Using Weblogs in Foreign Language Classrooms: Possibilities and Challenges

        Using Weblogs in Foreign Language Classrooms: Possibilities and Challenges

Theoretical Justification of Using Web 2.0

          Web-based foreign language learning started back in early 90s, but it had limited benefits since it was mainly based on Web 1.0 which is characterized as non-participatory, static, read-only entity. In contrast, Web 2.0 technologies provide environments where users can communicate and collaborate in active manners. Two major features that distinguish Web 2.0 from Web 1.0 are the platform-based usage of the internet, harnessing of collective intelligence, and rich user experiences. Thus, web 2.0 technologies such as weblogs, podcasts, wikis, and youtube provide language learners with the potential for a collaboration-oriented and community-based learning environment.

Web 1.0 vs. Web 2.0

Web 1.0	Web 2.0
Web as Read-only	Web as Read-Write
Web as Medium	Web as Platform
Web of geeks and techies	Web of anyone willing to try
Web as Broadcast	Web as Conversation
Web as Static	Web as Dynamic

Characteristics of Weblogs

          1. Weblogs vs. other Asynchronous Web-based Communication Tools

          Weblogs share some similar features with other asynchronous communicative application such as email, discussion forums, and web pages. Weblogs can be view by anyone on the web and weblogs are also different that they are individually or group owned. Weblogs can easily include hyperlinks, images and video clips while the forum mainly consists of plan texts or attached files.

          2. Unique Features of Weblogs

          Weblogs typically share the following features:

·       Individual ownership

·       Updates displayed in reverse chronological order.

·       Archival of postings

These unique features of weblogs have various characteristics that attract language educators and learners.

·       Relevance

·       Accessibility

·       Interactivity

·       Interest

With these characteristics, weblogs not only facilitate exchanging information and expanding communication but also provide learners with possibilities to enhance their language learning.

Using Weblogs in Foreign Language Classrooms

          1. Possibilities and challenges of Tutor Weblogs

          A tutor weblogs can have possible three functions. First, it can function as a space through which a teacher provide learners with course related information. Second, it can function as a platform to help learners explore the Web resources in a guided manner. Third, weblogs can used to allow learners to express their idea and opinions.

          2. Possibilities and challenges of Learner Weblogs

          In this type of class, learners have a stronger purpose to write due to the existence of a real audience. Learners in this situation tend to be more concerned about writing more correctly

          3. Possibilities and challenges of Class Weblogs

          Class weblog can be best used as a collaborative discussion space, an extra-curricular extension of the classroom, encouraging students to reflect more in depth on the topics deals with in class.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Weblogs

• Weblogs are asserted to have several significant advantages for learning foreign languages.

·       Weblogs provide an authentic learning environment for real communication.

• ·   Weblogs function as online learning logs where learners record their learning experience.
• ·       Weblogs enable learners to create social networks and learning communities where they can interact and communicate their opinions and ideas.

Various studies have reported positive effects of using weblogs on the development of learner’s writing skills. Using weblogs in foreign language classrooms:

• ·       Enhances reading comprehension, improves students’ writing skills and abilities.

·       Develops writing and learning strategies.

• ·       Has a positive impact on the content and increases the amount of writing of learners.
• ·       Make students pay close attention to the formal aspects of writing.
• ·       The opportunity to write freely without being judge for their grammatical mistakes.
• ·       Develops ideas and provide feedback for the authors.
• ·       Enhances student analytical and critical thinking skills.
• ·       Increases student motivation in reading and writing skills.

It is difficult to keep students’ interesting in blog-based task. If learners are not encouraged, blogs can quickly be forgotten. In order for weblog to work best, teachers guided learners to from the habit of using them.

• ·       Teachers should respond to students’ posting quickly.
• ·       Students should be actively encouraged to read and respond to their peers.
•         Writing to blog could be required as part of the class assessment.

Asynchronous exercise

1. IT  the abbreviation for “information technology” (the study and use if electric processes and equipment to store and send information of all kinds, including words, pictures and numbers.)
  
     Information technology (IT) is the application of computers to store, study, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data,or information, often in the context of a business or other enterprise.

  IT is considered a subset of information and communications technology (ICT). In 2012, Zuppo proposed an ICT hierarchy where each hierarchy level "contain[s] some degree of commonality in that they are related to technologies that facilitate the transfer of information and various types of electronically mediated communications."

   

       Reference:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_technology

2. ICT  the abbreviation for “information and communications technology” (the study and use of computers, internet, video, and other technology as a subject at school.)


                 Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is an extended term for information technology (IT) which stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines and wireless signals), computers as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual systems, which enable users to access, store, transmit, and manipulate information.

           Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICT

        

3. CAI stands for "computer-assisted instruction" or "computer-aided instruction"

                    Educational technology is "the study and ethical practice of facilitating learning and improving performance by creating, using, and managing appropriate technological processes and resources".

Educational technology is the use of both physical hardware and educational theoretics. It encompasses several domains, including learning theory, computer-based training, online learning, and, where mobile technologies are used, m-learning. Accordingly, there are several discrete aspects to describing the intellectual and technical development of educational technology:

            Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICT

4. CALL  stands for "computer assisted language learning"
                        Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is succinctly defined in a seminal work by Levy (1997: p. 1) as "the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning".CALL embraces a wide range of information and communications technology applications and approaches to teaching and learning foreign languages, from the "traditional" drill-and-practice programs that characterised CALL in the 1960s and 1970s to more recent manifestations of CALL, e.g. as used in a virtual learning environment and Web-based distance learning. It also extends to the use of corpora and concordancers, interactive whiteboards,Computer-mediated communication (CMC),language learning in virtual worlds, and mobile-assisted language learning (MALL).

               Reference:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ICT

5. WBI stands for "Web based instruction"
                           Web-based instruction (WBI) is a hypermedia-based instructional program which utilizes the attributes and resources of the World Wide Web to create a meaningful learning environment where learning is fostered and supported. ( Khan, 1997 , p. 6) Learn more in: Perceptions of Competencies Developed in an Active Learning Course Featuring the Design of Web-Based Instruction on Mathematics

            

                 Reference: https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/web-based-instruction-wbi/32415 
      

6. CBI stands for "Computer Based Instruction"

                      Computer-based instruction is any curricula in which students interact with a computer as a key element of the learning process. Although the term is used to describe a number of different teaching methodologies and curricula, an instructor is almost always present to organize and monitor student activities. Students complete exercises and view materials on a computer screen rather than receiving the information from written material or an instructor's presentation. This dramatic change from traditional teaching has far-reaching implications for the future of education.

             Reference: http://itstillworks.com/computer-based-instruction-education-1226.html

7. CMC stands for  "Computer Mediated Communication"

                           Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is defined as any human communication that occurs through the use of two or more electronic devices. While the term has traditionally referred to those communications that occur via computer-mediated formats (e.g., instant messaging, email, chat rooms, online forums, social network services), it has also been applied to other forms of text-based interaction such as text messaging. Research on CMC focuses largely on the social effects of different computer-supported communication technologies. Many recent studies involve Internet-based social networking supported by social software.

         

                 Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer-mediated_communication

8. TELL stands for "Teaching English Language Learners"

           

            Teaching English Language Learners: Content and Language in Middle and Secondary Mainstream Classrooms provides a reader-friendly guide to implementing and assessing high-level, content-area instruction for English Language Learners. Beginning with an overview of second language acquisition and the cultural variables that impact teaching and learning, authors Michaela Colombo and Dana Furbush go on to detail planning strategies, units and lessons. Practical in nature, this text focuses on the areas where it is often most difficult to make content comprehensible and build academic language skills: middle and secondary math, English language arts, history, and science. 

      Reference: https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-English-Language-Learners-Mainstream/dp/1412959659

9. MUD stands for "Multiple User Dialogue"

                   A MUD (/ˈmʌd/; originally Multi-User Dungeon, with later variants Multi-User Dimension and Multi-User Domain),is a multiplayer real-time virtual world, usually text-based. MUDs combine elements of role-playing games, hack and slash, player versus player, interactive fiction, and online chat. Players can read or view descriptions of rooms, objects, other players, non-player characters, and actions performed in the virtual world. Players typically interact with each other and the world by typing commands that resemble a natural language.

             Reference:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUD 

10. MOO stands for "MUD Object Oriented"

                  A MOO is a text-based online virtual reality system to which multiple users (players) are connected at the same time.
            

                 Reference: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MOO

Synchronous Tools

If using the “same time, different place” model of communication, some common barriers to implementation of synchronous tools are cost and bandwidth—not only cost and bandwidth on your end, as the individual teacher or the institution, but also to the students. This is especially true with conferencing systems; video/web conferencing requires equipment to deliver but also to receive. Although the benefits of real-time video conferencing are clear—it’s as near to a physical classroom environment as you can get—the software, hardware, and bandwidth necessary on both sides can be more cost-prohibitive than actually physically attending a class.

        Some learning management systems/e-learning systems/virtual learning environments have integrated synchronous tools within the delivery platform—here I’m thinking specifically about Blackboard’s integrated chat and whiteboard features. Although there are still software, hardware, and bandwidth requirements for these tools, the requirements are likely not as cost-prohibitive as those required for video conferencing.

        But when thinking about setting up synchronous discussion, don’t discount the basic, free, “old school” group instant messaging platform, ICQ.

Asynchronous Tools

 But when it comes to virtual communication in support of our classes, asynchronous communication is by far the more popular model if for no other reason than the barriers to implementation tend to be much lower—many of these tools are free and require minimal hardware and software. The drawbacks of asynchronous tools are that they are by nature less timely and efficient—they are asynchronous, after all. However, planned excursions with asynchronous tools can turn into synchronous events. In other words, if students and instructors all happen to be logged in to a discussion board, conversation can happen in near-real time.sadas

                Reference:   http://www.chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/tools-for-synchronousasynchronous-classroom-discussion/22902