The Change of Teacher’s Role in CALL; a critical review of Jeremy F. Jones’ article CALL and the responsibility of teachers and administrators**
Reviewed by
AHMAD APRILLAH (EID OO9 024)
REG PAGI VA
Development of science and technology has now achieved a remarkable progress support in all areas. One of the technology developments is computer. Computer plays very important roles in human’s life and has made significant changes in all aspects including the language teaching especially in English Language Teaching (ELT) (Huw Jarvis).
The teachers do not only rely on textbooks as teaching materials, but also can use computers and the Internet and the software to achieve purpose of teaching and learning activities in class. To computer-based teaching is called as the Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and put the computer as a medium of learning. Language center is the most widely applied CALL for Self Access Center (SAC) where students are required to study independently. The presence of CALL brought many changes in the way that language taught and it also has changed the role of teacher and administrators in the language centers. For that Jeremy F. Jones wrote an article entitled CALL and the responsibility of teachers and administrators who expressly says that the role of the teacher can never be replaced even by the most sophisticated computer. Jones also invites us to change our views about CALL itself. We may not see the computers as the self-standing sources for students and fully self-accessed. The roles of human teachers are really needed even in teaching learning where CALL is implemented. DR Jones is a Senior Lecturer in the Program of TESOL and Foreign Language Teaching. He has had many years of experience teaching both English as a foreign or second language and language teacher education. In addition to his work in Australia, he has taught in Canada, England, the Middle East, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan and China.[1]
The teachers do not only rely on textbooks as teaching materials, but also can use computers and the Internet and the software to achieve purpose of teaching and learning activities in class. To computer-based teaching is called as the Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) and put the computer as a medium of learning. Language center is the most widely applied CALL for Self Access Center (SAC) where students are required to study independently. The presence of CALL brought many changes in the way that language taught and it also has changed the role of teacher and administrators in the language centers. For that Jeremy F. Jones wrote an article entitled CALL and the responsibility of teachers and administrators who expressly says that the role of the teacher can never be replaced even by the most sophisticated computer. Jones also invites us to change our views about CALL itself. We may not see the computers as the self-standing sources for students and fully self-accessed. The roles of human teachers are really needed even in teaching learning where CALL is implemented. DR Jones is a Senior Lecturer in the Program of TESOL and Foreign Language Teaching. He has had many years of experience teaching both English as a foreign or second language and language teacher education. In addition to his work in Australia, he has taught in Canada, England, the Middle East, Cambodia, Vietnam, Japan and China.[1]
In this articles Jones wants to show us, even the computer in language learning is very popular and commonly used but there are some teachers do not committed to implement the CALL in his teaching learning process. This is contrast because there are many language centers in the world depend greatly on computer and feel cannot do something in classroom without the presence of computer. Radically, there are some language centers beliefs that when CALL has been implemented, the computer will change the role of teachers. They do believe that computer is a self-access technology and when the computers have been installed in the libraries, laboratories, or even in classrooms then the teachers’ presence are seem to be not necessary. Jones wants to change this view and says “what computer offers learners are not free standing sources, and that human teacher’s role is undiminished”. The essential sound of education is the buzz interaction between students and teachers; the education is the interaction between teacher and students. If the teacher absent in classroom that means there will be no interaction.
Maybe a CD-ROM program which has been well and interestingly designed will release student from teacher’s supervision at some stages of CALL, then the computer conferencing on the other hand is likely will burden the teachers with preparation and guidance. So the roles of teachers are still undiminished even CALL is being implemented. In CALL the roles of teacher are changed but still very significant and this is what Jones argues in this articles.
The are several reasons why teachers do not committed with CALL such as; most language teachers are not comfortable with high technology, some teachers may fear that the administrator will use computer to replace their position, teachers have no time with CALL because they had already burdened with their conventional and classrooms activities. In conclusion, Jones says, it is the personal right of schools or language centers’ administrators to apply CALL or not, to install the computers in laboratories, libraries, or classrooms. But Jones reminds the administrators to not replace the teachers with computers because the human teacher’s roles are undiminished.[2]
I do agree with the Jones’ Ideas about the role played by the human teachers in CALL. Their roles are undiminished. So, in my discussion about Jones’ articles I will strengthen his point of views by reviewing some others articles that talk about the issues. But at the end of this critical review I will give some of my negatives views toward the article. First of all I will strengthen Jones’ Ideas, however.
The first thing that needs to be defined when we talk about CALL is the `setting’ where we want to apply CALL: is there an available teacher present, with a supportive role or, on the other hand, will the learning be carried out without any type of human support? And because I believe that the teacher’s roles are undiminished, I will assume that the teacher will be present in the classroom. The presence of teacher presence in classroom will bring great importance as we will see in what follows. It will be also necessary to decide whether the computer will be used as a `tutor', with a directive role (English courses on CD-ROM) or whether it will be used as a `tool', with a nondirective role (word-processor, e-mail, dictionaries). The teacher's presence will be more necessary when the computer is used as a `tool', since the student will not be directed by the computer and at the same time he may lack the necessary skills to use such a `tool'.
THE CALL TEACHER'S ROLE
The first task for teachers, when they are planning to use CALL in their classes, is to think about what is taught and what is learnt. When the explicit the old teaching method and old teaching media is insufficient, the CALL programs can be a good help. But we have to think what we want to do and then, see if we cannot do it without a computer. If the computer is the only way of solving a teaching problem then we have to prepare our lesson very careful by using computer; if not, we will no need the peresence of computer because it is not so effective in a classical teaching environment. Let's consider now what we have to do once we have decided we are going to use the computer.
The role of the teacher must be separated from the role of the computers. Teachers must pay more attention to pre and post-task analysis, diagnosis of errors and communication. Teachers should observe their students' reaction to the use of computers and the records of their performances. If possible, we should compare the progress made with computers and traditional methods. Another important part of the teacher's role is to be the turning point of an intra-group negotiation. This means provoking, along with the computer, interaction in the group and between different groups or students. Since the use of computers is very demanding for both teacher and students we must make the most of it.
In sum, the roles of teachers in CALL have been changed from the traditional one to the modern one. Today, the teacher not merely transmitted the knowledge to the students but he/she required to socially construct the knowledge (Joye: 2001). In CALL there are some extra roles of teacher that are not related anymore to the traditional roles. Following are the new roles that should be played by teachers as stated by Victoria Fernandez:
· To examine the software attentively, before using it with students:
· To pay attention to individual differences among students. The advantages of multimedia systems cannot pass unnoticed. Keeping in mind that our language students have very different levels, and also that, while we are devoting our energies to the less able student, the most able one is wasting his time, and vice versa, language teaching professionals should discover teaching methods, techniques and ideas that will qualify them to teach in an effective way in the `mixed-ability' classes, and help the students to discover what they are capable of
· The correct integration of the software in the curriculum. There has to be a correlation between the software and what the students are studying.
· The correct elaboration of a didactic design of the several tutoring materials that he will use. The introduction of multimedia in the classroom must be very well thought out. Too often the misuse of the same means, even when they are interactive, can cause reactions of rejection and gradual decay of motivation on the part of the student. It is clear that the freedom to which students are exposed seems attractive at first sight, but after a time it stops being so, at least in some degree (Fernandez, 2001).[3]
When we speak of the teacher and of the teacher's role we have to consider his attitude as well, because the teacher's attitude is a basic element within the group of elements which integrate the teaching of a language with multimedia. If the teacher does not agree with the system he is using, with the method, with the quality of the software his students are using, this attitude will make systems fail. It is the role of the teacher to provide the enthusiasm for, and explain the relevance of, using the courseware.
Teachers' Barriers to the Use of Computer-assisted Language Learning
The barriers inhibiting the practice of Computer-assisted Language Learning can be classified in the following common categories (a) financial barriers, (b) availability of computer hardware and software, (c) technical and theoretical knowledge, and (d) acceptance of the technology.
ü Financial Barriers
Financial barriers are mentioned most frequently in the literature by language education practitioners. They include the cost of hardware, software, maintenance (particular of the most advanced equipment), and extend to some staff development. The price of computers and software are very high and not affordable for most of the language center or school especially in developing country like Indonesia. I personally hope that cost of computers will be so low that they will be available in most schools and homes in the future.
ü Availability of Computer Hardware and Software
The most significant aspects of computer are hardware and software. Availability of high quality software is the most pressing challenge in applying the new technologies in education. Underlying this problem is a lack of knowledge of what elements in software will promote different kinds of learning. Computer hardware and software compatibility goes on to be a significant problem. Choosing hardware is difficult because of the many choices of systems to be used in delivering education, the delivery of equipment, and the rapid changes in technology. The innovations of software are developed every day. So, it is hard for teacher to decide and selected the appropriate software for his/her students.
ü Technical and Theoretical Knowledge
A lack of technical and theoretical knowledge is another barrier to the use of Computer-assisted Language Learning technology. Not only is there a shortage of knowledge about developing software to promote learning, as shown above, but many instructors and teachers do not understand how to use the new technologies. Students know computer better than the teachers. This happened because the students live in computer era and are already used with the technology while teachers are familiar with the technologies. This why there are some teachers may be fear that they will be replaced by computers. Furthermore, the teachers have little knowledge about integrating these new means of learning into an overall plan.
ü Acceptance of Technologies
We live in a time change. Change has become so rapid, so turbulent, and so unpredictable that they destroy what was considered the norm in the past, and by doing so, create new opportunities. But, there is a natural tendency for organizations to resist change. Wrong conceptions about the use of technology limit innovation and threaten teachers' job and security lead toward denial of technologies. Instructors tend not to use technologies that require substantially more preparation time.
After strengthen Jones’ thesis about the importance and the changes of teachers’ role now I would like to criticize some lacks of the articles. As we know, a common justification for the use of computers in language teaching and learning is that is that it is said to promote learner autonomy, which researchers and practitioners alike now set as a very important goal. Jones in some way tries to ignore the fact and emphasize the need for teacher’s presence in classroom. Sometimes, though CALL has been applied the students do not turn into autonomous students. If this condition happened, the party that should be blamed is the teachers. There are some reasons why teachers failed to optimize the potential of CALL.
First perceptions of the role of computer technology were limited to its use as a supplemental and instructional tool in their language classrooms. Their use of computers was selective, controlled, and conditional, which led them to use computers as teachers' tools. The fact that the teachers overlooked students' internal learning processes in relation to their use of computers indicates their failure to utilize computers in a constructivist approach. Computers can create a student-centered learning environment by empowering students to control their own learning process and by fostering collaborative and interactive learning.
Second, teachers' perceptions of CALL were still based on the teacher-centered teaching paradigm. The teachers' perceptions of computer use showed a strong preference for teacher-centeredness. Although the fact that current language teaching approaches have changed from teacher centered to student centered, the teachers' perceptions and expectations of CALL have not yet changed still influence their perceptions about the role of computers. Computers in classrooms are often not used to full potential because teachers uphold a traditional teacher-centered teaching methodology. To optimize CALL in classroom, the teacher is recommended to receive professional guidance in using computers in a constructivist learning paradigm. Language teachers need to consider how to utilize computers in ways to develop students' cognitive abilities, enable them to explore their learning process, and help them discover content knowledge instead of directing student learning in CALL.
In conclusion, engaging in Computer-assisted Language Learning is a continuing challenge that requires time and commitment. As we approach the 21st century, we realize that technology as such is not the answer to all our problems. What really matters is how we use technology. Computers can/will never change teachers but they offer new opportunities for better language practice. They may actually make the process of language learning significantly richer and play a key role in the reform of educational system and educational approach and method.
REFERENCES
Hoe Kyeung Kim beyond Motivation: ESL/EFL Teachers' Perceptions of the Role of Computers: Cleveland State University Journal.
Huw Jarvis. Technology and Changes in English Language Teaching (ELT): Asian EFL Journal.
Jeremy F. Jones, CALL and the Teacher's Role in Promoting Learner Autonomy: CALL-EJ OnlineVol. 3, No. 1, June 2001.
Jeremy F. Jones. CALL and the responsibilities of teachers and administrators. ELT Journal Volume 55/4 October 2001: Oxford University Press.
Joye Smith. Modelling the social construction of knowledge in ELT teacher education. ELT Journal Volume 55/3 July 2001: Oxford University Press.
Kuang-wu Lee, English Teachers' Barriers to the Use of Computer-assisted Language Learning : The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI, No. 12, December 2000 http://iteslj.org/.
Ma Victoria FernaÂndez Carballo-Calero, The EFL Teacher and the Introduction of Multimedia in the Classroom : Computer Assisted Language Learning, Vol. 14, No. 14, No. 1, pp. 3±14, 2001.
Warschauer, M. (1996). Computer-assisted language learning: An introduction. In S. Fotos (Ed.), Multimedia language teaching (pp. 3-20). Tokyo: Logos International.
* This is the mid-term task; to make a critical review on English Language Teaching. Here, I choose to make a critical review on an article written by Jeremy F. Jones. The complete verse of the article is in attachment at the end of this critical review
[1] The structure of this critical review are Introduction, summary, discussion, and conclusion. The introduction is located in the first paragraph.
[2] These three paragraphs are the summary of Jones article. After giving the summary then I start my discussion of the Article.
[3] These role are the call teacher’s roles and they are changed from the conventional role of the EFL teachers. Fernandes: 2001 summarizes the English teacher's conventional tasks: to identify the reasons why the students study the TL (integrative and instrumental; but also others, such as the use of private codes, showing off,
etc.), to help the students to establish their goals in a realistic way, to reach them and to assess themselves, always keeping in mind the variety of learning styles, to increase the student's motivation speaking to him of the benefits of a L2, to make the class a positive place where psychological needs are satisfied and anxiety is reduced to the minimum, to insist on the students selfevaluation and encourage the achievement of
certain specific goals instead of the comparison with other students; since in this way their autoeficiency feeling will increase thanks to themselves and not to their peers or teacher. When the modern CALL comes, these task shifted into the mentioned above.
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