Blended Learning

Blended learning is designed to meet the individual needs of student by allowing teachers to personalize instruction. It combines face-to-face and online instruction. By using online resources at home, it is possible for students to work with teachers in school. Resources are posted online via class website, LMS (Edmodo, Google Classroom, Schoology, etc).

I think the blended learning is very beneficial for teacher and students. For examples, as a teacher blended learning will help him/her to provide material in the learning activity, he/she will no longer be the learning center in class. So the learning activity will be student-centered. While for students, they can access materials at anytime, anywhere, to review the material that have given. So they will not depend only from their teacher. Thank you. 

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E-Learning

http://www.aesgroupindia.com/client/home.aspx

E-learning or electronic leaning is a computer based educational tool or system that enables you to learn anywhere and at any time. E-learning offers the ability to share material in all kinds of formats such as videos, slideshows, word documents and PDFs. The purpose of e-learning is to allow people to learn for personal accomplishment or to earn a professional degree, without physically attending a traditional university or academic setting.

There are a number of types of e-learning that depend on the amount of physical interaction. Entirely online e-learning occurs without any face-to face interaction. Course work and materials are distributed electronically through email, websites, online forums and/or CDs or DVD-ROMs. Combined learning uses a combination of Internet-directed instruction, as well as face-to-face interaction. Most traditional colleges and universities use combined learning as students learn in physical classrooms, with instruction augmented by online lessons. For those learning for personal accomplishment, e-learning can also use a combination of e-learning types, as they can be entirely self-directed, or they can use the assistance of an expert in their selected field. 

The advantages of e-learning:

  *More Flexible – eLearning can be done in short chunks of time that can fit around your daily  schedule. 

    *No Travel– As just mentioned, eLearning can be done wherever you have a device capable of doing  so. 

    * Lower cost – As you aren’t using a trainer’s time or any room or equipment, eLearning tends to be  the much cheaper option. 

    *Technological Possibilities – eLearning is fast becoming a more and more popular method and with  it, so has the investment into how to improve it further.

The disadvantages of e-learning:

    *Lack of Control– Learners with low motivation tend to fall behind when using eLearning as there are  no set times to be doing it and they are responsible for the organization themselves.

   *Learning Approach – It doesn’t appeal to all learning styles so some learners will not enjoy the  experience – especially strong activists and pragmatists.

   *Technology Issues – With heavy reliance on computers that eLearning brings, comes the potential  risks that comes with it, such as Poor internet connection and unavoidable general random faults.

     *Computer Competency – Some employees might not be too comfortable using computers, especially if their jobs don’t require them to.  

Those are taken from:

1.  http://www.talentlms.com/elearning/

2.  http://www.ehow.com/about_4788168_what-purpose-elearning.html

3 . http://www.ehow.com/about_4788168_what-purpose-elearning.html

That is all about the e-learning. Actually, there is no something perfect in this world, but if we utilizing the technology wisely, we may get the benefit of it. Last, I recommend you to visit the link below to see some addresses of the e-learning applications and tools. http://www.go2web20.net/#tag:e-learning. Thank you.

CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning and Teaching)

Hello guys…, today we are going to talk about CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning and Teaching).

http://luciocornejo.blogspot.com/2010/06/use-of-information-communication.html

Well, CALL may be defined “as the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning” (Levy, 1997, p.1). ‍CALL is the essential tool that helps teachers to facilitate the language learning process.‍ It can be used to reinforce what has been already learned in the classroom or to help learners who require additional support.

The aim of CALL is to find ways for using computers in teaching and learning language process. More specifically, CALL is the use of computer technologies that promote educational learning, including word processing, presentation packages, guided drill and practice, tutor, simulation, problem solving, games, multimedia CD-ROM, and internet applications such as e-mail, chat and the World Wide Web (WWW) for language learning purposes. Taken from: http://web.warwick.ac.uk/CELTE/tr/ovCALL/booklet1.htm

After we know about the CALL, its time to show you some activities of CALL in ELT according to http://www2.nkfust.edu.tw/~emchen/CALL/unit1.htm, as follow:

-  multiple-choice & true/false quizzes

-  matching     

-  crossword puzzles    
-  simulations 

-  concordancing 

-  re-ordering/sequencing

-  games

-  writing & word-processing

-  web quests/searching        
-  web publishing                                                                 

-  online communication   

As we know, in applying technology there will be advantages and disadvantages.

In this case, the advantages in applying CALL are:

Learner’s Factors

- CALL offers individualized and private learning.

- CALL allows learners to control their own learning process and progress.

Motivation and Attitudes

- Some CALL features such as graphics, sounds, animation, video, audio.

- Can improve learners’ attitudes towards learning English.

Mastery Learning

- CALL provides opportunities for mastery-learning language skills.

- CALL can lower the amount of time required to master some materials.

Then, the following are the limitation of CALL:

Cost

- ELT teachers may have negative attitudes towards CALL.

- There is fear that CALL might replace teachers.\

Training

- A lot of ELT teachers still lack training and skills in using 

  the CALL and training costs are   high.

- Training learners to use computers takes students’ time away from

  other educational activities.

- ELT teachers may lack the necessary computer-related skills.

Hardware, Compatability, and Technical Support

- Computer hardware is difficult to install and maintain

  for classroom teachers.

- Disk space is still problematic for storing

  large multimedia files.

- CALL (e.g. CD-ROMs) are sometimes not suitable

  for all computers, platforms and hardware.

In short, CALL has important potential for English language teaching.  The essential things if we used properly with clear educational objectives, CALL can interest and motivate learners of English, because it has effective and suitable tools and applications of language learning and teaching, and it has flexibility on the instruction too, so it can provide communicative meaningful language learning environments.

The Result of Pop Quiz 1

I got "88%" on this Quibblo quiz: ICDL Module 1 – Concepts of ICT (Test1 - 50 Questions)!

http://www.quibblo.com/quiz/fP6_Biw/ICDL-Module-1-Concepts-of-ICT-Test1-50-Questions

ICT in Education

Today we will talk about the ICT in education and the ICT in teaching English. As we know, ICT stance for Information Communication and Technology. ICT is a set of technologu that can be use to shsre information or to communicate with others. While ICT in education means teaching and learning with ICT.

Gambar ICT in Education

Worldwide research  has shown that ICT can lead to improve students learning and better teaching method. A report made by the National Institute of Multimedia Education in Japan, proved that an  increase in student exposure to educational ICT through curriculum integration has a significant and positive impact on student achievement, especially in terms of "Knowledge Comprehension", "Practical skill"  and "Presentation skill" in subject areas such as mathematics, science, and social study.

Below are some advantages the ICT tools in education:

·        > Through ICT, images can easily be used in teaching and improving the retentive memory students

·       >  Through ICT, teacher can easily explain complex instruction and ensure the students’ comprehension

·     >  Through ICT, teachers are able to create interactive classes, and make the lessons more enjoyable, which can include students’ attendance and concentration.

Unfortunately, when there is the advantages there will be the disadvantages too. The following are some disadvantages of the ICT tools in education:

·        > Setting up the devices can be very troublesome

·        > Too expensive to afford

·        > Hard for teacher to use in lack of using ICT tools.

Well, after we talk about ICT in education generally, now we go to the main one that is the use of ICT tools in learning language.  In teaching process, the teacher used to be the center of information for the students in the class, but now by using the ICT, the sharing information or even the learning process can be done online through internet. If the communication between students and teacher is still directly happen, the use of ICT tools can make the learning process be more fun with interesting media in delivering the materials used by the teacher and so on. 

According to http://www.englishteacher.com.au/AboutUs/OfficialStatements/ICTsinEnglish.aspx, it says that ICT can enable students to:

·       >   Access information and respond to a widening range of texts

·       >  Organize and present information in a variety of forms

·       >  Broaden the range of audiences for their work

·       >  Compose a widening range of texts for a broad range of purposes

·       >  Compose for real audiences. ICT can support them in their choice of genre for audience and purpose

·       >  Identify key characteristics and features of text.

·         Develop understanding of language and critical literacy (Becta,2006,ICT in the Curriculum)

From the statement above, the teaching English using ICT is expected to improve the students’ comprehension in language skills through the spoken or written texts as the materials. There are two types of ICT that can be used in it, offline and online. The offline tools are like MS. Office and for the online tools, they can be Wallwisher, Prezi and etc. it is taken from http://www.pcpro.co.uk/features/372979/10-free-online-tools-for-teaching-and-learning.

Management Information System (hypertext, hypermedia, multimedia)

In the first week of ICT class, we talk about management communication system. This lesson relates to hypertext, hypermedia, and multimedia. Know, I will explain about these things according to my understanding after read some references that given by my lecture.

1. Management Information System (MIS)

http://www.sjsu.edu/isystems/pics/MIS%20banner.jpg

In this era, almost some of things that people do are relate to the technology. Start with our daily activities such as watching television, sending massage, doing assignment, searching what we don’t know and what we want to know until to do commerce and business. We can organize them all by utilize the ICT. Moreover when we know about Management Information System (MIS) it will be more advantage for us. Management Information System (MIS) is a system that provides information to help us organize or manage the organization well.  As the managers of information and technology within the organization, MIS professionals bring technology and business together to deliver information solutions that help organizations meet their goals. 

Adapted from: http://www.sjsu.edu/isystems/ , http://vincentpage.blogspot.com/.

2. Hypertext

http://students.cs.tamu.edu/awebb/cpsc489/essaysketch/images/hypertext.gif

According to my understanding, hypertext is a text that we can find from other text. For example in the Wikipedia, we usually find out a text that contain different color (red or blue) in its word and when we click it we will be transferred in the next text that relate to the previous text. In one source that I read, states that hypertext is basically the same as regular text - it can be stored, read, searched, or edited - with an important exception: hypertext is text with pointers to other text. The browsers let you deal with the pointers in a transparent way -- select the pointer, and you are presented with the text that is pointed to.

Taken from: http://www.rc.au.net/papers/www-0595/wwwhype2.html.

3. Hypermedia

Hypermedia is different with hypertext. Hypermedia in my opinion happens when we click one phrase, it will turn up to the presentation of video, animation, and audio which connected each other.

http://lap.umd.edu/SOC/lock42/Ch5/Fig5-2.gif

Some examples of Hypermedia might be:

·You are reading a text on the Japanese language. You select a Japanese phrase, and then hear the phrase as spoken in the native tongue.

·You are viewing a company's floor plan; you select an office by clicking on a room. The employee's name and picture appears with a list of their current projects.

·You are a law student studying the California Revised Statutes. By selecting a passage, you find precedents from a 1920 Supreme Court ruling stored at Cornell. Cross-referenced hyperlinks allow you to view any one of 500 related cases with audio annotations. 

Taken from: http://www.rc.au.net/papers/www-0595/wwwhype2.html

4. Multimedia

I think that hypermedia is the best one among hypertext and hypermedia. 

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSuEWcE66asjFP_qtsZNM2h3_5-nJ--J5QZZD8DdRhcKKKicy9y

Why? It’s because multimedia is the field concerned with the computer-controlled integration of text, graphics, drawings, still and moving images (Video), animation, audio, and any other media where every type of information can be represented, stored, transmitted and processed digitally. So that it also can be said that multimedia has been in the form of software which has been owned.

Taken from: http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/Dave/ISE_Multimedia/node10.html

I think that’s all of my understanding about Management Information system (MIS), hypertext, hypermedia, and multimedia. I am very interesting learning these materials because it’s useful for me as ICT student. In the last, I will be glad if this information can help other people. Thank you.