The CALL! (Week 2)

What did I learn?
1.Types of CALL programs
2.Types of CALL activities

So, 1:

• CALL-specific software: applications designed to develop and facilitate language learning, such as CD-ROMs, web-based interactive language learning exercises/quizzes.
• Generic software: applications designed for general purposes, such as word-processors (Word), presentation software (PowerPoint) and spreadsheet (Excel), that can be used to support language learning.
• Web-based learning programs: online dictionaries, online encyclopedias, online concordancers, news/magazine sites, e-texts, web-quests, web publishing, blog, wiki, etc.
• Computer-mediated communication (CMC) programs: synchronous - online chat; asynchronous - email, discussion forum, message board

Gosh, I never knew that I have been using CALL all this while. I think I have used all of the types of CALL mentioned above. Well, you learn something new everyday.

And Numero Dos is:

The activities. Well, what I remembered most was the BLOG creating time. Giving it a name was the hardest part but I managed to do so.

Well, Blogging is an activity. I mean a CALL activity.

And the rest of the activities were:

- Concordancing: The game was quite cool. A very interesting program I would say.

- Writing and Word-Processing: Use it a lot. Assignments and presentations.

- Online Communication (synchronous & asynchronous): YM, Forums......

So, what is CALL? (Week 1)

CALL, is not the I call you, you call me kind of call.
It stands for Computer Assisted Language Learning.

What is that you asked?
CALL is just the acronym. We use CALL to learn language with assistance of a computer. Programs and soft-wares as well websites(Modern day)used to help in the learning of language can also be considered as CALL.

As Brown (1988:6) says:
"Learning a foreign language can enrich the education of every pupil socially and intellectually and be vocationally relevant. The new technology should form an integral part of a modern language department's overall teaching strategy."

A Hole In The Wall

Wow!
Children learning how to use the computer by themselves, how cool is that. It just proves that the curiosity of children will make them interested in knowing how things work.
This research, by Sugata Mitra, Ritu Dangwal, Shiffon Chatterjee, Swati Jha, Ravinder S. Bisht and Preeti Kapur shows that children can acquire the computer know-how, all they need is a computer and an access to the Internet.
The findings has proven that self-instruction is as effective as a traditional classroom. In my opinion, children can acquire any knowledge that they want, as long as they have an interest in that particular subject. The finding has just given hope to all the children throughout the world who are in need of education.
I, myself have heard of such a project within Malaysia. An NGO donated a few PC to the rural area, namely Long Lawen (Sarawak) for the children to use. The NGO will be going back to the place in a few months time to check up on the computer literacy level of the children (and also whether the PCs are still intact and operating well). From what I heard last, if the results are promising, the NGO will provide a few more units of PC.
I'm praying that the children will show promising signs of learning so that they will be able to show a similar result from the Hole In The Wall research that I have just read. If they do show some similarities, then I would say that the Hole In The Wall research is truly a success and it can be applied throughout the world.

Note: I'll try to upload the pictures as soon as I get them from my friends.