huhuhu...

this is the first time for me to blog...huhuhuhu...i bet most of my friends also experienced the same thing as me..kinda weird..oklah..however, the main aim is to excell in call subject!!

1.Who are the users the website/websites is /are targeting?

The target users are teachers, students and also the schools especially for searching online resources in English as a second language. (http://www.eslmonkeys.com)

2.What sort of things are the application users expected to do with regards to learning and using (or even manipulating!) the content?

The websites offers a lot exercises for the students and it is divided into three groups, Small Tools, Big Tools, and Interactive Tools. Under each of the sections there are range of beneficial exercise and activities such as Word of the Day, Flash Cards, Quizzes, English Videos, English Reading Room, and Students’ Forums and so on. The best things are the users can get Free English Lessons and exchange their ideas in English as they can interact with other ESL speakers.


3.What sort of computer skills are the application users expected to have in order to operate / access / use the application?

The obvious computer skill is clicking using the mouse on the links and then waits for loading. However, other computer skill is using the keyboard as the students need to type the word that they want to search at the dictionary tool. Some of the exercise also asked the students to type the answer in the space provided.

4.While you are “playing’/”accessing”/”assessing” the website (s)does it remind you of anything you do (or have done) in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with a fellow classmate, or in self study?

Frankly, the most things that remind me just in how to do the effective lesson plan. As the website provides lesson plans to the teachers, it may help a lot for young trainee teachers.

5.What setting will the website (s) best used in: independent study lab with no teacher available, lab associated with a class, a teacher -led class with one or a few computers?

In my opinion, for advanced students, they can do it on their own and they may not have any difficulties. However, for novice and intermediate students it is best to in a situation where a teacher – led class with one or a few computers. The teacher can explain certain words and the concept of the word and also indirectly explain to them the computer skills. In addition, the link for quizzes is quite confusing. The students need to access through grammar exercise and from that the students will get wide range of activities including writing, reading, puzzles and so on. Without teacher’s guidance, the student may confuse and lost.


6.Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and / or teaching underlying the application?
There are many theories of learning underlying the application. The most theory of language learning that has been use is cognitive theory.


7.How well are the Vygotsky’s constructivist theory of learning and Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence theory applied to the chosen website(s)?

Vygotsky’s constructivist theory of learning suggests that the learner is much more actively involved in a joint enterprise with the teacher of creating ("constructing") new meanings. In this website, I can see that the "cognitive constructivism" as the exercises stress on several stages and vocabulary. As the students try to understand new things and new word, they may construct new meaning. The Multiple Intelligence theory that are applied such as linguistic as students need to deal with with words, spoken or written and also intrapersonal skills.

8.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 – is the computer a replacement for teachers, or merely an obedient servant to students?
In my opinion, computer is only a tool that can really help us in teaching and learning. However, computer it is NOT the replacement of the teachers. Computer cannot understand human’s expectations, feelings and comprehension. Teacher is the best as they can explain what human do not understand, and indirectly implement moral values towards the students. Compute also is not an obedient servant to the students as if that happens, the student may rely on computers and this will not lead to the independent learning.

9.Would you like to use the website(s) yourself in your future work?
Yes, I would like to use the website in my future work. The teachers may get a lot of benefits from this page as it offers teacher resources and it also provides job vacancies. The students also can try a lot of activities for example matching the vocabulary, gap fill exercise; drag the answers and so on.


10.Suggestions / Recommendations.
The website can be improved as they provide more exercise to the students. The tutorials also very colorful but, details tutorial may help the students and also the teachers. The links also need to be in appropriate and easy to use as it quite confusing.