements of the language learning.That is the nucleus of your entire work which is the most wanted. So I would like to say that nothing goes straight forward without ups and downs.Never give up!Keep it up!!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Dear Instructor Tesfaye H/Mariam:I appreciate the ambition and courage you have got and the determination you have made to be a model for EFL teachers and all subjects teachers of the Arba Minch University in showing that a teacher with basic computer skills can design an online course using learning content management software called MOODLE. The reasons you have presented for your involvement in blended e-learning are all geared towards the improvements of the language learning.That is the nucleus of your entire work which is the most wanted. So I would like to say that nothing goes straight forward without ups and downs.Never give up!Keep it up!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the encouragement and for your interest in CALL. I hope you join me in the campaign of improving access and quality of ELT in Ethiopia by following my examples.

      Delete
  22. That is fantastic!never give up! I am sure you will be successful.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thank you Teshager. I hope you will do the same with your students.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Yes, of course. I also experienced it. As a student in Arbaminch University, I used the e-learning site of the university for more than one year. Even before taking the course CALL I didn’t face any challenge to use the resources from the website. By implication it indicates that a student who has basic computer skill can use websites easily. But after taking the course CALL, I understood how to attend and create online courses, how to create and add resources on e-learning sites and how to prepare, administer and take online tests. It also indicates that teachers with basic computer skill can give on line courses. But it is good if they will be given short training.
    Dear Tesfaye, I would like to appreciate your vision to make CALL applicable for our society. I hope, you will be successful in doing so. As an EFL teacher I will make myself ready to be part of this modern technology.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for being a witness here and your interest in CALL. I think we can together make a difference.

      Delete
  25. Dear instructor, this is quite interesting and useful experience that every TEFL/TESL teacher has to share it. It will have a great contribution for assurance of quality of education.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Endelibu. I also believe it will help to improve the quality of students' language learning experience if properly used considering ICTs' increasing abundance all over the schools.

      Delete
  26. Of course! Wish all TEFL/TESL teachers to have this experience.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Yes, I liked it. However, it needs your continuous support during the course so that it makes me successful

    ReplyDelete
  28. it is very interesting web site so I support this idea

    ReplyDelete
  29. Education is the engine of development, so is you select the modern teaching method (E-learning) everything is goes to the right. therefore, I likes your view.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Technology based education is the most important tool for the cultural ,economic and political development of any society.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Technology based education is very important for the economic, cultural and political development of any society. e-learning is the current generation need education system.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Frankly speaking,As I see you have astonished teaching approach,uncounted knowledge, ingredient methodology and so so? still remaining.we have a great burning desire to know more from you.Just share us and explore the left one from the yard. God bless you!
    God bless You

    ReplyDelete
  33. computer assisted language learning is very interesting which helps teachers to apply theoretical parts with the help of computers,mobile phones and etc. But it is not available in our school.

    ReplyDelete
  34. dear Dr. i am very happy with this research

    ReplyDelete
  35. Do you think that computer assisted language learning useful for students?

    ReplyDelete
  36. this computer assisted cource is to complicated to perfom .

    ReplyDelete
  37. Dear Dr. TH i am happy with this research

    ReplyDelete
  38. CALL is the best way to teach language

    ReplyDelete
  39. Teaching and learning language using computer is really entertaining.

    ReplyDelete
  40. Do you think that CALL use for students?

    ReplyDelete
  41. computer assisted language learning is very essential.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Computer Assisted Language Learning is helpful in ELT classroom.

    ReplyDelete
  43. From your finding i concluded that CALL is the most important tool to help the students in different ways especially in the context of Ethiopia

    ReplyDelete
  44. It is very enjoyable and time saving to teach students using CALL.

    ReplyDelete
  45. I don't have equivalent word that goes inline with your smart research findings which have laid the ground for the existence of CALL course in AMU unlike to any other universities in Ethiopia.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Dear Dr i am so happy while i read this study which is related with my research; the practice and challenges of computer assisted language learning.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Hello! Dr. I AM SO IMPRESSED IN YOU WORKS.

    ReplyDelete
  48. Dr' your article is so interesting and it motivated me to use my own pc for EFL class.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Hello, Dr! I Found you research very impressive because it gave birth for the emergence of CALL course in ArbaMinch University unlike to other universities do in Ethiopia.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Your research findings introduced us with modern computer technologies.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Call is a best course not only me but also others.our instracter I proud of you for ever.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Enter your comment...Dr .you have given an interested subject (Call) which is helpful for our future work

    ReplyDelete
  53. you are a model teacher. I proud of you because I am one of your student.

    ReplyDelete
  54. I am happy to comment that I went through your publication. I enjoy reading your publications and I hope to continue reading more.Your teaching will help us a lot. And thank you inadvance.

    ReplyDelete
  55. Teaching is still the noblest job out there. Learning with sincerity and focus would surely get the highest learning. For example if you want to learn fraction easily, chances are you will never learn at all because you just want the easy way. But with sincerity and focus, added with great teaching strategy, the result would be great!

    ReplyDelete
  56. Your Article is very impressive

    ReplyDelete

Thanks.

MALL, CALL in EFL

 Can Students with ‘Basic ICT skills’ Participate in Moodle-Made Blended Lessons? Abstract Despite minimal deliberate blending of IC...