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| CMC - Afifah (Question 2) |
| Mar 25, 2009 |
Comment on the findings in relation to language learning in Malaysia
The findings show that students produced lengthier contributions in e-mail discussion lists than bulletin boards while syntactic complexity for these two media does not differ much. In addition, students preferred to link to the initial teacher messages very strongly in their contributions to the bulletin boards and less strongly to the discussion list in regards to messages’ cohesion. Moreover, one-to-many interaction pattern has typified both media and students chose to reply directly to the initial teacher messages which in a way promoted less student-to-student interaction.
In relation to language learning in Malaysia, computer-mediated communication (CMC) is a new type of media interaction since Malaysia has not yet been a technology-based country. Importantly, neither the Malaysian government nor the educational system tries to introduce CMC seriously to all higher learning institutions in this country. Based on my experience as a student, there was no use of computer in language learning, be it Malay or English in primary and secondary school. Teachers were fonder towards face-to-face kind of teaching language, perhaps through this way, students would acquire language better.
However, when I studied at IIUM Matriculation Centre, an English-medium institution, I was asked to submit several assignments via e-mails. Besides, e-mails were also used as a means of communication with some lecturers if I faced any difficulty or problem in my study. Apparently, this kind of student-to-lecturer interaction can be classified as asynchronous CMC and it showed that there are some institutions in Malaysia which do promote the use of computer in language learning.
Furthermore, I have also learned language in a CMC environment in IIUM as some lecturers preferred to teach language after class time. For example, lecturers of American Literature 1 and Shakespeare in His Age and in Modern Context created a class site at Google groups and required all students to sign up as members to enable them to respond to the messages posted by the lecturers. Likewise, in Computer Applications in Language Studies course, the lecturer also created a class site and every student should reply every message proposed by her. Obviously, these three courses consider CMC in language learning environment.
Question 1
Question 3
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posted by PiNk ButTeRfLy @ 11:00 PM  |
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