The Implementation of Information Technology
in Language Teaching
By Dra. Ienneke Indra Dewi M.Hum.
Bina Nusantara University
J a k a r t a
Introduction
In this global era where information
spreads quickly, the role of information technology is getting higher. The
information technology helps human beings in doing all their jobs especially
when we are talking about the one connected with computers. Although computers
have been used for teaching and learning language, its fast development enables
people to use them in learning language. The problem is that whether this
computer has been used maximally. In Indonesia there are more and more
people using computers for administration works and some of them have used them
for language learning as well. Indeed, when we browse internet, there are a lot
of institutions using computers for language learning, and it is expected that Indonesia
has begun to use computers as well.
This paper
intends to increase the awareness of the English teachers regarding the
facilities provided by technology information especially the ones using computers
regarding the language learning and thing that can be done using this
computers. This paper only covers computers in the sense of the use of
information technology but not the programs nor the machine. The discussion
will cover the history of learning a language using computers or which is well
know as CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning), the researches done, the
use of Computer facilities in language learning and the barriers in applying
the learning. Hopefully, this writing will be useful for those who are learning
a language as well as for English language teachers. Finally, this writing is an overview and it
does not intend to discuss each point in details.
A brief history of CALL
In his research Warschauer
& Healey, (1998) and Lee
(2000) divide the CALL into three part periods according to the development of
the language learning that are behaviorustic CALL, communicative CALL and
integrative Call. Behaviouristic CALL used from 1960’s to 1970’s was based its
program on the language learning approach behaviorism. In this case the
behaviorism principles were implemented in CALL by designing repetition and
drill system. Warschauer & Healey, (1998) consider computers to be ‘a mechanical tutor which never grew tired’.
The exercises in the computer were supposed to be repeated and were drilled
over and over by the students.
Communicative
CALL developed in accordance with the development of the communicative approach
in language learning (Underwood, 1980).
In this approach the language learning should be stressed on the usage instead
of form. Grammar was taught not by explaining the theory but by giving the
usage of the grammatical item first then from the usage students were supposed
to conclude the theory. This approach also stressed on the language use in
context and culture of the language learnt. This era lasted from the end of
1980’s until the beginning of 1990’s.
The third CALL –
integrative CALL famous as multimedia emerging in the beginning of 1990’s developed
along with the approach of “a socio-cognitive view that emphasizes
real language use in a meaningful, authentic context” (Lee, 2000). At this
time, the multimedia computers are used to integrate the language skills and
the contexts as well as to provide authentic materials. Lee (2000) also said
that “the multimedia-networked computer provides a range of informational,
communicative, and publishing tools that are potentially available to every
student”.
Some researches done in the use of
computers in language learning.
There are a lot of researches done regarding the use of
computers in language learning. e Horse
M., Cobb T and Nicolae I (2005), investigated students learning ESL in a
Canadian University using on line to check whether they were able to improve
their vocabulary using the online dictionary, the on-line dictionary,
the concordancer, the Word Bank quiz feature, hypertext reading, and the cloze
maker. The results showed that students’ vocabulary improved and they were able
to apply the vocabulary the correct sentences and contexts. Another interesting
research done by Jiang,W. and Ramsay,G. (2005) finding out the rapport building through CALL
in teaching Chinese students studying Spoken Chinese in the University of
Queensland, Australia. They did the research by asking the students to practice
the sound file provided on-line, and having interactions among the students as
well as the teachers, beyond the face to face
interactions. The results shows that the CALL practice was useful;
students helped each other, they were more motivated in learning and the
communication and the interactions among students as well as between teachers
and students help them in learning.
Eastmen (1998)
mentioned some applications in using instruments for learning language using
computers such as multimedia, CD-ROM and examples for the teaching using
computers. He also mentioned some materials that can be used in learning
English.
The use of computer facilities in learning
a language
In the era of
integrated CALL, the hardware of the computers has provided us with multimedia
in which students can study the four skills; listening, speaking, reading and
writing altogether. The approach used is the cognitive approach in which
students are assumed to have prior knowledge and are able to learn the language
according to his pace. This paper will
discuss two media used in learning the language; using internet and CD-ROMs.
The use of internet
In general
internet is used for making communication as well as finding information from
the World Wide Web. Warschauer, M., & Healey, D. (1998).,
mentioned two kinds of communication that can be done through internet namely Synchronous Communication and Asynchronous
Communication. Synchronous communication refers to the communication done by
more than one people at the same time and asynchronous communication is done by
the participants not at the same time such as in e-mail. There are some
programs in searching engine using this way of communication such as in Yahoo
Messenger. If we want to make the best of this program, actually we can
encourage students to communicate in English. The language used may not be the
formal English, however, at least the students enjoy their English in their own
way freely as they might use informal spoken language writtenly.
The learning
process using e-mail can be done in several ways, individually between a
student and the teacher or among students. Students are able to make a kind of
discussion forum by having a group email in which they will be able to
communicate one another. The teacher can give a topic for discussion and all
students can share ideas, suggest as well as argue one another’s opinions
concerning the topic. This kind of exercise will encourage students to practice
writing, and teachers may check whether the students’ writings are already according
to the theory he teaches or not. The teacher can give exercises and let the
students do the peer checking. Also teachers are able to correct the students’
writing so that it becomes on line writing lessons.
The researches
about the use of online material in language learning have often been done. Kannan
and Mackish (2000) made a research in Singapore to check whether students
are more motivated learning using on line learning and they found out that
students had positive attitudes towards learning a language online. Cunningham
(2000) enhanced his students writing development using computers on line. He
used the approaches of guided and free writing. He then, tried to find out the
students’ opinion concerning the learning, and the results shows that “fully 88% of the students believed the
computer helped them to improve their writing skills and 53% found it was not
difficult to learn to use the computer”.
Muehleisen,
(1997) made projects using internet in which he taught the students step by
step how to use computers and to find information from the internet. He even
encouraged students to have international pen-pals to discuss a topic given.
Finally he urged English teachers to
make use of the Internet in their English classes. He said that “such projects
are a good way of motivating students to use English outside the classroom and
to make English a part of their daily lives.” This method of teaching using
internet was also given by Lincoln
(2003). Alkhatani (1999) suggested the
techniques in teaching reading using computers
The most frequent
use of internet is to find out information from the World Web. Nowadays there
is abundant information, exercises in provided in internet including language
learning such as in speaking, reading, writing and speaking as well as in
grammar and cultures. In a website like http://iteslj.org/t/ws/ we can find a complete
English lessons from the beginning to the advanced level.
The form could be
in journals, articles until a short paragraph commenting or giving some ideas
on a simple thing. Warschauer &
Healey, (1998) mentioned that internet is ‘part
library, part publishing house, part telephone, part interactive television’.
Some of the information is free and some others are not. One of the journals on
line for teaching English is The Internet TESL Journal.
The journals in this website contain a lot of articles regarding the materials,
teaching techniques as well as any kinds of researches regarding the language
teaching. Besides the free ones,
there are also other resources that can be used in learning a language such as Proquest. In Proquest, we can find more than 4.400 journals, books, articles
covering a lot of fields including language. Besides, some universities such as
like the ones in China.
sell cards so that we can access their libraries, reading their books, journals
and magazines.
In general, internet is one of the
resources in learning not only language but also various kinds of knowledge
from all over the world and if we can make the best of it in learning or
teaching a language, we will be able to help our students a lot.
The use of CD and DVD - ROMs
In multimedia
computers, we have the facilities of CD or DVD – ROM that can be used in
learning a language. CD and DVD – ROMs used to watch films but nowadays along
with the development of the language approach they are also used to learn a
language.
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM for the Learner
Eastment (1998) mentioned three
advantages of using materials in CD and DVD – ROM.. First is that the CD-ROMs are
standardized. They can be applied in any computers meaning that people all the
round the world may be able to use them. The second advantage mentioned is that
CD-ROMs are of usable quality – a lot of information such as audio, visual,
graphic, texts , can be put in the CD-ROM due to its big capacity. The third is that a wide range of software is
available in the market. Eastment (1998) also said that in 1997 it was
estimated that there were 10,000 multimedia CDs on the market, and more
than 250 packages were for language
teaching. Unfortunately there is no clear indication of the number of CD and
DVDs in the year of 2005.
Eastment (1998) also mentioned
three reasons for students choosing to study using CDs. The first is that CD’s
are interactive Students do not only watch like in VCD films, but they are able
to interact as well, by dragging, ticking the answers or even by responding the
answers orally. The second reason is that CD’s re-inforce the students in
learning as the content is not just a text but also voices, pictures, graphs,
and even videos. The last reason is videos, voices and pictures will help the
students learn the language by looking at the situational and cultural
contexts.
The barriers in applying computers in language learning
Lee (2000) mentioned the teachers’ barrier in using computers to teach
language i..e. (a) financial barriers, (b) availability of
computer hardware and software, (c) technical and theoretical knowledge, and
(d) acceptance of the technology. In this case, especially in its
implementation in Indonesia,
I would like to include the culture – the learning and teaching habits in this
part.
a. Financial barrier
The investment for hardware,
software and human resources are high. The cost of the operational activities,
the link, the internet and the trainings of human resources should be
considered. However, Lewis et al.
(1994) in Lee (2000) said that “Computer-assisted Learning costs the same as
conventional instruction but ends up with producing higher achievement in the
same amount of instructional time, it results in students achieving the same
level but in less time”. It means that the cost of each student in learning a
language for a certain period will be higher but the results will be better.
However, there is more value that cannot be measured by money, the life long learner
attitudes. By studying using computers, students will be accustomed to studying
independently. Considering that there are more and more information and CDs or
DVDs for language learning, there will be a great possibility that students will continue studying even when they have
graduated from schools. The teachers will have the same experience as they will
be able to broaden their mind and knowledge at any subjects that they like.
b. Availability of computer hardware and software
For those who live in the
cities, the availability of computer hardware and software might not be a
problem, but for those living in small towns, villages, it is not easy to find
these facilities.
c. Technical and theoretical knowledge
This barrier deals with the
technical and theoretical knowledge of the computers both software and
hardware. The problem exists not only in how to develop the materials using
software, but also in how to operate the computer and how to find the
information from the computer. Also, another problem is about how to teach and
learn using computers.
d. Acceptance of the technology
Information technology changes very
fast and this may become a barrier for the students especially for the teachers
as students usually learn more quickly than the teachers. This changes may
cause the resistance of the computers. Lee (2000) quote “Murphy & Terry
(1998a) who indicated the current of change move so quickly that they destroy
what was considered the norm in the past, and by doing so, create new
opportunities. But, there is a natural tendency for organizations to resist
change” . Lee also quoted
(Zuber-Skerritt, 1994) who said that “wrong conceptions about the use of
technology limit innovation and threaten teachers' job and security. Thus the
teachers are worried that they might be replaced by computers and they become
jobless. Regarding this point, I suggest the cultural background is also
important. If the students are accustomed in learning depending on the
teachers, it is hard for them to study independently without the presence of a
teacher. It happens to the teachers who they are accustomed to teaching face to
face, having the ‘fun’ interactions with students and becoming the center of
the audience. An interesting research done by Mihye Harker,M ( 2004) indicating that Students like the teaching on
line but they still need human touch face to face meeting with the teachers,
asking the questions directly
Conclusion
This paper intends to present an
overview of the use of computer in language learning. The purpose is to
investigate the facilities of the computers and what they can in the language
learning. The paper mainly discusses two areas that is the use of internet and
the use of CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs in learning a language. Internet has been found
out to be very useful in getting
information from all over the world in teaching and learning a language (in
this paper I use the English website). Also from the research and experiments
done, students find the online learning is useful to learn a language as a whole or to learn a skill of language.
Learning using CD and DVD-ROMs
is also useful. They found to be standardized, usable and available on the
market. Then the learning is also interesting as it is interactive, it re-in forces
and contextual.
In spite of the interesting and
useful language learning using computers especially using internet and CD and DVD-ROM, there are
barriers for students, teachers as well as the institutions; financial barrier,
availability of the computer hardware and software, technical and the
theoretical knowledge of the human resources and the students and finally the
acceptance of the technology including the culture.
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