VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES LE THI PHUONG CHUNG AN EVALUATION OF E-LEARNING WEBSITES FOR ENGLISH LEARNING ACCESSIBLE TO VIETNAMESE LEARNERS IN TERMS OF MOTIVATING STUDENTS TO SPEAK ENGLISH Đánh giá vấn đề tạo hứng thú cho học viên học nói tiếng Anh trên các trang web đào tạo tiếng Anh trực tuyến cho người Việt Nam. Minor Thesis Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60.10 Ha Noi - 2010 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES LE THI PHUONG CHUNG AN EVALUATION OF E-LEARNING WEBSITES FOR ENGLISH LEARNING ACCESSIBLE TO VIETNAMESE LEARNERS IN TERMS OF MOTIVATING STUDENTS TO SPEAK ENGLISH Đánh giá vấn đề tạo hứng thú cho học viên học nói tiếng Anh trên các trang we đào tạo tiếng Anh trực tuyến cho người Việt Nam. Minor Thesis Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60. Dương Thi Nụ Ha Noi - 2010 CONTENTS DECLARATION ACKNOWLEGEMENT ABSTRACT LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS LIST OF PICTURES AND TABLES PART I.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Significance of the study 1.4 Methods of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Design of the study PART II.1 E-learning and Web-based training a.
Roles and drawback c. Types of web-based training 1.2 Motivation in e-learning and motivation to practice speaking online i. Definition of motivation and its roles in e-learning ii. Types of motivation iii.
Models of motivation in e-learning 1.3 Web-based training evaluation 1. What is evaluation? 2. Purposes of evaluation 3. Types of evaluation and evaluation approaches 4.
Procedures of evaluation CHAPTER II.2 Survey CHAPTER III: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 3.4 Satisfaction CHAPTER IV. SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 4.1 Summary of main findings 4.4Supporting service PART II. CONCLUSION APPENDICES LIST OF PICTURES AND TABLES Picture 1: Pronunciation lecture Picture 2: Recording tool Picture 3: Recorded file in a reading task Picture 4: Chat rooms Picture 5: Yahoo conferencing tool Table 1: The demographics of the targeted population Table 2: Question 6 Table 3: Question 7 Table 4: Question 8 Table 5: Question 9 Table 6: Question 10 Table 7: Question 11 Table 8: Question 12 Table 9: Question 13 Table 10: Question 14 Table 11: Question 15 Table 12: Question 16 Table 13: Question 17 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS FTU: Foreign Trade University CLT: Communicative Language Teaching 10 PART I.1 Rationale “Information technology will bring mass customization to learning too.Workers will be able to keep up to date on techniques in their field. People anywhere will be able to take the best courses taught by the greatest teachers.” (Bill Gate, 1995) E-learning in general has been a common term for educators or learners over the world.
Without exception, web-based training with its unlimited learning time and place as well as the cost effectiveness makes itself a good choice for Vietnamese English learners. Furthermore, thanks to the advancement of technology, this kind of training can also help them enhance their speaking skill, which can deal with the problem of lacking an English communicative environment in Viet Nam (Nguyen, 2006). However, according to Eric Parks, a Fair Oak California Web Based Designer, fifty percent of trainees who start web-based training don’t finish (Quoted from Jessica, 2000). Besides, a recent report in the Chronicle for Higher Education found that institutions report dropout rates ranging from 20 to 50 percent for distance learners.
This article also claimed that the reason for this is lacking motivation, which has a same idea with Thair (2008). This is simply because motivation is defined as ‘some kind of internal drive which pushes someone to do things in order to achieve something” (Harmer, 2001, P. Therefore, this thesis is created to make an evaluation of E-learning Website for English Learning Accessible to Vietnamese Learners in terms of motivating students to speak English.2 Aims of the study As referred to before, the evaluation of motivation for speaking for online English learners is an important point that the web designers or the teachers should take into considerations when delivering a web-based training program for Vietnamese learners. In fact, there have been ample studies over the world which raised the theory and implications of web-based training evaluation.
For example, Sammi Chan et al summarized an overview of web-based learning that contains all theories related to 11 this kind of training. In terms of evaluation, Kirkpatrick (2006) developed a model for the evaluation of training programs and Henry L. Smith and Badrul H. Khan also made a study of Evaluation of an Asynchronous Online Program.
Furthermore, Chia- Ying and Ya-Ting (2007) researched Criteria for Evaluating English Learning Websites. However, such above studies just focus on evaluating the overall website which means answering the question: “Is the training program effective or not?” and the skills in English, i. listening, speaking, reading and writing. Actually, there has not been any study that focuses on the motivation to get learners to speak, especially those in Viet Nam.
Therefore, this study is done to e explore and choose an appropriate evaluation method for this projects e evaluate the speaking motivation of the learners on the web: http://smartweb.vn e and draw theoretical and practical implications for improving the program design. In order to reach the aims of the study, the two research questions are raised: (1) To what extent does the program of the website motivate the learners to speak English? (2) Which implication can be drawn from the evaluation in order to design a better one? 1.3 Significance of the study The author’s objective is that this thesis will make a contribution to e Investigating the methods to evaluate a web in terms of motivating the learners to speak English e examining the degree to which a website is able to motivate the learners to speak including particular strengths and weaknesses of the program e and, the foundation for the design of a new website that promises to be highly-motivating to the learners in speaking English online, which is anticipated to positively affect dropout rates in this program, in particular, and in e-learning education, in general.4 Methods of the study 12 The major method of the study is both qualitative and quantitative via such instruments: Questionnaires and semi- structured interviews. In order to get the information for these, 150 students in FTU are included as informants.5 Scope of the study Due to the limited time, this thesis only restricts itself to an e-learning website (http://smartweb.vn) and the object of the study are the students in the Foreign Trade University, Hanoi, Vietnam. Moreover, this study mainly focuses on evaluating the online design of the General elementary course in terms of motivating learners to speak or practice speaking English.
Based on that, this study will provide some implications to design a new online course or enhance the online course studied.6 Design of the study The study is composed of four chapters: Introduction, Literature review, Results and discussion and Conclusion. Chapter one begins with a general introduction covering the reasons for choosing the theme, aims, scope, methods and design of the study. Chapter two deals with the literature review in which the most important notions related to web-based training programs, motivation to speak online and evaluation methods are explored and discussed. Chapter three is devoted to the analysis of the training program and the data information conducted by survey questionnaire and interviews carried out with FTU students.
The next chapter summarizes all the results obtained and includes suggestions for further study. And the last chapter is the final conclusion together with recommendation for further study. Useful appendices can be found at the end of the thesis.2 E-learning and Web-based training 1.1 Definitions The European Commission defines e-learning, i. learning via electronic (‘e') means, as "the use of new multimedia technologies and the Internet to improve learning quality by facilitating access to educational resources and services, as well as to opportunities for online forums and teamwork initiatives".
This means it is the intentional use of networked information and communications technology in teaching and learning. In fact, there are a number of other terms that are also used to describe this mode of teaching and learning. They include online learning, virtual learning, distributed learning, network and web-based learning. Fundamentally, they all refer to educational processes that utilize information and communications technology to mediate asynchronous as well as synchronous learning and teaching activities.
In terms of web-based training (WBT), in particular, Khan (2001) claims that it “refers to training delivered in whole or in part over the Internet's World Wide Web.” Having the same idea, Allison Rossett (2001) defines e-learning as: Web-based training (WBT), also known as e-learning and on-line learning, is training that resides on a server or host computer that is connected to the World Wide Web.” In other words, web-based training is a kind of storing instructional materials, including courses, videos, tests and multimedia materials at a central location that can then be accessed by anyone connected to the Internet, anywhere, at any time. Roles and drawback Thanks to its own delivery, web-based training has many advantages to learners. For example, Collin (1999) listed the following main benefits. 14 Effective: studies show that this form of training is 30 percent more effective at skills transfer and retention than classroom training.
Convenient: you train in a place and at a time to suit yourself. Price: you only pay for the tuition, saving on a accommodation, subsistence, travel and opportunity. One to one: during online sessions, you have a private, personal tutor. Support: during classes, you can network with your classmates and tutor.
Exam preparation: frequent testing before and after course topics, enabling you to go over topics not fully understood. On the other hand e-learning has also some possible disadvantages. Most common disadvantages from participant point of view are (Wools et al., 2002; Robinson and Bawden, 2002; Newman, 2008): Feeling of isolation — participants may feel isolated from their teacher and/or class mattes, because there are no physical contacts among participants; Technology issues — participants must have a computer with access to internet and other adherent equipment (e. In some places are internet connections inappropriate (e.
lack of broad and internet). Slow internet connection could cause frustrations; Basic computer skills — participants in e-learning must have sufficient level of skills and knowledge of how to use modern ICT and computers. Some peoples have phobias concerning using computers and modern ICT. Management of computer files and online software may be difficult for some participants; Lack of self-discipline and self-motivation — participants with lack of motivation and/or lower lever of self-discipline may fall behind; Problems and open dilemmas about most appropriate method of evaluating participants’ work/success in e-earning process.3 Types of web-based training 15 There are four main types of Web-Based Training that are useful in different circumstances.
However, most of training projects combines these types with different materials and information delivery. Leader-Led or Facilitated Online Learning (Madison, 2000) is a kind of providing guidance and support by an instructor. This kind is popular at the university level with lots of rooms for essays and open-ended questions. Advantages: v There is high interactivity with other learners.
v Learners have personalized assistance from the instructor. v The training program requires less development time since there’s a heavy reliance on the skills and experience of the instructor. v There is a very high completion rate due to personal follow-up by the instructor. Disadvantages: Y This training program requires a skilled instructor online during working hours.
v This training program requires a special software package or license. v The ratio of students to instructor should not be more than 20-1 per course. Self-Paced, Web-based Learning (Barbara, 2002) does not need any instructor because it is well-constructed around formal lessons which contain performance objectives, motivation, learning activities, feedback, and evaluation. Advantages v Learners can start when they’re ready and take as much time as they need to complete.