Web-Based Learning

An Introspective Analysis of Web-Based Learning

“Students are not vessels to be filled, but lights to be ignited”
-Plutarch-

Two decades ago, we used to enjoy watching “The House on the Prairie.” Laura, who was the teacher in charge of a group of children, managed the classroom in a way similar to the one that many teachers still follow nowadays. She had her students sit in rows, without interacting among them; in fact, they were just passive receptacles who were waiting to get the information from their beloved instructor. There was not a real meaningful interaction and exchange of ideas; children were supposed to behave and do as she said. Laura was a questioner and her pupils were just answerers. Definitely, the environment was not really stimulating and engaging.
Nonetheless, this panorama has varied with the new technological era. Those changes have become more evident in our daily lives and in the way we are taught and the way we teach. Long time ago, our forefathers used to communicate using the telegraph, then came the telephone, after that the cell phones and computers showed up introducing the internet, which has revolutionized the form people interact. We can affirm that individuals tend to have less physical and face to face contact which has given place to a more online social life. In terms of what Mr. Quesada states on the reading, we agree with the idea that “human learning is mediated through interaction with others because we live in social contexts and as individuals we grow up and move to different stages of learning, so social interaction is essential (4).” Regarding this, we can say that the youth spend more time sending messages, chatting, playing with the computer or just being online than ever before. Departing from that reality, we can say that the web is a tool that can help us reach our students including those with more difficulties. As it is affirmed by the author of the reading, the web can even encourage to those shy students to participate as they are not going to be afraid of being told off or of being on the spot.
Learners will be encouraged to learn by themselves, to explore a universe of possibilities and innovating things that are handy and easy to use through practice and guidance of an instructor. In terms of foreign language learning, the web environment offers a vast number of advantages and one that caught our attention was that our classrooms can become “ALIVE (2).” That is something that we totally agree with. As a matter of fact, the classroom setting and the teaching learning situations are more meaningful and motivating when we implement the use of technology. The tools available promote creativity and active involvement, not only in the development of the tasks and activities, but also in terms of the cognitive or mental processes followed by pupils. As soon as the teachers incorporate any of the skills in exercises that they have to do online either with native speakers or with their classmates, they will have the chance to change their prior knowledge making associations with the new information and restructuring what they knew and adding the fresh data. Through that exchange of information, learners will also have the opportunity to go through the process of hypothesis making, as they can come up with some words or ideas that they do not know if those ideas are correct; then they can move to hypothesis testing once they have contact with their partners or foreigners and get feedback which finally leads them to confirmation so they will realize if their assumptions were right or wrong.
The process aforementioned will be reinforced and enriched through the access they also have to authentic materials. As Mr. Quesada assured, pupils have the option to use tutorials, simulation exercises, games, among others in order to practice the language. The nicest thing we can say about it is that many of those activities result to be extremely appealing and beneficial because though the teacher sometimes is not there, they receive feedback from the system; however, it is advisable that the instructor select the websites properly and selectively in advance. The same way, our learners can get synchronous and asynchronous feedback, through the process, from all the classroom members and the ones they keep in touch online, being the latter extremely important as learners cannot predict what can come next, so they will have to be really attentive and to be really spontaneous as communication actually takes place in real life. Furthermore, this allows them to get both roughly-tuned and finely-tuned input which is extremely necessary according to linguists to develop a native like proficiency and to have a good performance.
At the same time, we can say that Web learning enhances some multiple intelligences and learning styles as it provides a lot of visual and audible stimuli, offering also opportunities for the development of logical and mathematical abilities; as well as, the reinforcement of the interpersonal intelligence as people can interact with other entities all over the world through the social networks.
On the other hand, the youth also has the chance to develop their five skills through the use of web learning as there are a lot of materials that go from videos to online quizzes and practice that they can try. In fact, it is easier for teachers to get students involved in speaking and listening activities due to the nature of the web, as well as, to create their own written projects in a more collaborative manner, as they can use the wikis or the google docs to do so. Moreover, the access to the www pupils can have an open window to a whole universe of cultures and languages and dialects which promotes not only the learning of the subject matter, but also a higher level of tolerance and respect towards any unknown social group.
On the other hand, teachers, as Mr. Quesada affirmed also get some benefits and have some responsibilities that we agree with. In terms of the former, we can say that it is easier for us to find suitable and catchy materials that match or that can be adapted to our students’ level and needs. We have access to a wide variety of resources to support and enhance our teaching. In addition, we can constantly train ourselves and check any doubt we have through the interaction with other language instructors in the different forums and communities. Furthermore, planning our lessons has been facilitated as we can obtain them online. In fact, we have the biggest worldwide library ever waiting for us to use it.
Although the internet and everything inside it has great advantages; it also brings a lot of responsibilities if we want to use it as a tool to teach online. First of all, we have to design the course wisely in terms of the aspects that it involves. It is not that we are going to start teaching without knowing in advance the objectives pursued; the content to be covered, the relation of it with the syllabus, the rubrics to evaluate and assess the students’ performance and achievements; at the same time, the websites we have to visit. All the organization required has the aim to let students know what we want and expect from them, so that they know they have to work on a specific direction. At the same time, we have to be conscious that not all learners have the skills and knowledge to use something as basic as the computer and that not all of them have access to the web at home and even that if they do, it can fail.
In short, we can say that although all those materials can help us save time and “effort,” it is a challenge to use all those resources; in fact, some teachers are afraid of going beyond, but those who decide to cross that line can see a world teem of possibilities waiting to be used, and seized. If we as teacher do not take these tools, someone else is going to use them for us, and we will be left behind for sure. At the same time, pupils should learn how to learn from internet, and they need to understand that they can do with it so much more than “surfing the net.” They must see and understand that their teachers will be their company through the process of discovering that new real interesting world. As Mr. Charles Handy stated “The best learning happens in real life, with real problems and real people”

By: Argenis Ordoñez Garmendia and my beloved colleague Laura Moraga Moraga