Seven Simple Steps for creating CAI There are 7 Simple steps for creating CAI - Preparation e - Design Instruction - - Flowchart Lesson - Create storyboard

Seven Simple Steps for creating CAI

There are 7 Simple steps for creating CAI

         - Preparation

e       - Design Instruction

-        - Flowchart  Lesson

         - Create storyboard 

         - Program Lesson

         - Produce Supporting Materials

         - Evaluate and Revise

Computer Assisted Language Learning and English Language

Teaching in Thailand : Overview

The Development of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

        The term computer-assisted language learning (CALL) came from computer-assisted language learning or CALL, reflecting its origins as a subset of the general term computer-assisted language instruction or CAI.

          Behavioristic CALL is recognized as the first phase of CALL. It was introduced in the 1950s and implemented in the 1960s when the audio-lingual method was widely used in language instruction.

          Communicative CALL – The focus of CALL in this phase is placed on using the language or functions rather than analysis of language forms. It provide students with language skill practice. In other words, provide context for students to use the language, grammar is taught implicitly rather than explicitly, stimulates students.

          Integrative CALL – Computerized program together with computer-mediated communication. The computer serves as tool, empowers users to actually use language CALL in this period is regarded as a shift from the use of the computer for drill and tutorial purposed into a medium for extending education beyond the language classroom.

Advantages and Disadventages of CALL in Language Learning

·        The target language

·        The uses of CALL in language classroom basically help improve  

·        Students ‘self-concept.

·        The initial and quality input

Educational CALL Programs and ELT in Thailand

         

The activities illustrated above, not only course software based CALL but also online programs, including web-based learning, learning management system, multimedia courseware, online communication, online assessment and online feedback, which the Internet and network system are required for running these programs.

         

Studies on CALL in the Thai Context

         

          Design to show comparisons of learning outcomes from a control group with those obtained from an experimental group. The study showed that that normal instruction supplemented by CALL improved achievement and attitude scores.

Processes of creating CALL lessons

                 Good lesson planning is essential to the process of teaching and learning.  A teacher who is prepared is well on his/her way to a successful instructional experience.  The development of interesting lessons takes a great deal of time and effort.  As a new teacher you must be committed to spending the necessary time in this endeavor.

                  It is also important to realize that the best planned lesson is worthless if interesting delivery procedures, along with good classroom management techniques, are not in evidence.  There is a large body of research available pertaining to lesson development and delivery and the significance of classroom management.  They are skills that must be researched, structured to your individual style, implemented in a teacher/learning situation, and constantly evaluated and revamped when necessary.  Consistency is of the utmost importance in the implementation of a classroom management plan.

                 All teachers should understand that they are not an island unto themselves.  The educational philosophy of the district and the uniqueness of their schools should be the guiding force behind what takes place in the classroom.  The school’s code of discipline, which should be fair, responsible and meaningful, must be reflected in every teacher’s classroom management efforts.

SUGGESTED PRACTICES

·        Establish a positive classroom environment

·        Make the classroom a pleasant, friendly place

·        Accept individual differences

·        Learning activities should be cooperative and supportive

·        Create a non-threatening learning environment

·        Organize physical space; eliminate situations that may be dangerous or disruptive

·        Establish classroom rules and procedures and consistently reinforce them 

Begin lessons by giving clear instructions

·        State desired quality of work

·        Have students paraphrase directions

·        Ensure that everyone is paying attention

·        Ensure that all distractions have been removed

·        Describe expectations, activities and evaluation procedures

·        Start with a highly motivating activity

·        Build lesson upon prior student knowledge

Maintain student attention

·        Use random selection in calling upon students

·        Vary who you call on and how you call on them

·        Ask questions before calling on a student; wait at least five seconds for a response

·        Reinforce student efforts with praise

·        Vary instructional methods

·        Provide work of appropriate difficulty

·        Demonstrate and model the types of responses or tasks you want students to perform

·        Provide guided practice for students; monitor responses and deliver immediate corrective feedback

·        Use appropriate pacing

How to create effective CALL

There are 6 key components which should be integrated into the call centre operation:    

•     Location, building and facilities

•     Customer

•     Technology

•     Process

•     People

Finend business management

A change in any one of the above components will have a direct or indirect impact on every other part! Let’s look at each of these in turn. Where a centre is located is critical in terms of the cost of the building but more importantly the ability to recruit and retain employees to work in the centre. The ease and cost to get to a centre is important for those employed in the centre but also in the integration with the Head Office functions that the centre needs to work with.

          The facilities and working environment is more critical than for functional line departments because of the intensity with which the Agents have to sit at their desks and the need to manage resource patterns. Visiting a call centre and looking at how it might feel to work in it will be extremely telling as to how good the centres performance is, but also how the organisation view and treat their employees.

          If you walk into a centre would you want your job to be based in that type of facility? If not, then why are you any different from others? Customers can be anyone, and the Agent needs to have the skills to be able to adapt their style and vocabulary to suit different customer types.

          

           The Agent talks to more customers in any one day that any other person in the organisation. If you want to know what is going on with customers, ask the Agents! With average call durations of less than 3 minutes, how do you form a relationship and build loyalty from a customer in that time. That is one of the biggest challenges that the Agents face, especially given many customers do not like the impersonal touch that call centres often provide.

           

            There are significant amounts of technology available and it is very easy to be bamboozled by it all! It very much depends on the size and nature of your business as to what you require. The basic equipment to handle calls is the Automated Call Distributor but these can range from basic to a Rolls Royce! Many centres do not fully utilise the technology that they have. 

Defining Computer Assisted Language Learning

• Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) represents a side of e-learning

 where computer technology is used in the context of language learning. (Yuan, 2007: 416)

• Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) is widely used to refer to the area of technology and second language teaching and learning (Chapelle,2001: 3).

• Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) may be defined as the study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning (Levy, 1997: 1).

Types of CALL programs

 Programmes which have been specifically designed for English language teaching:

• CALL-specific software (CD-ROMs, online),

• Web-based learning materials (in websites, blogs, wikis, etc.).

• Generic software (e.g. word-processors, presentation software, spreadsheet),

• Computer-mediated communication (CMC) programs (e.g. synchronous: online chat; asynchronous: email and discussion forum).

History of CALL

From the beginning CALL focused on the development of both technology

and pedagogy According to Warschauer (1996), CALL has developed gradually

over the past thirty years and can be categorized into three phases:

           A. Behavioristic CALL (1960s-1970s),

           B. Communicative CALL (1970s-1980s),

           C. Integrative CALL (1990s-today).

The introduction of a new phase does not necessarily entail rejecting the programs and methods of a previous phase; rather the old is subsumed within the new.

References

Chappelle, C. (2001). Computer applications in second language acquisition.Cambridge University    

                Press. Levy,

M. (1997). Computer-assisted language learning: Context and conceptualization.Oxford University  

                Press. Warschauer,

M. (1996). Computer-assisted language learning: An introduction. Multimedia Language teaching, 

                3-20. Yuan,

Z. (2007). Problems in researching e-learning: The case of computer-assisted language learning 

               (pp.416-36).

R. Andrews, & C. Haythornthwaite (Eds.). Los Angeles, London: S

Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI)

CAI uses a combination of text, graphics, sound and video in enhancing the learning process. The computer has many purposes in the classroom, and it can be utilized to help a student in all areas of the curriculum. CAI refers to the use of the computer as a tool to facilitate and improve instruction. CAI programs use tutorials, drill and practice, simulation, and problem solving approaches to present topics, and they test the student's understanding.
CAI uses a combination of text, graphics, sound and video in enhancing the learning process. The computer has many purposes in the classroom, and it can be utilized to help a student in all areas of the curriculum. CAI refers to the use of the computer as a tool to facilitate and improve instruction. CAI programs use tutorials, drill and practice, simulation, and problem solving approaches to present topics, and they test the student's understanding.

Typical CAI provides
1. text or multimedia content
2. multiple-choice questions
3. problems
4. immediate feedback
5. notes on incorrect responses
6. summarizes students' performance
7. exercises for practice
8. Worksheets and tests.

Types of Computer Assisted Instruction

1. Drill-and-practice Drill and practice provide opportunities or students to repeatedly practice the skills that have previously been presented and that further practice is necessary for mastery.

2. Tutorial Tutorial activity includes both the presentation of information and its extension

3. Games Game software often creates a contest to achieve the highest score and either beat others or beat the computer.

4. Simulation Simulation software can provide an approximation of reality that does not require the expense of real life or its risks.

5. Discovery Discovery approach provides a large database of information specific to a course or content area and challenges the learner to analyze, compare, infer and evaluate based on their explorations of the data.

6. Problem Solving This approach helps children develop specific problem solving skills and strategies.

Advantages of CAI

        • great motivator
        • one-to-one-interection
• freedom to experiment with different options
• instantaneous response/immediate feedback to the answers elicited
• Self pacing - allow students to proceed at their own pace
• Helps teacher can devote more time to individual students
• Privacy helps the shy and slow learner to learns
• Individual attention
• learn more and more rapidly
• multimedia helps to understand difficult concepts through multi sensory approach
• self directed learning – students can decide when, where, and what to learn

Limitations of CAI

• may feel overwhelmed by the information and resources available

• over use of multimedia may divert the attention from the content

• learning becomes too mechanical

• non availability of good CAI packages

• lack of infrastructure

• may feel overwhelmed by the information and resources available

• over use of multimedia may divert the attention from the content

• learning becomes too mechanical

• non availability of good CAI packages

• lack of infrastructure