Modern technology has made interactive web-based learning
very popular and exciting. There are many ways to use the internet and create
programs that assist students in reading comprehension, writing, and listening.
Teachers can choose from available templates and scripts to
use in their online learning activities (e.g. Hot Potatoes), or can also
themselves create activities for their students. There are 3 benefits of
teachers creating their own activities for their students. The 3 advantages are
as follows:
- Accessibility- On-line content is always available,
24 hours, for the students to view. This makes the assignments easily
accessible to students and they can do the assignments on their own convenient
times.
- Renewability- Students have the option to revise
their work multiple times, even after uploading.
- Adaptability- On-line activities can be adapted
and changed to suit each individual student’s needs and proficiency levels.
The only drawback for teachers making their own webpage or
online activities is the skills required to make a webpage in HTML or other
programs and also the time required.
Once created, however, online activities can assist students
in learning in numerous ways. For example, reading and writing can be done by
students online through the use of blogging, just like the way we use Blogger
in our Educational Technology class. Pitas and Dave’s ESL Café are also similar
tools. Also, students can improve their vocabulary and grammar skills by using
JavaScript or CGI script programs which allow students to fill in the blanks
with the correct words or phrases. Finally, listening exercises can be prepared
using Real Audio and JavaScript files which provide multiple choice answers to
students in which the student ticks one answer. One such example is Randall’s
ESL Cyber Listening lab. Some of these activities send the answers to the
instructor, who then marks the scripts.
These popular learning activities can also be used in Saudi
Arabia’s EFL classes. Students in Saudi Arabia can also enjoy learning English
language with all these popular interactive software. For example, listening
interactive activities will give students the chance to improve their listening
skills and get immediate feedback on their results. This process will be much
slower in class, with only 1 instructor giving feedback to all. Also the 24
hour accessibility will give weaker students more chance and time to improve
their skills and prepare themselves for class.
The weaker students can also start by a lower proficiency level test.
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