Teaching for Globalization: How Web Can Help?

Dr. Tim Xietxie@csulb.edu

http://xietianwei.net California State University, Long Beach

October 2008Washington and Lee University

Globalization

Globalization – a process by which the people of the world are unified into a single society and functioning together (Chomsky, 2006).

Globalized and Localized McDonald

Globalized and Localized McDonald

The need of language learning is greater than

ever!

How Internet Impacts Language Education?

World Internet Users (as of December 2007): 1,319,872,109

Singhal (1997) discussed the potential benefits of the Internet and how it can be used in the second or foreign language classroom. She indicates that Internet is not only a new tool of communication, but also a teaching and learning tool.

What is used for language teaching and learning?

LeLoup and Ponterio (2001) listed a number of Internet applications that can be used to enrich the foreign language classroom.

These applications include: email, mailing list, e-journals, World Wide Web, streaming audio and video, search engines, remote access to libraries and database, chat, audio and video conferencing and messaging, web course management, etc.

Categorization of applications: Information resources - Web directories,

searchable database (general - Eric, Google, Informaworld. Language education specific - Merlot), online textbooks and learning materials (including audio and video – Podcasting, YouTube)

Communication – asynchronous email, discussion forum and blog (including voice email like Wimba and YackPack); synchronous instant messengers (MSN, Yahoo) Internet telephony programs (Skype)

Collaborative learning – Document sharing, editing and publishing (writeboard.com, docs.google.com)

Learning tools - online dictionary, glossing engine, character animation, text-to-speech, concordancer, etc

Virtual classroom and office for online learning and long distance education (Elluminate, WizIq, webex, etc)

Why using web pages?

Why do I use them web pages - CCN

Curiosity – interested to know if Internet really helps teaching and learning

Convenience – anytime and anywhere, easy to edit, update

Normalization – indispensable tool for teaching and learning

1997- my first web page Learning Chinese Online

Created for collecting web resources for teaching Chinese

At first, everything was manual Now it is dynamic – pages are created

automatically by a program. Once the database is updated, the pages are updated automatically

Current URL: http://learningchineseonline.net

Five types of web pages/links Virtual classroom and office: for students and

for myself – easy access to web pages and programs

Courses: Course pages – an example Learning resources – an example Textbook based: – e-textbook example and

textbook supporting page Learning tools: tools for learning page

What changes are taking place?

The way of class preparation and presentation changed (including testing) – from pen and paper (textbook, handouts, tests) to keyboard and screen (media) PPT, ePlan, eText, AP Chinese

The way of teaching and learning changed from one way delivery to two way interaction/communication (transnational).

Interaction among teachers and students (Blogs, discussions, email).

Interaction between the students and native speakers of the target languages or learners elsewhere

(Laowai Blog) http://blog.sina.com.cn/u/1237912290 - a blog by a French

Benefits and problems

Easy access to teaching materials – anytime and anywhere

Convenience in teaching – it is no longer pen and paper and chalk and blackboard, but keyboard and screen.

Strengthening interaction with students – email, discussion, virtual classroom

Benefits and problems

Much more time spent than pen and paper teaching

There are always new things to learn. Information explosion – The increasing amount of information generally makes learners confused while they try to reach specific information (Chafe, 1999).

Ephemeral nature of the Internet data

Skills needed

Basic html knowledge Using web creating software (frontpage,

dreamweaver) Sound and image file processing Text scanning and converting (OCR) FTP knowledge and skill (to post and

maintain web)

Suggestions for novice people

Create a site for yourself, e.g. for your course

Make some web pages for this course Upload and upgrade them Maintain this course web site Web supporting course or blended/hybrid

course is suggested

What will be in the future? Technological development – unpredictable

Normalization – Bax (2003) proposed three stages of CALL: restricted, open and integrated CALL. At the final stage everything in “normalized”.

The technology is invisible, hardly even recognized as a technology, taken for granted in everyday life.

Teach for Globalization: think globally and act locally!

Thanks!Thanks! 谢谢！谢谢！Tim XieCSULB

txie@csulb.edu

http://xietianwei.net