An Overview of 6 Websites Evaluation from CALL Essentials

Ch.2. PIZZAZ! People Interested in Zippy and Zany Zcribbling

Instructional goals and objectives: The website is designed to provide simple creative writing and oral storytelling activities with copyable handouts for use with students of all ages.
Teaching/learning approaches or philosophies: This websites provides many interesting activities for learners to accomplish. It is a kind of task-based website.
Intended target audiences: ESL students who drive for improving their creative writing.
Required levels of language proficiency: From beginner through advanced.
Relevant technical information: No.

Ch.3. Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Instructional goals and objectives: To train learners’ listening comprehension mainly.
Teaching/learning approaches or philosophies: It provides various audio links for learners to evaluate their listening comprehension level.
Intended target audiences: Learners who long for improve their listening ability.
Required levels of language proficiency: From beginner (easy) to advanced (difficult).
Relevant technical information: No. Probably a good set of earphone.

Ch.4. MSN messenger

Instructional goals and objectives: To make people to have a convenient and easy communication space.
Teaching/learning approaches or philosophies: People can train their listening, speaking, writing and reading ability through using MSN system to communicate with others.
Intended target audiences: No specific target audiences, as log as you want to use it. Namely, people of all ages.
Required levels of language proficiency: People of levels of language proficiency. (If the learner’s English proficiency is not so well, he/she may consider setting a Chinese version one.
Relevant technical information: MSN system is required, of course.

Ch.5. Filamentality

Instructional goals and objectives: To help educators learn how to create their own websites.
Teaching/learning approaches or philosophies: It teaches people to create their website step by step; it classifies each process into each category so that learners are easy to understand.
Intended target audiences: People who long to create a website of their own.
Required levels of language proficiency: Intermediate to Advanced.
Relevant technical information: No.

Ch.6. Inquiry Page

Instructional goals and objectives: To help learners get a better understanding of the inquiry concept.
Teaching/learning approaches or philosophies: By charts, descriptions and hypertext to help learners know better.
Intended target audiences: Learners who want to know more about the inquiry concept.
Required levels of language proficiency: Intermediate to advanced learners.
Relevant technical information: No.

Ch.7. Cable News Network

Instructional goals and objectives: To inform people all over the world of some international affairs.
Teaching/learning approaches or philosophies: It just presents a large number of news articles for learners to read and listen to.
Intended target audiences: People who would like to know the current news.
Required levels of language proficiency: Intermediate to advanced learners.
Relevant technical information: No. Maybe a good set of earphone is recommended.

Websites in CALL Essentials (Chap. 4)

MSN messenger (http://www.msn.com/defaultc.aspx)

When it comes to tools for communication and collaboration, MSN messenger is the last tool I would like to ignore, since it really provides people with a convenient way to communicate. It is very popular among people of all ages, especially among students in university. It is a mainly synchronous tool, but it can also have asynchronous functions seeing that it has e-mail, and also its newest revised version allows users to talk even if they are not at the same time. When you log into your MSN, it pops up a page consists of three parts: today's focus, your e-mail list, and the latest news around the world. Also the main page of MSN system provides diverse links with users, from auction to news, and from matchmaking (seek your girlfriend or boyfriend through net pals) to blogs. Most links are very useful for me!

Most people tend to think of MSN as a tool only for chatting. Indeed, its primary function is chatting. Nonetheless, users can still use them to do some serious business such as online conferences, discussion etc. You can deliver digital files to people whoever on your contact list. It also enables users to see each other through video cameras or listen to the other's voice through microphones. If my memory serves me right, MSN System can allow at most tens of participants to chat together simultaneously within a window. So I possess the experience of having a small class reunion chat on MSN, it's very interesting! Moreover, you can create your own website so that users can learn more information about you. Of course you can make your own web space private, if you want. In addition, MSN provides people with many choices. You may opt to lurk when you do not talk to others. You may block someone when you do not talk to him or her anymore. Or you may talk to someone yet your status is offline. It all up to you!

People may claim that when you chat in a non-face-to-face situation, you cannot see others' facial expression so that you cannot tell whether she or he is elated or sad, angry or smiling. Indeed. It's a demerit of chatting through MSN. But since MSN offers many lovely facial expressions and cute animations, you can choose the most appropriate one to convey your feelings when necessary and the situation may thus be improved a little. If you are still discontent with facial expressions provided there, you may prefer using the handwriting function to draw a new one. What's more, provided you really want to see the other's face, you may open the function of video camera.

Above all, all the available functions in MSN are all free. You do not have to pay any money while using it. Probably it is the most important reason why people are so fund of using it.

Websites in CALL Essentials (Chap. 7)

Cable News Network (http://edition.cnn.com/)

The internationally renowned Cable News Network website is inundated with the latest news in all aspects, such as science, sport, technology, entertainment and so on. It is a fine example of content-based website, and readers can choose items whatever they are interested in. The objective of this website is to inform people all over the world of some international affair as well as regional news, but to ESL learners, this website also serves as a good tool to train their reading mainly. The website also classifies the news by its region and category, which keeps this website neat and in order. The goal of content-based learning is to put emphasis on both content and language learning. And the instructors can adopt and adapt the content on this website according to their students’ level. From the news categorized in this website, students may also learn some lessons and inspirations. I particularly prefer one item on the left-bottom of this website called “Untold Stories.” The "World's Untold Stories" blog accompanies a new weekly documentary series on CNN, and takes users to places rarely caught on camera. I enjoy it in that gritty, powerful tales often open our eyes to a world that is both disturbing and captivating. What makes CNN so world-widely prominent is that it brings people some fresh insights.

What interests me most is the content of this website is so close to our life. I am always eager to learn the latest news around the world. And when I was in senior high school, my English teacher has strongly recommend us to listen to CNN broadcast program on televisions. We even subscribe a magazine called “CNN Interactive English” which explains the content of some significant news for ESL learners. I felt the content is slightly difficult at that time. But now the content is very appropriate for me since I am an English major presently. As a result, this website is highly helpful for me to train my reading comprehension. Though this is not an English teaching website, its content is indeed a good material for readers to learn.

Websites in CALL Essentials (Chap.6)

Inquiry Page

(http://inquiry.uiuc.edu/)

Just as its name, this website is meant to help learners get a better understanding of the inquiry concept. This website has five categories. That is, definition, process, environment, articles and slides. After I realize what does “inquiry” mean from the textbook and from this website, I focus more on the process part, which is regarded as the most beneficial part from my perspective. First step of the process is to ask questions. Since inquiry is a process of discovery, the purpose of asking questions is to motivate learners’ desire to discovery those they never found before. Actually I always think that to come up with some question is difficult, especially those are significant and to the point. Here this website provides some good questions such as “What makes a poem poetry?” “Why does the moon change shape?” After I see these examples, it downs on me that good questions are questions that people seldom think of and have the space to discuss further. What's more, a good question had better be an open question; that is, a question can involve various kinds of opinions instead of one single standard answer. The second step of the process is to investigate. At this section, learners may gather information as much as they can.

The ways of investigate include studying, crafting an experiment, observing, interviewing and so on. As for the third step, create, I think it's the toughest one. It involves the ability to analyze, synthesize, make connections, compare and contrast and so on. The fourth step of the process is to discuss. The main purpose of discussion may be to complement each other’s ideas. Through brainstorming together, learners usually can provoke unexpected knowledge sparks. And the final step, reflect, is what I consider the most crucial one. After each activity, we students are often asked to record his or her own reflection. And I think it does help me ponder on what I have learned from this activity. In what sense I can do better next time? Through reflection, I can remind myself of some valuable experiences and to bear them in mind instead of just let them pass with the passing of the time. I also suggest that learners can record their reflection as soon as the activity ends. At that time our memory of that activity is most refreshing and we can truly think what needs to be desired. This websites also provides slides and several links of relevant articles, which can help learners realize more about inquiry teaching and learning.

I would like to summarize it by mentioning two tips of creating inquiry projects listed in the textbook, which I think will be very useful. First, do not let tools limit your processes or products.Teachers should determine the language and project goals and structures and then choose appropriate tools. Second, teachers should help every student has a role or responsibility to take in their group; to let students have a keen sense of participation. In this case, inquiry-based activities can be carried out more smoothly.

Websites in CALL Essentials (Chap.5)

Filamentality (http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/)

This website is intended to help educators learn how to create their own websites. You may wonder what the word “filamentality” means in this case. Well, according to this website, “Filamentality is a fill-in-the-blank tool that guides you through picking a topic, searching the Internet, gathering good Internet links, and turning them into online learning activities. Support is built-in along the way through Mentality Tips. In the end, you'll create a web-based activity you can share with others even if you don't know anything about HTML or serving web pages.” I am deeply attracted by this description. As the topic of this chapter indicates, creativity is one of the most paramount elements that in designing activities for learners as well as for learners to carry out a task successfully. I used to think that build up a website is a difficult task, but after I come across this website, I change this thought in a sense. This website mainly consists of six categories: start a new page, search filamentality, a tour of the process, edit an existing page, activity formats and user guide. Each category is user-friendly so that I can know what I should do by following the instruction step by step. What piques my interests most is the activity format part. It is suggested that a specific goal for learning is the most important thing in the first place. It is when you know what you aim to achieve that you can carry out an activity efficiently. It also gives users a clear outline as to what can we create an activity. After setting the goal, we can assemble resources and promote learning. And this websites instruct us how to assemble resources and promote learning. For examples, we can make internet links by means of hotlist. It also gives us two useful examples of hotlist: China on the Net and A Hotlist on Colonial America. This chapter also mentions the concepts of input and output. Input and output take many forms, from lectures to diverse activities, and from essays to multimedia presentations. And I am also convinced that this website combines production with creativity very well. If teachers and learners can capitalize on this website wisely, this website is definitely an exceptional learning tool.

Websites in CALL Essentials (Chap.3)

Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab
(http://www.esl-lab.com/)

※Since the framework that Florez mentions in this chapter may not fully appropriate to examine this website, I may modify the content of the framework slightly by myself in order to describe this website more precisely.

Focus: This website focuses on daily English listening comprehension. And to train learners’ speaking accent further.

Preparation: Make learners well prepared to a websites that contains various kinds of authentic topics and the difficulty also ranges from easy to very difficult. There are quizzes after each piece of conversation. Also let learners think about what is the goal of their learning. If they just want to know more about American lifestyle, then they can opt “general listening quizzes.” And if they train their listening for academic purpose, then they can choose another category in this website.

Presentation: There are five categories in this website: generally listening quizzes, listening quizzes for academic purpose, 20-minute ESL vocabulary lessons, language learning and life tips and long conversations with realvideo. In each category are several pieces of items for learners’ practice. In each item, there are pre-listening exercises, listening exercises and post-listening exercises. Listening exercise is the conversation to train learners’ listening in other words, while post-listening exercises are some quizzes to test learners.

Practice: Learners can use the quizzes to see how much they understand form the conversation. As they get better, learners may also start to emulate the speaking accent in the conversation.

Evaluation: I think the quizzes are good materials for learners to evaluate their learning.

Extension: Learners may gather to share with each other what they have learned from this website. Just as the anecdote that be mentioned in the first page of chapter three, learners can use this website effectively through teamwork. Some students print the study guide, and some students discuss the sound bites as they listen.

Well, I think this website will be instrumental for my listening comprehension to some extent. In fact, my listening comprehension is not good, let alone speaking proficiency. Speaking and listening correlated with each other considerably. Only when I can comprehend others’ talking, I can reply him or her accordingly. For example, I hear the words “a mess” a few days before, but I mistook it as the word “amaze.” What extremely different meanings they are! Sometimes I listen to Studio Classroom Advanced program to improve my listening, but I do not know whether I do really progress or not. I just keep listening to it if I am free. But there are quizzes in this website, so that I can know whether I really comprehend the conversation or not. I agree that “opportunities for speaking and listening require structure and planning if they are to support language development,” and carefully planned CALL activities can use computers to support listening and speaking. And this website has already achieve this goal, at least from my perspective. As for speaking proficiency, apart from online talking or chatting, I think activities such as role-play, story telling, show-and-tell presentation, and radio drama are all very interesting and can truly sharpen one’s speaking ability, from my own learning experience.

Websites in CALL Essentials (Chap.2)

PIZZAZ! People Interested in Zippy and Zany Zcribbling.
(http://www.uoregon.edu/~leslieob/pizzaz.html)

Goals: The website is designed to provide simple creative writing and oral storytelling activities with copyable handouts for use with students of all ages.

Presentation: This website is generally divided into five categories: poetry, fiction, bags of tricks, more publishing opportunities and other teacher resources. There are many links available in each category. Beside the links are descriptions about the links. Some links are useful handouts and some are interesting activities, which can truly sharpen learners’ writing and reading proficiency from beginner level to advanced level.

Appropriates: Since this website provides learners with ample links, learners can select appropriate ones of their own choice according to their level. Navigation is also clear. Yet it seems that some of the links are provided to teachers instead of students.

Outcomes: I cannot find extra documents for further learning so far.

Evaluation: The website does not provide any feedback or evaluation. But there are e-mail address and the author’s address; perhaps users can e-mail him if they have any further questions or suggestions.

Notes: This website is clear and easy for learners to understand what or how can they learn. So it is suitable for learners who do not have much technology technique or knowledge like me!

When I first take a glance at this website, I do not be attracted by it too much. Perhaps it’s because the website does not have too fancy appearance. It is a just simple and clear one instead. Nonetheless, as I examine this website closely, I soon realize that it is a useful and abundant treasury for beginners. It contains various kinds of activities to pique learners’ interests as well as to broaden their English proficiency. If there is anything the website can be improved, well, it seems that most of the activities are designed for beginners, and not for advanced ones like us. I also find that at least one link is invalid. Furthermore, some links are offered for teachers to teach, not for learners to learn directly. I also think that the author can design this website more vividly by using multimedia materials such as sounds-effect, animation, pictures, short films and so on.