experimenting ict in english language and literature

AsiaCALL 2008The Seventh International Conference ofThe Seventh International Conference of

The Asia Association of Computer-Assisted The Asia Association of Computer-Assisted Language LearningLanguage Learning

hosted by

The School of English, Institute of Social Technology

Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand

21 to 23 November 2008

11/21/2008 1AsiaCALL 2008, Thailand

Theme of conference:

• Successful Technology-Supported Educational

Outcomes:A Look at Effective Language

Teaching/Learning

• Successful Technology-Supported Educational

Outcomes:A Look at Effective Language

Teaching/Learning11/21/2008 2AsiaCALL 2008, Thailand

Experimenting ICT in Teaching Experimenting ICT in Teaching English Language & LiteratureEnglish Language & LiteratureExperimenting ICT in Teaching Experimenting ICT in Teaching English Language & LiteratureEnglish Language & Literature

By

Dr. Dilip P. BaradDr. Dilip P. BaradDept. of English, Dept. of English,

Bhavnagar UniversityBhavnagar UniversityBhavnagar Bhavnagar

Gujarat Gujarat

INDIAINDIA

By

Dr. Dilip P. BaradDr. Dilip P. BaradDept. of English, Dept. of English,

Bhavnagar UniversityBhavnagar UniversityBhavnagar Bhavnagar

Gujarat Gujarat

INDIAINDIA

We live in an era of information explosion…• Once there was famine of information, today we Once there was famine of information, today we

are drowned in the deluge of information.are drowned in the deluge of information.• Gale of change is blowing in the pedagogy of Gale of change is blowing in the pedagogy of

Teaching English Language and Literature (TELL). Teaching English Language and Literature (TELL). • The marriage between education and Internet The marriage between education and Internet

technology has made a deep impact on technology has made a deep impact on perspectives about teaching and learning. perspectives about teaching and learning.

• The role of the teacher, the nature and context of The role of the teacher, the nature and context of learning, as well as the function and relative learning, as well as the function and relative importance of course content have all been importance of course content have all been challenged and redefined. challenged and redefined.

• TechnophobicTechnophobic teachers have no place in this new teachers have no place in this new world order. world order.

• Once there was famine of information, today we Once there was famine of information, today we are drowned in the deluge of information.are drowned in the deluge of information.

• Gale of change is blowing in the pedagogy of Gale of change is blowing in the pedagogy of Teaching English Language and Literature (TELL). Teaching English Language and Literature (TELL).

• The marriage between education and Internet The marriage between education and Internet technology has made a deep impact on technology has made a deep impact on perspectives about teaching and learning. perspectives about teaching and learning.

• The role of the teacher, the nature and context of The role of the teacher, the nature and context of learning, as well as the function and relative learning, as well as the function and relative importance of course content have all been importance of course content have all been challenged and redefined. challenged and redefined.

• TechnophobicTechnophobic teachers have no place in this new teachers have no place in this new world order. world order.


This presentation aims at …

• … sharing practical experiments with ICT in Teaching English Language and Literature (TELL).

• It deals with the pragmatic aspects of using ICT with the student community of Business Management and Humanities.

• The aim of all these experiments was to develop meta-cognition and self-regulation in learning among students.


The presentation attempts to through light at ...

• …some very pertinent questions: • How far is ICT useful to student community? • What is the Role of ICT in teaching English

language and literature? • What kind of ICT enabled methods can be

used to overcome students' learning problems?

• Can it empower student community? • Can it improve their proficiency of learning?11/21/2008 6AsiaCALL 2008, Thailand

Proficiency and empowerment of students…

Proficiency and empowerment of students…

• … means that the students should be able to comprehend fully what has been taught to him/her and then should be able to reproduce it, not only in exam but in day to day life also.

• If the student fail to do so, he is neither empowered not his proficiency level has improved.

• … means that the students should be able to comprehend fully what has been taught to him/her and then should be able to reproduce it, not only in exam but in day to day life also.

• If the student fail to do so, he is neither empowered not his proficiency level has improved.


What I have not attempted in this presentation is …

What I have not attempted in this presentation is …

• The relationship between theory and application

• Michael Levy writes in Computer-Assisted Language Learning that he is motivated by a desire to understand better the relationship between theory and application.

• … but my approach here is more application based than theorizing.


Teaching English in the class of commerce and business management.• As compared to the class of languages,

commerce and management students are more receptive in using technology.

• … implemented some innovativeness in teaching text (novel), share market, questionnaire, report writing, letter to editors, complaint letters through emails etc.


This text was so difficult because of its language that Saurashtra University

removed it from syllabus


Questionnaire and Report Writing

• www.cross-tabsurvey.com (Questionnaire)• www.monkeygizmo.com (report writing)• Moodle survey• This site sends email for latest surveys.• The questionnaire prepared for such surveys is of best

quality with ‘open-ended’ questions.• Multiple options helps students to understand the

benefits of framing questions which are near to the given topic.

• Report was prepared from the same questionnaire.

• www.cross-tabsurvey.com (Questionnaire)• www.monkeygizmo.com (report writing)• Moodle survey• This site sends email for latest surveys.• The questionnaire prepared for such surveys is of best

quality with ‘open-ended’ questions.• Multiple options helps students to understand the

benefits of framing questions which are near to the given topic.

• Report was prepared from the same questionnaire.


http://www.cross-tabsurvey.com/

http://www.monkeygizmo.com/

http://www.cross-tabsurvey.com/

http://www.monkeygizmo.com/

Share Market Reporting

• For English teacher, the most difficult part of commercial English is Share Market.

• www.moneycontrol.com• www.moneybhai.com

• For English teacher, the most difficult part of commercial English is Share Market.

• www.moneycontrol.com• www.moneybhai.com


• Moneybhai.com is Free Online Virtual Stock Market Trading Game portal run by moneycontrol.com, which is run by TV18 group.

• Eight week portfolio game.• Coordinated through e-Groups: google

groups, & yahoo e-groups.• Synergism of Synergism of websitewebsite and and emailemail resources… resources…

• Moneybhai.com is Free Online Virtual Stock Market Trading Game portal run by moneycontrol.com, which is run by TV18 group.

• Eight week portfolio game.• Coordinated through e-Groups: google

groups, & yahoo e-groups.• Synergism of Synergism of websitewebsite and and emailemail resources… resources…11/21/2008 14AsiaCALL 2008, Thailand

• I got such a magnificent success with this experiment that even today some of the students have continued playing the game and they keep me notifying their progress.

• Better than that, some of them made their career in it by joining companies like indiabulls, sharekhan, stock holding, marwadi etc. These students write in their emails that it was this online game that helped them generate interest in share market and secure job in the similar field.

• Thus, one of the hardest nuts to crack, the Goliath of commercial English – share market – was conquered with the help of knight called ICT.

• I got such a magnificent success with this experiment that even today some of the students have continued playing the game and they keep me notifying their progress.

• Better than that, some of them made their career in it by joining companies like indiabulls, sharekhan, stock holding, marwadi etc. These students write in their emails that it was this online game that helped them generate interest in share market and secure job in the similar field.

• Thus, one of the hardest nuts to crack, the Goliath of commercial English – share market – was conquered with the help of knight called ICT.


Teaching letter writing:Teaching letter writing:* Using google e-groups * Using google e-groups

* Emailing… live from the classroom* Emailing… live from the classroomEmails to companies for inquiry, complaint etc are Emails to companies for inquiry, complaint etc are

written and sentwritten and sent actually and not merely an artificial actually and not merely an artificial exercise.exercise.


• Artificial intelligence is better than Artificial intelligence is better than artificiality.artificiality.

• Teaching letter writing on imaginary Teaching letter writing on imaginary situations was artificial and was breaking situations was artificial and was breaking no ice in the classroom.no ice in the classroom.

• Real emails sent to companies for queries, Real emails sent to companies for queries, complaints, suggestions, comments etc.complaints, suggestions, comments etc.

• Companies replied to it and those letters Companies replied to it and those letters were discussed in the class.were discussed in the class.


Drafting Advertisement…

• www.amul.com


Letters to the Editors… Letters to the Editors… Letters to the Editors… Letters to the Editors…


In last 6 years…

• … ICT has helped me a lot in improving my teaching skills.

• But that is not as important as it has helped my students improving their proficiency in learning literary text, questionnaire, report writing, letters to editors, emailing and share market reporting.

• As an end result, they felt empowered in commercial English.

• … ICT has helped me a lot in improving my teaching skills.

• But that is not as important as it has helped my students improving their proficiency in learning literary text, questionnaire, report writing, letters to editors, emailing and share market reporting.

• As an end result, they felt empowered in commercial English.


Shifting to teaching Literatures in English…

Shifting to teaching Literatures in English…

• Shifting from the classroom of commerce and management to literature, I would begin by saying that foreign literature can never be taught ‘effectively’ without ICT.

• To improve proficiency in English literature, movies, plays, audio books, web resources, e-cyclopaedia etc are more essential than books & black boards.


Intricacy of English literature…

• Oriental and occidental thinking pattern• Difference in collective consciousness• Greek myths & legends Vs Hindu myths & legends• Darwin, Freud, Marx, World Wars – shattered belief

system of western thinkers .• Because of such reasons, we grapple in darkness to

understand their literary concepts and –isms. • Here, ICT is of incredible help.

• Oriental and occidental thinking pattern• Difference in collective consciousness• Greek myths & legends Vs Hindu myths & legends• Darwin, Freud, Marx, World Wars – shattered belief

system of western thinkers .• Because of such reasons, we grapple in darkness to

understand their literary concepts and –isms. • Here, ICT is of incredible help.


Microsoft’s Encarta Encyclopedia* references to literature* Encarta dictionary with thesaurus and translation in European languages.


Arthurian legends, Holy Grail: from Spenser to T.S.Eliot and Northrop Frye’s The Archtypes of Literature


Internet in the literature classroom…* while teaching modern critical theories like post modernism, post colonialism, deconstruction, post structuralism etc, websites like www.reference.com is of incredible help.* All difficult –isms of 20th century are better explained through the reference to this site than any books.

Internet in the literature classroom…* while teaching modern critical theories like post modernism, post colonialism, deconstruction, post structuralism etc, websites like www.reference.com is of incredible help.* All difficult –isms of 20th century are better explained through the reference to this site than any books.


Even to discuss latest in the field of literature, we may click and get info from the websites like www.contemporarywriters.com and get

up-to-the-moment information to share with students.


Collective reading: * Reading from ppt or word filesThe literature class becomes live as all the students are getting similar information at the same time. * Even when things are not shared through web-resources , and only word file read collectively in the class gives good results in improving learning proficiency.


PowerPoint presentation of movies and plays…

PowerPoint presentation of movies and plays…

• At times viewing literary movies, plays and listening audio books may be tiresome task.

• So to prepare ppt presentation of selected scenes and discussion on it may be a fruitful exercise than viewing whole movie or play.

• The teacher have to take pains to prepare slides by inserting video clips and text for explanation, but it really helps to improve proficiency of the students to understand literature.


Teaching Poetry…

• Teaching poetry is not every teacher’s cup of tea.

• The real beauty and meaning of poetry lies in its recitation

• www.librivox.com


Keats odes…


T.S.Eliot’s The Waste Land –


Teaching literary criticism…Improve proficiency in criticism through ‘applied criticism’* Benefit: development of critical insight.


Recent developments in the experiments…

• Experimenting with blogs, WikiEducator and Moodle.

• Synergism of wiki platform and moodle LMS.• www.wikieducator.org/user:Dilipbarad• www.dilipbarad.com/tell• www.blogger.com for developing writing

skills.


http://www.wikieducator.org/user:Dilipbarad

http://www.dilipbarad.com/tell

http://www.blogger.com/

www.wikieducator.org/user:Dilipbarad


www.dilipbarad.com/tellwww.dilipbarad.com/tell


http://dilipbarad.blogspot.com

• Example: Blog on spellings: To spell or not to spell correctly.

• Comments on it by students and peer group.• Collective learning• Cultivates habit of proof-reading and editing of self-

writing.• Result: students has started blogging and

commenting/correcting peer blogs. Their language is showing impressive improvements.

• Example: Blog on spellings: To spell or not to spell correctly.

• Comments on it by students and peer group.• Collective learning• Cultivates habit of proof-reading and editing of self-

writing.• Result: students has started blogging and

commenting/correcting peer blogs. Their language is showing impressive improvements.


What are the benefits !?!?


ICT makes teacher mentally ‘free’ to concentrate on discussion and

interpretation• As teacher’s memory is not over burdened with

facts and points, he can give more time interpreting and discussing.

• Interpretation and discussion are essential to empower students and improve their proficiency.

• Three senses function together – seeing, listening and reading – learning capabilities improve

• ATL: Time is no longer a hurdle in teaching –learning: Any Time Learning.


To Conclude: overview on the threats in ICT enabled teaching-learning

system…

• A teacher who is adamant ‘not to change’ – to adapt.

• Infrastructure• Student’s eagerness and willingness• Machine can never replace Man (the teacher)

but it surely is ‘add-on enhancement’.

• Together they can work wonders!11/21/2008 42AsiaCALL 2008, Thailand

Limitations of these experiments and presentation:

Limitations of these experiments and presentation:

• R.W. Last: Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Language Learning

• Michael Levy: Computer-Assisted Language learning

• “A sense of whole is imperative … practitioners and researchers of CALL have not really assimilated the work that has been done.”

• Because of which, I fear, I may have lose sight of the broader picture…


References:• Thomas, Michael. Handbook of Research on Language Acquisition Technologies:

Web 2.0 Transformation of Learning.• Levy, Michael. Computer-Assisted Language Learning: Context and

Conceptualization. New York. Oxford. 1997.• Last, R.W. (1989), Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Language Learning

(Chichester: Horwood). • Kelly, K. (2005). We Are the Web. Retrieved Internet 15 December 2006, from:

<//www.wired.com/wired/ archive/13.08/tech_pr.html>• Esteras, Remacha / Fabre, Marco. Professional English in Use – ICT. Cambridge.• McLean, D. (2005). The Online Viral Advertising Era Has Arrived. Retrieved Internet

15 February 2007, from: http://www.pcworld.ca/news/column/ 452b385a0a01040800cd2bfc389926d6/pg1.htm

• O'Reilly, T. (2005). What Is Web 2.0, Design Patterns and Business Models for the Next Generation of Software. Retrieved Internet 10 February, 2007, from: http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/ 2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html


http://www.pcworld.ca/news/column/%20452b385a0a01040800cd2bfc389926d6/pg1.htm

http://www.pcworld.ca/news/column/%20452b385a0a01040800cd2bfc389926d6/pg1.htm

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/%202005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html

http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/%202005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html

Presented by Dr. Dilip P. Barad from

Bhavnagar University, INDIA.

• Your comments, suggestions and criticism are invited at:

• [email protected]@gmail.com
