Browsing by Subject "CALL"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4

Open Access
Investigating the relationship between learning styles and the effectiveness of on-line supplementary material
(2010) Cangır, Hakan
This study investigated (a) the effectiveness of CALL supplementary materials on students‘ overall classroom achievement, (b) the relationship between students‘ learning styles and their classroom achievement after instruction supported by online supplementary material, and (c) differences in students‘ approaches to using the CALL material due to their various learning styles. The study was conducted in two different settings, Ankara University and Trakya University, School of Foreign Languages with 98 participants, who were tertiary level intermediate students. An online program was used as an instrument and the data were collected through unit tests, a learning style survey, and a CALL features questionnaire. The analysis of the quantitative data revealed that CALL as a supplement had a positive influence on students‘ overall classroom achievement. In addition, although some significant correlations were seen, students‘ learning style preferences did not have a strong effect on their classroom achievement. Finally, some significant correlations were observed between the students‘ learning styles and how they used the online supplementary material. However, the findings were not strong enough to generalize. Aside from the significant correlations, it was concluded that the features of the online program appealed to the students on both sides of the dichotomies and they appeared to benefit from the online program equally.
Open Access
The perceptions of ELT students about the use of Web 20 tools, particularly wikis, in their future language classrooms
(2013) Keleş, Ufuk
Computer and internet technologies have radically changed the way people communicate and process information in the past three decades. Such drastic advances have found their reflections in the field of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as part of language teaching. Today, Web 2.0 offers numerous merits to language teachers and learners. While language classrooms are transformed into student-centered learning environments, learners have found the opportunity to break out of the physical boundaries of the classroom walls. Therefore, teachers have been forced to make use of online tools in order to reinforce their teaching practice. Although such transition is unlikely to cease to exist, the amount of studies examining the effects of Web 2.0 tools is rather limited. Wikis are helpful tools for language teachers for they are easy to learn and simple to use. Despite the benefits they offer to language teachers, the present literature about the use of wikis in the language classroom is even less infrequent, and a great majority of the studies examining the use of wikis in language classrooms focuses on their use for the teaching and enhancement of the writing skill. Likewise, there is only one study concentration on the reading skill. However, there has not been a study that reveals whether wikis can be used for the teaching of grammar and vocabulary. This study investigated the perceptions of the ELT students about the use of Web 2.0 tools, particularly wikis, in their future classrooms. The research was conducted at a state university in Turkey with 12 ELT students who were trained to learn to use wikis in a four-hour workshop. Pre- and post-perception questionnaires were administered in order to collect qualitative data which were statistically analyzed after the training. Follow-up interviews were conducted with four students, and these data were qualitatively analyzed. The statistical analysis of data revealed that although these ELT students were digitally literate, and they made use of several Web 2.0 tools in their daily lives, but they believed that their formal education was not enough for their future careers. There was statistically significant difference in their perceptions when their formal education was concerned. Similarly, their perceptions changed significantly for the teaching of reading, writing, and grammar. On the whole, they initially had positively strong feelings towards the use of Web 2.0 tools in their future classrooms. This positive attitude slightly increased after the wiki training. When the qualitative data derived from the follow-up interviews were evaluated, it was found that although the participants of the wiki training (WPs) had perceived wikis as complex Web 2.0 tools at first, their perceptions changed after being introduced to wikis. This change in their perception about wikis helped them to reconsider their opinions and their prejudices were transformed into confidence that they could learn about the contemporary Web 2.0 tools in order to enhance their teaching abilities. While the relevant literature looked for an answer to the question whether wikis were effective tools for writing, this research study focused on finding new ways to improve language learning performance of the students through the employment of wikis. The findings of the study revealed that wikis could be employed in the field of ELT via integrating several other Web 2.0 tools into wikis for different purposes including the teaching of writing, reading, vocabulary and grammar.
Open Access
The role of learner training in the effectiveness of call
(2010) Alparda, Çiğdem
This study investigated the effect of learner training on students’ ability to benefit from CALL effectively. The study was conducted at Zonguldak Karaelmas University Foreign Languages Compulsory Preparatory School with 38 participants, who were intermediate level students, and four instructors, who were responsible for the experimental and the control groups. Strategy training activities were used as an instrument for learner training and the data were collected through Longman English Interactive Online, which is a web-based program. The experimental group was observed over a two-week period before strategy training. After a two-week strategy training period, they were observed for five weeks. The analysis of the performance of students in the pre- and the post-training period revealed that learner training did not make any significant difference on students’ attendance in the lab lessons. However, it appeared to have a positive influence on students’ engagement in the CALL materials, the number of lab activities, the number of quizzes completed, and achievement on review quizzes. Furthermore, strategy training appeared to have a positive effect on students’ motivation to attend the lab lessons and engage in the lab activities.
Open Access
Students' and teachers' attitudes towards the use of computer-mediated communication voice & text chat as an instructional resource to improve speaking skill
(2005) Aykaç, Müzeyyen
This study explored teacher and student attitudes towards use of computer mediated communication (CMC) in support of teaching speaking skills. Data were collected through the questionnaires distributed to 20 Tourism students and 60 English instructors at Muğla University and through interviews conducted with 12 CMC-experienced international EFL instructors. The questionnaire for students investigated students’ feelings about the four L2 skills generally, their computer use and their opinions about use of voice-text chat for developing speaking skills. The questionnaire for Mugla English instructors aimed to discover their personal background, computer background, attitudes about use of communication technology for teaching L2 and potential problems that they foresaw in using voice & text chat in their EFL instruction. The interviews with CMC-experienced international EFL teachers aimed to explore international English instructors’ perceptions about teaching speaking skills, use of voice chat as an instructional source for speaking instruction, and instructional advantages and disadvantages of voice chat. Findings gathered from students’ questionnaires revealed that students perceived speaking as the most important skill but had problems with both speaking itself and classes in speaking. Both sets of EFL teachers and students were positive in support of use of CMC in support of speaking instruction, although teacher responses indicated anticipation of some problems – fit to the curriculum, computer access, finding appropriate international partners – in implementing classroom CMC. All respondents indicated the need for appropriate training and administrative support to make the implementation of voice and text chat successful in the Tourism Department at Muğla University.