1. What does the application attempt to “teach”?
The website’s name is ‘Welcome to the English Grammar Website’. As the name suggests, the website is mainly focusing on English grammar. Basically there are three sub-topics in the website which are diagramming, grammar practice and writing help. Therefore, the website does not only attempts to “teach” grammar to the users but also integrate other sub-topics which are diagramming and also writing help.
The first sub-topic is diagramming sentences in which the application is attempts to teach the users in identifying parts of speech and its relationship within sentences. In diagramming applications it is being divided into several parts which are: (1) nouns, verbs and interjections, (2) adjectives, (3) adverbs, (4) prepositional phrases, (5) verbal and verbal phrases, (6) compound / complex sentences. Within this application, the user is being introduced with the examples as well as explanations on how to diagram a simple subject and simple predicate (verb).
The second sub-topic is grammar practice. As we all know grammar is the study of the basis of a language and how it is composed. Therefore, grammar knowledge is very important in every language as grammar is very essential and helpful in writing and speaking. Within this sub-topic, the user can actually practice their grammar knowledge as the website provides grammar worksheets and answer. Before the user answers all the questions, there are notes and also explanations on the topic. In this sub-topic, it is divided into several categories which are (1) nouns and pronouns, (2) adverb, (3) clauses, (4) verbs, (5) prepositional phrases, (6) usage practice, (7) adjectives, (8) verbals and (9) miscellaneous.
The last sub-topic is writing help. In this section, the user is being introduced on how to write a good essay. Basically, in this section the website provides explanations as well as tips and techniques on how to write good essay. There are five categories which are (1) general writing, (2) essay writing, (3) types of essay, (4) revision and (5) proofreading.
Therefore, ‘Welcome to the English Grammar Website’ attempts to teach the user on grammar knowledge but at the same time integrate other skill which is writing.
2. What sorts of things is the application user expected to do with regards to learning the content?
In learning the content in the website, the application users are expected to read the notes and explanations in the website. The website provides simple notes, explanations as well as examples in understanding the rules of grammar knowledge. Besides that, the content in the website also allows the application users to answer questions on grammar practice.
In the second application in the website which is grammar practice, the application users are expected to read the notes before they started in answering the questions. Then, they are supposed to answer the questions on separate papers and compare their answers with the answer sheet provided in the website.
Apart from that, the other two applications which are diagramming and writing help will help the application users in their writing skills. The application users are only expected to read the tips and techniques in producing good sentences that will lead to production of good essay. Moreover, the application users can read examples on how to write narrative essay, descriptive essay, persuasive essay and expository essay.
Hence, the website only expected the application users to read all the notes and explanations as well as tips on how to write good essay. Apart from that, the website also provides some questions on grammar knowledge to the application users. Thus, they can try to answer the questions posted in the website and check and compare their answer in the website. There will be explanations on the answers.
3. What sorts of computer skills is the application users expected to have in order to operate/ access/ use the application?
‘Welcome to the English Grammar Website’ is a very simple website in which it attempts to teach the users about grammar knowledge. The content in the website is appropriate to all grade levels and is well organized. As simple as that, the website does not require high level of computer skills in accessing the website. All application users are expected to access the website freely and the skills required to operate the website is not complicated.
From my own experience in accessing the website, the application users are expected to be very familiar and expert in using the mouse which is one of the computer softwares. The application users are expected to use the mouse in order to point, click, double-click, drag and drop, right click, left click and scroll down the mouse. It is requires a simple computer skill in order to access the website.
Other than that, the application users are also expected in identifying and using the icons and menus on the website. On the front page of the website, there are three main applications which are diagramming, grammar practice and writing help. Therefore, the application users a re expected to identify and click on the icons. Furthermore, the application users are also likely to be able to open and move than one application at a time.
Last but not least, the application users are expected to use the tutorials in the application especially on grammar practice application. Inside the application, the users are being occupied with various types of parts of speech, examples and explanations and also exercises on the topic. The users only have to use the mouse and click on the icons and freely read the explanations as well as examples on the topic.
4. While you are “playing” / “accessing” / “assessing” the application, does it remind you of anything you do in a classroom, or with a teacher, or with a fellow classmate, or in self – study?
While I am accessing the website, I realized that I am used to learn grammar through website. This website is full of English grammar knowledge that will be very useful for me to improve my grammar. The notes, explanations and the examples are very useful and helpful in improving my writing skills.
Apart from that, the last application in the website which is the writing help application, really reminds me on how to write and produce a good essay. Students usually forget and ignore the tips and techniques that are useful in writing good essay. When I am accessing this website, it’s really reminds me of how easy it is to get information by surfing the net and searching foe English websites.
Besides that, most of the English websites on the net are very useful to the students in searching for information regarding their studies. To my own perspectives, English grammar can sometimes be too complicated to understand. Besides reading the theories in the book, application users can also search the same information on the English website. Therefore, it really symbolizes me as I do searching the information and learn the knowledge of grammar from websites on the internet.
5. Can you pinpoint some theories of language learning and / or teaching underlying the application?
According to Thornbury (1999) in his book How to Teach Grammar, he concluded grammar as:
(1) “A description of the rules for forming sentences including an account of the meanings that these forms convey.
(2) “Grammar adds meanings that are not easily inferable from the immediate context”.
Therefore, while accessing and assessing the website, there are some theories of language learning underlying all the applications in the website. From my inspection, the website has blends up several theories of language learning especially in learning grammar.
Basically there two major theories of language learning underlying the website applications. The first theory is deductive learning which starts with the presentation of a rule and is followed by examples in which the rule is applied. Deductive approach or also known as rule driven theory is same as Grammar Translation method.
According to Grammar Translation method, grammar is regarded as the starting point in learning. Followed a grammar syllabus and lessons began with an explicit statement of rule followed by exercises involving translation into and out of mother tongue. Hence, the website does apply some of this method in the explanation on the grammar rules. The rule is being introduced first then followed by the examples.
The second theory of language learning underlying the website’s applications is the inductive approach. The inductive approach or also known as rule discovery starts with some examples from which a rule is inferred. According to this theory, the language learners are expected to learn a language from the examples.
This inductive approach is similar to Direct Method and Natural Approach. These approaches concern more on the oral skills and following a syllabus of grammar structures rejected explicit grammar teaching. These approaches believe that learners are supposed to immerse into the new language the same way as they immersed their mother tongue.
From accessing and assessing the website, I found out that the website has both combinations of these approaches which are deductive approach as well as inductive approach. The Grammar Practice and Diagramming applications in the website apply the inductive approach in which learners or users are being introduced by the examples. Then, the users or learners are expected to driven out the rules from the examples given.
On the other hand, the Writing Help application in the website applies the deductive approach in which the rule is being drawn out for the users and learners. The application provides the tips and techniques or rules on how to write and produce a good essay. Thus, I believe that this application shows the learners on the rules and techniques that they should apply when they wanted to write a good essay.
6. How well is the constructivist theory of learning applied to the chosen website?
Constructivist theory of learning is being defined as learning is an active process of creating meaning from different experiences. The students learned best by trying to make sense of something on their own with the teacher as a guide to help them along the way. Thus, this website does incorporate the constructivist theory of learning.
From my inspection accessing and assessing the website, I realize that the constructivist theory of learning is being applied in which the user or the learner has their own autonomy in learning through the website. In a nutshell, the user has their own right to click on the applications provided in the website freely on their own. They can learn the grammar content in the website freely at their own phase.
I believe that in every website the learner is self-sufficiency with their own learning. They can learn at their own phase and they can always learn that by surfing to the website at anytime and anywhere. Hence, the learners are given the opportunity to learn the language at their own phase as each and everyone has their own learning styles which differ from each other.
7. 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 – was the computer a replacement for teachers or merely an obedient servant to students?
According to Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English the word “master” can be defined as someone who is very skilled at something. Meanwhile, the word “slave” refers to someone who is owned by another person and works for them for no money.
From the quotation above I believe that nothing can change the role and responsibility of a teacher. Being a teacher is more than pouring the knowledge to the students but also to teach them to be a better person in future. Technology could not replace a teacher although it is modern and makes human life much easier.
From my opinion and relating to the website that I have observed and assessed, I believe that computer is merely an obedient salve to the students. As it is concerned, everybody can afford to have a computer at their home and everyone can have the access to surf the information as well as knowledge on the internet. For me, computer is just a medium for human being to learn. Computer here acts as a tool for human to deliver what they want to deliver as well as knowledge and information.
Therefore, students used computer as a medium to gain knowledge and learn something from it. All the software and application on the computer are being designed by human itself. Hence, it is impossible for a computer could replace a role of a teacher to the student. Computer is just a tool to make human life much easier and also acts as medium of interaction.
8. Would you like to use the application yourself in your future work?
Yes I would like to use the website as one of my reference and sources in my future work. It is because the website is very simple and it is easy to access. The language used in the website is straightforward and simple. Thus, I can easily understand the explanations as well as the examples provided in the website.
Although the website is very simple as compared to other websites on the internet, the content provided in the website is sufficient enough for me. The website has arranged the content accordingly and has provided clear and precise explanations on grammar rules as well as writing skills. For me, it is very easy to access and it is not complicated as other websites on the internet.
Apart from that, the website also supplies a lot of information that would be very useful and helpful to language learners in improving their language skills. For example the website offers Diagramming and also Writing Help applications that are very useful as it is integrated with the grammar content. Hence I would like to use the website in my future work as it makes my life easier to search for information on grammar rules.
Suggestions or recommendations.
From my point of view, I think that the website should provide more exercises on the grammar application. The content and exercises provided are enough but still I think it can be improved to be much more user – oriented. Apart from that, the website does not require much computer skills from the user. What can be improved that by inserting more exercises that require the users to use more computer skills for example typing skills.
