Reflecting in reading 3

Stephan Bax argues that, "Our aim should be to attain a state of `normalization' in which the technology is invisible and truly integrated"

First of all we should have an idea about (CALL) and (phases):

What is CALL?

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) is succinctly defined in a seminal work by Levy (1997: p. 1) as "the search for and study of applications of the computer in language teaching and learning"

 

Warschauer (1996) and Warschauer & Healey (1998) took a different approach. Rather than focusing on the typology of CALL, they identified three historical phases of CALL, classified according to their underlying pedagogical and methodological approaches:

1)      Behavioristic CALL: it depends on stimulus and response, computer instructs the students and the students learn from computer. The audio-lingual method was commonly used, and the students were provided with drills and practice.

2)      Communicative CALL: it focuses on communication rather than form and avoids drills. It's usually used language games, reading and text reconstruction.

3)      Integrative CALL: It based on multimedia computers and the Internet.

What is normalization?

According to Bax, normalization is the stage when the technology is invisible and even hard to recognize it. CALL has not reached that stage yet. In order to achieve normalization stage, computers should be used every day by language students and teacher as part of their lessons, but they won't be the center of the lesson, but they will play a part in almost all.

 

 

 

 

 

In Saudi Arabia classrooms, we can see a lot of differences in learning process. In the past, it was just a teacher faced the students most of the time to teach them specific curriculum and organized information in traditional and sometimes useless ways, but now we can observe something different.

Now days, education system have been changed and the teacher became more aware in using technology although there are some teachers who have lack knowledge in how to use it. Teachers are starting use some equipment which can assist them in learning process like: smart board, projects, computers..ect. In order to achieve and reach normalization, we have to start from the head of the education system. Ministry of education can assist in learning process by providing the schools and universities with the technological equipment and providing these institutions with qualified teachers who are able to deal with technology. Also, they can provide the teachers who have lack knowledge in using technology with some courses that teach them how to use it. Teacher should encourage the students to use technology in doing their works and the teacher's role is as a facilitator who guide the students how to explore the information until they can teach themselves without back to the teacher. The students should be able how to use technology in order to help them to improve learning.