China University of Geosciences (CUG), which I am working for, has carried out a college English teaching reform, in which IT is highly involved in L2 teaching. Several classes of the students are selected to participate in a computer-based L2 learning course, in which students learn English using computer.
The in-class computer-based instruction will be given in a computer lab. Instead of classical instruction, they will log in to a training program in a website designed especially for them by the textbook publisher, which is commercially prepared and teaches language skills. Also, students are authorized to access all the other web resources and to utilize the IT convenience. There will be an instructor in the classroom who won’t teach directly but answer students’ questions regarding the web-site and language proficiency and skills taught in the web-site.
In my opinion, the language learning tasks fall on the “liberated” learning system, because students can be actively involved in constructing knowledge for themselves with the assistance of a teacher. At the same time, their learning time and place are constrained even though they can learn at their own pace. Besides, a training program is pre-designed for the learners, in which the topic and content are focused.
The incorporation of IT into L2 learning has aroused heat dispute over the roles of teacher and student, the “freedom” granted to students self-learning, and the self-control of students. It is not easy to incorporate “liberated” or “free” tasks into L2 teaching.
The in-class computer-based instruction will be given in a computer lab. Instead of classical instruction, they will log in to a training program in a website designed especially for them by the textbook publisher, which is commercially prepared and teaches language skills. Also, students are authorized to access all the other web resources and to utilize the IT convenience. There will be an instructor in the classroom who won’t teach directly but answer students’ questions regarding the web-site and language proficiency and skills taught in the web-site.
In my opinion, the language learning tasks fall on the “liberated” learning system, because students can be actively involved in constructing knowledge for themselves with the assistance of a teacher. At the same time, their learning time and place are constrained even though they can learn at their own pace. Besides, a training program is pre-designed for the learners, in which the topic and content are focused.
The incorporation of IT into L2 learning has aroused heat dispute over the roles of teacher and student, the “freedom” granted to students self-learning, and the self-control of students. It is not easy to incorporate “liberated” or “free” tasks into L2 teaching.
4 comments:
I think it’s a good idea for your university to carry out such a reform in which students could have more “freedom” with their English learning. Theoretically thinking, students may make greater progress by following their own paces. Do you find it as effective as it is supposed to be?
It looks like a great picture that students can handle their own English learning in their own pace. But I often wonder that how can we be sure that students can 100% concentrate on study, when they have so much freedom in class. As teachers, what can we do?
I am also curious to know whether it is more effective than the traditional method. Besides, what are teachers and students' perceptions and views toward the reform?
I am planning to do a research on the comparison of traditional lecture-based teaching and IT-based one after my coming back to China.
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