WEEK 1: SUMMARY AND REFLECTION ON THE HISTORY OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE LEARNING

Computers have been used for language teaching since 1960’s. The history of computer in language learning (CALL) has undergone three main stages which reflect a certain level of technology as well as a certain pedagogical approach.

            First of all, in the 1960’s, Behaviorist CALL emerged. It's based on behaviorist learning model. They were designed under the influence of behaviourism which was proposed by B.F. Skinner (1957). The computer was viewed as a mechanical tutor. This stage featured dialogues and pattern drills, grammar translation, and audio-lingual teaching. The well-known system during this time was PLATO. It featured repetitive drills, grammatical explanations and translation tests at various intervals (Ahmad et, 1995). The technology developed during this stage was mainframe.

            The next stage, Communicative CALL emerged in the late 1970s and early 1980s which was about the same time as the rejection towards behaviorist approaches. This approach reflects cognitive theories which emphasized that learning was a process of discovery, expression and development. It focused more on using the forms than on the forms themselves. It was not what the students did with the computers that matters, but what they did with each other while carrying out the given task was emphasized. Software developed during this stage was text reconstruction programs as well as simulations. (Warschauer & Healey, 1998). The technology used during this stage was PC.
                  
          Dissatisfaction towards communicative CALL later on leads to the emergence of Integrative CALL. From the cognitive view they move to more social or socio-cognitive view. It emphasized the authentic use of the language and authentic environment. Some approaches of this stage were task-based, project-based, and content-based. This stage integrates various skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as technology into the language learning process. It stressed the learner-learner interaction where the computer becomes the tool for interactive communication. Students can interact via international or local network by accessing, organizing information through databases, and using word processors. The technology utilized during this stage was a multimedia networked computer.

REFLECTION ON THE HISTORY OF CALL

          The writing of the History of CALL is crucial as an opening for this subject. Thanks to Dr. Rozina by providing us the slides and the reading material (Warschauer, M. & Healey, D. (1998). Computers and language learning: An overview. Language Teaching, 31, 57-71), so that this entry can be done. We believe that before we learn a subject matter, it is vital for us to know the history concerning the subject matter so that we will have a general idea about the subject.  By understanding the history; perhaps we will understand better the content of this subject that will be learned in the future. For us, by studying the history, we can know a lot and we can learn from history to develop more useful and beneficial skills or practices in the future. 

        Moreover, Islam emphasizes the importance of knowing history as we can learn a lot from history. A history full of lessons and examples that it is up to human beings today to follow what is good and to avoid what is bad so that bitter history will not be repeated. History also can be the foundation for us to improve and develop. We can see the growth of any field through its history, thus it is possible for us to expand further the knowledge we already have for the betterment of the Ummah today and in the future. We believe that we have to put our own effort as much as possible and then tawakkal to Allah s.w.t. To improve ourselves, as Quranic verse below indicates that Allah will not change one condition unless they try to change it themselves first.    

For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah . Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron. Surat Ar-Ra'd:11.

References

Dr. Rozina, Computer Assisted Language Learning: A Brief History Power Point Slides Show, Sem 2, 

      2012/2013.

Quran. Surat Ar-Ra`d. Retrieved from http://quran.com/13/11.

Warschauer, M., & Healey, D. (1998). Computers and language learning: An overview. Language 

      Teaching, 31, 57-71.