Web-based Textbooks in College English

1 Web-based Textbooks in College English Oct. 18, 2003 Fall Conference Linguistic Society of Korea Linguistic Association of Korea Gyonggu Shin (Chonnam National University) ggshin@jnu.ac.kr http://gshin.chonnam.ac.kr 2 Overview 1. A brief history of college English textbooks
2. The influence of the imported textbooks
3. Web textbooks as a feasible alternative
4. My web-text - Different kinds of textbooks - Conditions for web-based textbooks - Organization of the web textbook 5. Class flowchart
6. Student response
7. Issues to face
8. Suggestions 3 1. A Brief history of college English textbooks • 1950-1990: Individual university level textbooks dominated • 1990-1995: Domestic and foreign books coexisted • 1995-Present: Imported textbooks overwhelmed - Copy right protection began
- Imported books have higher quality
- Students did not buy the textbooks. 4 An example history of CNU 3 editors 3,000,000 1996. 2 4 editors for lab text 6,000,000 1994. 7 2 editors reading text 8,000,000 1994. 7 4 editors for reading text* 8,000,000 1992. 1 22 department members* 1,800,000 1987. 8 3 editors 750,000 1987. 1 3 editors 750,000 1985. 7 7 editors 1,000,000 1985. 2 2 editors for Fall* 1,000,000 1982. 7 2 editors for Spring 1,000,000 1982. 1 5 Analysis of the ’87 edition (CNU) 1. Sloppy Planning at one department meeting on budget, editor selection, article selection (one by each faculty member) 2. Short period of editing: Two month
3. Editors are not allowed to make decisions.
4. No consistency in selecting articles and styles • The least professional process by the most professional group. • This analysis applies to all college English textbooks. 6 Typical contents • Essay
• Philosophy 2
• Politics 2
• Sociology
• Essay 6
• Mythology
• Short Story 2 • The Art of loving
• On Education
• The Valley of Utopia
• Paris & Helen of Troy
• Open Window
• Women and tobacco
• Music appreciation
More to be added 7 2. The problems of the imported textbooks 8 2.1. Macro level National economy
• The cost of the language teaching is growing at individual level and national level. • One of the big chucks of the cost is textbooks and the biggest chucks flow out of the nation since a large quantity of English text books are imported from the U.S. and the U.K. • English boom generates more economic gains to the English exporting countries • The money spent is not domestically re- productive 9 Cambridge University Press's Home 10 One of the seven major areas 1. Humanities & Social Sciences: History, Economics, Literature, Linguistics... 2. English Language Teaching: Catalogue, Teachers, Students, Dictionaries... 3. Bibles
4. Science, Technology & Medicine: Mathematics, Biological Science, Computer Science... 5. Schools & Colleges: Primary, Secondary, International... 6. Law
7. Journals: Information, Subscribers... 11 Linguistic imperialism • Textbook contents selected by foreign editors, who naturally are eager to
propagate their own cultural heritage. • Korean students are apt to respect the culture of textbook editors’ (English
speaking countries) 12 2.2. Micro level • Lack of flexibility for various needs of teachers and students • No expertise on textbook editing accumulated among language teaching
professionals 13 3. Web textbooks as an alternative • Freedom of issue setting: We are what we eat = We are what we read. • Cultural Independence
• Cheaper for publication
• No or less restriction of copy-right
• Authentic materials are widely available 14 4. My web-text 15 4.1. Conceptualizing contents of textbooks • Functions
• Grammar
• Communicative situations
• Vocabulary
• Pronunciation • Notions and topics 16 4.2. Conditions for web-based textbooks • Fit to the course objectives
• Fit to the student proficiency level
• Easy to handle for students
• Easy for maintenance 17 4.3. Constructionism, Cooperative class, & the Internet Individualized
activities Learning in
group activities Empowerment to
students All know how to
handle the Internet Learn how to talk
in groups Learn how to learn Web manager Activity manager Facilitating teacher E-mail friend:
Discussion board Group =
community Community of learners Different
contribution from
each member Each member
with different
task Fully functioning
members of each
group the Internet &
Web-text Cooperative
class Constructionism 18 4.4. Web-based cooperative class • Cooperative group: - My groups have 3 members (4 at most). - References recommend groups of 4-5. • Tasks: - Each member has different task. - Each member has task in and after class. • Characteristics - Realistic activities by web and cooperative activities - Individual task reducing anxiety - Instructor as a facilitator 19 4.5. Organization of the web textbook • Contents • Home: Course guide, Activity guide, A
beginner's guide to email, … • Reading materials: Preamble, primary
reading materials, secondary reading
materials, discussion topics, words & phrases • Discussion board: 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000,
1999 20 4.6. Class flow chart Reading before class Reading before class 5 5 min Introduction min Introduction 2 2 min Topic min Topic devided devided 20 20 min Home discussion min Home discussion 18 18 min Expert discussion min Expert discussion 15 15 min Class discussion min Class discussion 15 15 min min Indivisual Indivisual Presentation Presentation E E - - mail mail Discussion Board Discussion Board 21 Web class examples 22 My Home 23 Home and Contents 24 Unit 25 Reading 26 Discussion: topics 1. Define the self-esteem in your own way. Why is the self-esteem important in your life? Take examples from the experiment at the Wesleyan University. 2. What is the difference between high self-esteem and arrogance? How does your arrogance hurt yourself? How does self esteem help you? 3. …
4. What are the seven ways to improve your self esteem? 5. …
6. Describe the score of your self esteem based on the check list. Talk … 27 Discussion: List 28 Discussion: Student 29 Discussion: Instructor comment 30 5. Student response Experience of webtext Experience of webtext No Yes F
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equenc y 30 20 10 0 31 Other classes & Language center Better than Lang Center classes I took Lang Center classes I took 5 4 3 2 1 0 Fr
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y 10 8 6 4 2 0 This class better This class better 5 3 2 1 F
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 32 Webtext and webboard Web textbook good Web textbook good 5 4 3 2 1 F
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y 10 8 6 4 2 0 Webboard writing good Webboard writing good 4 3 2 1 F
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 33 More difficult but more interesting Webtext more difficult Webtext more difficult 5 4 3 2 1 F
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Webtext more interesting Webtext more interesting 4 3 2 1 F
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 34 More quantity and more informative Webtext has more quantity Webtext more quantity 5 4 3 2 1 Fr
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y 10 8 6 4 2 0 Webtext more informative Webtext more informative 4 3 2 1 F
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 35 Easy to use & understand Webtext easy to use Webtext easy to use 5 4 3 2 1 F
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y 10 8 6 4 2 0 Webtext easy to understand Webtext easy to understand 5 4 3 2 1 F
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y 10 8 6 4 2 0 36 Good for vocabulary learning Webtext good for vocabulary learning Webtext good for vocabulary 4 3 2 1 Fr
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 37 Useful and real-life information Webtext has useful information Webtext useful information 5 4 3 2 1 Fr
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Webtext real-life information Webtext real-life information 4 3 2 1 F
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y 10 8 6 4 2 0 38 I read more with web, but Web is more difficult to use With webtext I read more Webtext I read more 5 4 3 2 1 Fr
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Webtext difficult to use Webtext difficult to use 5 4 3 2 1 F
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y 10 8 6 4 2 0 39 Web-text preferred I choose webtext I choose webtext 4 3 2 1 Fr
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 40 Reasons of choice: Web vs. Paper Reason of webtext choice Reason of webtext choice Others Useful Informative Cheap F
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equ enc y 12 10 8 6 4 2 Reason of paper text choice Reason of paper text choice Others Informative Easy to use F
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equ enc y 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 41 General comments Students preferred the web-text since it:
• informative
• more interesting
• better for learning and
• cheaper. 42 7. Topics 1. Questionnaires are to check the popularity of topics. 2. Some are added by the instructor. 3. Current issues are added: Iraq, Cambodia, Election 43 7.1. Study skills Pronunciation Pronunciation 5 4 3 2 1 F
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equenc y 10 8 6 4 2 0 44 Learning style & learning strategies Learning style Learning style 3 2 1 F
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y 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 Learning strategy Learning strategy 3 2 1 F
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 45 7.2. Life 46 Good habit & Education Good habit Good habit 4 3 2 1 F
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Education Education 4 3 2 1 F
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 47 Communication & friendship Communication Communication 4 3 2 1 F
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Friendship Friendship 3 2 1 F
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 48 Intelligence & Study abroad Study abroad Study abroad 3 2 1 F
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 IQ IQ 4 3 2 1 F
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quenc y 10 8 6 4 2 0 49 Personality & Job Personality Personality 3 2 1 F
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Job Job 4 3 2 1 F
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 50 Job Interview & Resume writing Job Interview Job Interview 4 3 2 1 F
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y 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Resume writing Resume writing 5 3 2 1 F
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 51 Marriage Marriage Marriage 4 3 2 1 F
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 52 7.3. Social Issues 53 US invasion to Iraq & Antiwar movement Iraq war Iraq war 4 3 2 1 F
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y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Antiwar movement Antiwar movement 4 3 2 1 F
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y 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 54 Gwangju Uprising & May Day May Uprising May Uprising 4 3 2 1 F
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y 10 8 6 4 2 0 May Day May Day 4 3 2 1 F
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y 10 8 6 4 2 0 55 Jenin camp Jenin camp Jenin camp 4 3 2 1 F
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equenc y 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 56 General comments • Students are interested in practical gains such as job interview and resume writing. • Students are interested in real life such as marriage. • Students are also interested in social issues as Gwangju Uprising, U.S. invasion into Iraq
and and antiwar movement. 57 8. Issues to face • Professional skills - Classroom management - Communication skills - group activities - material organization - Evaluation skills • Technical skills - Material search - Material organization - Internet skills • Time - 8 hours for preparation 58 8. Suggestions • Expert teachers: Language proficiency + theoretical background • Technology: Technological staff to be given due respect. • Cooperative teaching: - Material organization - Internet management - Evaluation - Teacher workshop: Technology-enhanced cooperative learning is possible with cooperative teaching. • Language Centers will play a significant role. 59 감사합니다 .

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