Chapter III Software of JNTU and Osmania University ... - Shodhganga

Chapter III Software of JNTU and Osmania University: An Analysis

3.0 Introduction A healthy interaction between the teacher and the latest technology and a meaningful use of the latter makes the process of education more effective. Educational technology tries to create this kind of triangular relationship among the teacher, the taught and the technology so that the latest discoveries can be used to enhance the quality of education. The following statement aptly conveys the significance of educational technology in language teaching/learning arena. …more engaged students see technology as supporting their learning and [they] increase personal investment in their work. Educational research undoubtedly confirms what teachers know intuitively: time on task leads to more learning. Technology can therefore help motivate some of our students and become more successful learners.1

The era of technology-oriented pedagogy in the second language teaching and learning has brought revolutionary changes in the realm

124 of language acquisition. Ken Beatty defines Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as any process in which a learner uses a computer and, as a result, improves her/his language2. With the entry of CALL, the language teaching environment has witnessed sweeping changes as the multimedia technology paved its way. The digital gadgets such as the CDs, DVDs, video, wireless communication are now widely used by educators as teaching aids in enhancing communication skills.

As a consequence of this innovation in teaching/learning of English language, today a remarkable number of enthusiastic learners sit before the computer in the language lab setting to imbibe language skills. Since language acquisition through multimedia language labs has become a part of the day, the CALL activities too expanded their purview by enhancing research on material design, instruction methods and pedagogical theories. The effect of CALL was immediate on the professional educationists as teaching/learning of language skills in such an innovative environment could expedite the process of cultivating communication skills to the large number of young aspirants. The CALL mechanism with a number of advantages made these institutions of higher learning to overhaul their language teaching/learning curriculum by focusing on technology-oriented pedagogy. Especially, the technical education and other allied fields are availing the benefit of teaching language with CALL pedagogy almost completely. Thus, modern students can be imparted language

125 teaching at a faster pace as majority of them are techno savvy learners.

While technical education with good communication skills is considered as the gateway to global success, CALL environment is considered suitable to provide promising results in this direction. The language skills are vital in technical education as one can keep abreast of the developments in the field of study. The awareness towards global competition for which technical education is the prime base has been motivating many students to opt for technical education either for employment or for research. At present, more and more students are found enrolling in the institutes of higher learning for pursuing their studies in technology-related subjects. Globalization demands highly focused specialized and skilled workers to fulfill the challenges of the commerciality generated by it. That is why the number of technical and scientific institutes has been increasing many a fold during the last twenty years.

Since technology enhancement received its due attention, the government proceeded in the direction of establishment of more number of technology institutions of higher learning. In addition, the favourable situation in the country which is constantly growing towards progress in science and technology has been encouraging the educational institutions towards making complete use of education technology to reform their teaching/learning strategies.

126 3.1 TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN INDIA India is one of the premier countries which recognized this need and established many technical institutions to offer various courses of specialization. The other side of the coin of globalization is the increased importance for English. Again, as globalization demanded a common language, English has readily pedestalled itself to that position; all the nations now have the imperative need to improve English teaching/learning in their nations. Thus, the focus falls on expediting the process, making use of the available technology.

The government, as part of promoting employment opportunities to the youth of the country, has been encouraging the establishment of institutions of technical education. An increasing number of youth opt for technical education and enroll at institutions of higher learning. In order to be identified on par with his fellow student in the global arena, a student of technical education is found struggling hard to imbibe the skills of the global language which now is a crucial and deciding factor for one’s success in the global scenario. Language laboratories at every institution of higher learning provide language skills to the ever-increasing number of enthusiastic learners with different proficiencies and diversified needs. A remarkable number of learners are exhibiting communicative competency with the support of technology-oriented pedagogy in addition to the technical acumen for their particular field of study. Recently, American President Barrack

127 Obama made an interesting observation about Indian education system that American students should perform in terms of learning science and mathematics, on par with Indians and Chinese.

India is the second most populous country; it has another encouraging aspect: the percentage of youth is around 45. Though having 45% of youth in the entire population augurs good strength to the nation, it also bestows the responsibility on it to make use of this force meaningfully for the progress of the nation. Hence, the concentration of the educationists is on technical courses for providing employment opportunities to these youth. Among them, a majority is from the middle class and they consider education as the stepping stone for success. Hence, there is a large enrollment into the courses at tertiary level.

Globalization is another crucial factor which influenced the thinking of the modern youth. The attitudes of rural and semi urban youth have drastically changed and as a result, more numbers of them are leaving the conventional family occupations and are focusing on higher education. The students hailing from the rural, urban and semi urban strata of the society with expectations of developing fluency in the target language to fulfill their various aspirations found CALL resources more innovative and interesting than the traditional language classrooms with conventional items on prose and poetry which are delivered through the lecture method. These traditional

128 syllabuses and conventional methodologies of teaching and testing are supposed to have lost their appeal; and the students at present are looking forward to such methodologies which permit their individual styles of learning and accommodate their deficiencies.

This is the psychological angle of the students’ preference to learning English in the language labs. It gives them space and time and

the

much

desired

learner autonomy.

Particularly in

the

institutions of higher learning, the composition of the classes is very varied. The students have diverse educational backgrounds; and hence, the classes are totally heterogeneous. Most of these students with lower proficiency in English are diffident and prefer working with the machine rather than with the peers who are fluent in English. The teachers of these technical institutions have also realized that the traditional methods of teaching and the literary and content based material of the language hardly provide solace to the eager learners of language. So the educators too are found constantly working towards the demands of the learners in the language arena so that every student earns the creditworthiness to face the challenges of the global market. 3.2

CHANGED

PERSPECTIVES

ON

SECOND

LANGUAGE

ACQUISITION India is one of the few countries which continued English – the language of the foreign rulers – even after independence. The then

129 political leaders, who were educated outside India, had the vision that in its multi linguistic setting India needs a common language of communication. So, initially English was given the status of a library language for the purposes of education and research, and, a semiofficial language for linking the states which have their own different well-developed languages and literatures. Being named as a library language, English was used mostly for Reading & Writing. As there was no shift in the focus on English teaching, the traditional books of English literature were continued. Teaching was done mostly through the lecture method; reading and writing skills had been assumed on the part of the students; and, the evaluation pattern was confined only to the written examination. All through those decades in the past, English language learning of the students was confined to Reading and Writing. But the changed scenario changed the language needs too. Globalization demanded a lingua franca for the entire world both for oral and written communication. This necessitated learning of the skills of Speaking.

Again, speaking includes both semantic appropriateness and phonological accuracy. This factor demanded refinement in the pronunciation aspect which was totally neglected in the past. A decade ago, there was a heated debate in India as to which English dialect – Britain or American – should be taken as a model for Indian English. While some argued that Indian English was closer to the British model (Received Pronunciation), some argued that American

130 English should be followed because of the technological superiority of America. Globalization seems to have solved this problem. The English Language Teaching experts say that the only criterion to judge the standard of spoken English is national and international intelligibility. “With 1.4 billion Chinese and 1.2 billion Indians learning English,” one expert says, “we cannot claim that English belongs only to a few nations!”

In the past, all the evaluation techniques referred to the written aspect of the learner; so, students never paid any attention to cultivate spoken skills in English. Today, the importance of speaking skill is very well recognized both by the teachers and the taught. Lack of speaking ability in English becomes a stumbling block in one’s progress. Keeping in view all these problems which a learner faces, the language teacher has to endeavour to impart quality skills to the learners. The language teachers and educational institutions are depending on technology for imparting not only speaking but also all the skills of English language.

The responsibility of training the students in English language skills throws a new challenge to the present-day English teachers, particularly to those working in the technical institutions. Heavily content-oriented traditional syllabuses could be delivered through the lecture mode of teaching; but training the students in the language skills demands a different approach on the part of the teachers. In the

131 past decade the English teachers in the country faced tremendous challenge in terms of imparting English language skills to the students; that too, to large classes. They need special training to carry on this duty successfully. But, it is true, though sad, that needed attention has not been paid towards converting the English teachers into language trainers with the needed orientation. Though a number of English teachers have been produced in the country, they are not given the right orientation to transform into trainers. Since language inculcation falls under the arena of training, teaching of English by untrained faculty resulted in failure and lack of standards in the context of learning. The subtle difference between English teacher and English trainer has not been recognized fully. Nor any serious attempts are made to meet the new challenges of the English teaching/learning in India.

3.3 TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN ANDHRA PRADESH Since India is a developing country it concentrates on offering technical education. Andhra Pradesh is one of the States which has more number of institutes offering technical education. Apart from many Polytechnic colleges, there are around 540 engineering colleges in Andhra Pradesh out of which a lion’s share is that of Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU). All the state universities offer technology education to students through various affiliated colleges. Excluding the universities of repute, around 157 deemed universities

132 exist all over the country. Though around 11% of the enrolment occurs in higher education, the quality of education varies. The ratio of teaching faculty in each department in the standard terms is 1:2:4 with one professor, 2 associate professors and 4 assistant professors to serve the needs of the ever-increasing number of learners.

The entry into the technology colleges of higher learning is through various national and state level entrance examinations. In Andhra Pradesh,

around

175,000

seats

are

filled

through

EMCET

(Engineering and Medical Common Entrance Test). A minimum of 180,000 pass out as engineers. This number includes the candidates who join engineering colleges through lateral entry. Excluding this, there are polytechnic colleges catering to occupational specialization in education. Students from economically backward communities opt for polytechnic education to settle down early in career. These students are given an option by the government for lateral entry into the second year engineering studies after the completion of their polytechnic

courses.

Thus,

the

students’

entry

into

technical

education is possible through this manner also, adding to the existing number of engineers.

All the institutions offering engineering and technology courses offer English language as a compulsory subject during the first year and third year of their four year study.

The first year syllabus in

technology colleges has a common core structure but is not divided

133 into semesters; hence, English instruction is given all through the year. The term end examination follows a pattern in which 75 marks are allotted to the theory examination and 25 for the internal examination. ELCS lab Practical is conducted for 75 marks. 25 marks are for allotted the Internal Lab Assessment and 75 for the Lab External Examination.

The third year students study English only during their first semester

and

the

syllabus

comprises

of

Advanced

English

Communicative Skills Lab (AECSL) where the instruction program is totally based on practicals to be conducted in the multimedia lab alone, without any conventional syllabus or text book. The total marks allotted are 75, out of which 25 marks are awarded internal sessions (15 day to day analysis plus 10 Lab internal). The final examination is conducted for 50 marks.

Added to this, a considerable number of students of these professional colleges plan postgraduate studies abroad. Most of the western

and

commonwealth

countries

insist

on

passing

the

international tests such as TOEFL, GRE, GMAT and IELTS. Mostly the scores obtained in these Computer Based English language tests become the main consideration to be admitted into those universities. An access to technology-oriented pedagogy offered at present in the technical colleges is helping the learners by providing them with the necessary experience to face the international examinations online.

134 Besides

engineering

courses

the

technology

institutions

have

permission to offer post-graduation studies in Management and Pharmacy course. The students enroll into Management courses through an Integrated Common Entrance Test (ICET); MBA, MCA, B Pharmacy, M Pharmacy are some of the courses which students opt for.

While the B Pharmacy course follows the same syllabus and curriculum followed by the B Tech students, the MBA and MCA courses have a slightly different teaching/learning structure. The MBA students study English during their First semester and the MCA students are offered English in their Second semester. The final examination is conducted both in theory and practical with 60 and 40 respectively for MBA, and 100 and 100 for MCA respectively.

Excluding the professional education, there are colleges offering tertiary level education of three year Degree courses such as BA, B Sc, B Com, etc. Students desirous of pursuing their course of study through these non technical streams can obtain entry by directly applying for university affiliated recognized colleges. The three-year education system offers English for two years as a compulsory subject. The Directorate of Higher Education (DHE) has made it mandatory for non-technical students of the three-year degree course to pass in Computer Based Test (CBT) in both the years of graduation. The weightage given to laboratory performance is 15% of marks.

135 The Jawahar Knowledge Centers (JKCs) are resource centers established at various educational institutions of higher learning to offer employability skills to the prospective graduates. The students are constantly motivated towards imbibing communication skills for successful careers. Thus, till a student graduates, English language teaching is offered compulsorily to all the learners. All these universities and affiliated colleges of both technical and non-technical streams have made it mandatory to establish language labs in their respective institutions. Each college has erected some software or the other to cater to the language acquisition needs of the learners.

Since the education system plays a pivotal role in providing students

with

language

acquisition

methods,

the

language

laboratories allow a learner to develop the desirable skills at one’s own pace through individual attention.

3.4 COMPUTER ASSISTED LANGUAGE TESTING (CALT) The role of computers in language testing has been acknowledged. The variety of questions to be generated and the speed with which they can be generated have made the computer language testing a desirable and necessary tool in educational technology. Computers have been used for decades in all types of testing for managing item banks, scoring multiple-choice

responses,

generating

score

136 reports, conducting statistical analysis, and storing test takers’ records. As technology develops, these and other roles will continue to contribute to the efficiency of language testing.

3

Testing is one of the important aspects in any language teaching/learning process. The Computer Based Tests (CBTs) are the current trend used in evaluation of the language skills of second language learners. Today, students desirous of pursuing their education at international universities have to pass examinations such as GRE, GMAT, TOEFL and IELTS. All these examinations follow the CBT format. The history of CALL indicates that CALT developed as a tool during the 90s. The CALT finds its basis in the Item Response Theory (IRT), a psychometric theory in which the test developers concentrate on “item statistics.”

The “operationalization of learning conditions and assessment of learner’s processes”4 were two such areas that received strong impetus around the 1990s and continue to occupy pivotal positions in the arena of computer assisted language testing methods. The period during the post 90s, with the LAN activities and internet operations in full swing, the CALT research began on experimenting innovative paradigms in computer assisted language evaluation. Further, the CALL research on using computers in language assessment is trying to explore test tasks beyond the multiple choice questions and also to

137 investigate the use of computers in the testing of “intelligent teaching systems, analysis and scoring of open ended responses (composition and speech samples), testing using the web, etc.”5 Thus, the computer mediated assessment has been researching on areas such as construction, delivery, response, analysis and score reporting.

The computers affect several aspects of the test method. Carol A. Chapelle in her book Computer Applications in Second Language Acquisition says that the evaluation through computer is based on certain principles. They are:



The incorporation of findings and theory based speculations

about

ideal

conditions

for

second

language acquisition such as those given in the table. 

The criteria should be accompanied by the guidelines how they should be used. A theory of evaluation needs to be articulated.



Both the criteria and theory need to apply not only to software, but also to the task that the teacher plans and that the learner carries out.

The contents in the table convey the vital tenets 6 of CALT evaluation.

138

The summary of principles for CALL evaluation TABLE 3.1 Principle

Implication

Evaluation of CALL is a situationspecific argument

CALL developers need to be familiar with criteria for evaluation which will be applied relative to a particular context.

CALL should be evaluated through two perspectives: Judgmental analysis of software and planned tasks, and empirical analysis of learners’ performance.

The criteria for analysis must be identified.

The criteria for CALL task should come from instructed SLA.

CALL evaluators need to keep up with and make links to research on theory and research on instructed SLA.

Criteria should be applied in view of the task.

CALL tasks should have a clearly articulated purpose.

Language learning potential should be the central criterion in the evaluation of CALL.

Language learning should be one aspect of the purpose of CALL tasks.

The multimedia environment exposes the learners to the test format. The language practice should not only be done for drills and exercises but also should give comprehensive assessment tests at the end of each unit. The tests provide feedback to the instructors whether sufficient awareness has been developed on the concerned skill or the learner deserves further training before being considered a skilled communicator. However, the test design and the instructions for taking the test in a computer driven test environment are unfamiliar to the students. Hence, test-taking at various levels has to be encouraged so that the learner understands how to perform a test

139 in a CBT environment. When the test atmosphere gets familiar to the students, their scores too will not dwindle due to ignorance or unawareness.

CALL environment confirms that the test construction and analysis are the most crucial aspects among the language acquisition mechanisms. Further, CALL studies facilitate multipurpose tests meant for different tasks and assess the performance of students in various aspects. As a consequence of this facility, the test design and administration involve a lot of expenditure. Practicality is vital aspect for designing CBTs because it is the financial factor that decides the application aspect. The resultant scores that students obtain are compared in the light of difficulty, reliability and distribution of the data. Hence, the cost of testing is usually considered a business or an administrative decision, rather than as a feature of testing itself. Today the administrators’ understanding of CBTs is still at a nascent stage with a number of objections raised to its application. Still, as the national and international tests are in the CBT mode, the learners are showing more and more enthusiasm towards this method; hence, they are mostly used as authentic testing mechanisms, particularly in the higher education institutions.

The Indian scenario indicates that there is a rise in the awareness of the usefulness of computer technology for cultivating the language skills. The profitable use of technology to achieve the desired ends is

140 ascending. Since English is the medium used in the technical environment, inculcating communication skills in the technology driven environment is easier and interesting to the students. The English language has now become a necessity in the Indian scenario either for personal growth or for national development; hence, language laboratories have become mandatory everywhere. All these language labs function in multimedia environment using some software or the other to cultivate English language skills. A study of the software and the way they are operated in the labs provide necessary information about how skills can be imparted to the students involving their vital senses for achieving results.

One pivotal aspect that qualifies CALL programmes as the best courses for teaching English is that it allows learners autonomy and immediate feedback over their performance. While the learner autonomy accommodates the inhibitions of the weaker learners, the immediate feedback helps in quick reparation and constant progress.

3.5 ENGLISH LANGUAGE LAB SOFTWARE The language lab software is of two types: i) Platform device, and ii) Learning software 3.5.0. The Platform Device

This is a necessary tool for learning the mechanism of accessing the software that is installed in the computer. The instructors need to

141 develop awareness regarding the features of the platform. The platform features help the teacher in various ways. The following are some of the features of a good CALL Platform: o It allows monitoring of the students from the teacher’s console. o It provides interaction with all or a group of students. o It gives control over the student’s keyboard. o It helps in conducting online examinations. o It assists students in recording their own voices and helps to compare them with the original voice. o It helps the transfer of audio and video files to the students.

3.5.1 The Learning Software The learning software contains the actual CALL material. The instructor has to make a choice of the material necessary for the learners, from among a number of resources. The curriculum provides the backdrop for making the right choice. The teacher has to make clear to the learner what each program offers or the type of task it presents; this clarification helps the learner to practice the specific skill. The degree to which the software learning packages are effective depends on the learning situation, the pattern of instruction necessary for the software, learning and working styles of the learners and various other factors.

142 The CALL resources might appear limited when compared to a well-qualified teacher’s knowledge or the umpteen books available in the market. Still, the CALL software far exceeds in purview when compared to the English language text book that is prescribed. The software has an advantage of being organized into various skills of study such as Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, Grammar and Vocabulary. Explanation by the teacher in a traditional classroom has its own limitations of large classes, heterogeneity in the student proficiency etc.. A text book also cannot really provide as much matter as a software can provide nor can it give as varied exercises as the software can provide. Each skill can be focused on and can also be integrated with all other skills. The activities in the software considerably overlap due to the similarity between some sub skills of the language. This integration of skills is of vital importance as a learner becomes competent in communication only when he uses all types of skills while communicating, depending on the nature of interaction. The teaching material of the software assigns various tasks in the instruction to make it comprehensive in approach. Although the CALL teaching is autonomous in nature, still a learner has to avail of the resources of CALL in a multimedia environment with the guidance of a teacher. The learning situation provides such strong impetus that by the time the learners complete a course or a semester program in CALL environment, they are well versed with the skills of language that they come across. However, the point to be considered is how effectively the language labs are being used by the

143 instructors and how many of them are given the needed training to deal with the CALL materials in the language labs. In the present set up, the students are not benefitting from the language labs due to various reasons. One of them is lack of gradation in the instructional material. Depending on the type of learners the material should be graded to fall into categories such as Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels. Each category of materials, again, should satisfy various criteria, such as, comprehensiveness and integration of skills. Testing exercises are as important as teaching materials in the CALL situation. Because, the tests are often self managed and the feedback is readily obtained. These criteria are necessary to term a CALL resource as worthwhile. Today a number of software companies are offering CALL materials for the benefit of learners. Most of these companies cater to the university prescribed norms in terms of syllabus, curriculum etc. The universities provide a framework to the design of the syllabus followed by a specification regarding the stipulated time to be spent by each student over the program, in the laboratory. The student’s performance is judged by the teachers from time to time.

A number of companies offer different task based skill development programs to an average learner. There are many web resources also readily available on the internet, free of cost. With high motivation, a student of today can help himself using these resources with the right guidance from the teachers.

144 This research has examined the performance of a few popular softwares and platform devices which are being used by a large number of technology institutions located in Andhra Pradesh. To name a few of them are Globarena, Clarity, K Van Solutions, Encarta, Centrionix, Young India, etc.

3. 6 A PERUSAL OF THE SOFTWARE The popular software and platform devices used in the technology institutions have been studied, keeping in view the usefulness of the software in the Indian context. The items prescribed in the software comprise different kinds of learning activities skill wise and task wise, which are designed to offer access to various skills to increase competency.

The study has categorized the observations under two broad headings. The first refers to the software in usage at the Universities of JNTU and OU. Each software has been studied with reference to the skill and sub-skill that the learner develops by working with it, and its usefulness from the learner’s perspective. The concluding remarks given about each software mention the strengths and weaknesses of the software from the point of view of the language acquisition. The current chapter confines itself to the softwares used in the two universities of Andhra Pradesh, namely the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) and the Osmania University (OU).

145 3.6.1. The Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) It is a State level premier university in technology education in Andhra Pradesh. The University offers various undergraduate and postgraduate programs in technology and some related ancillary courses to the students. A large number of students enroll themselves to pursue higher education at the university through the state level entrance

examination

conducted

by

the

government,

namely

EAMCET. There are around 540 affiliated technology institutions and some of them offer post graduate courses.

Alongside

the

students

who

enroll

through

the

entrance

examination, there are other category of students such as non resident Indians (NRIs) and Foreigners who pursue their studies. The University prescribes norms for the academic requirements to be met, both at the university campus and at the affiliated colleges. The English language teaching at almost all the levels has been made mandatory due to globalization and the changed employment scenario in global and local markets. Thus, the communication skill, which is the deciding factor for employment at every sector, is given pivotal importance while designing the syllabus.

The curriculum offers necessary exposure to the students hailing from all the strata -- urban, semi urban or rural. The instilling of confidence in using the global language, English, is of vital

146 importance. It should get reflected in prescribed syllabus, its delivery and the evaluation pattern. The students, who are already computer literate, have two objectives in undergoing the language training in the lab: i) They aspire to get command over communication; and, ii) They expect the training to help them go through the

computer-based

international and national level examinations such as GRE, TOEFL, IELTS, GATE, CAT, etc. Hence, the establishment of multimedia language laboratory, in addition to the regular classrooms, has become mandatory for the technical institutions.

Students are trained in the necessary skills of the language by offering instruction through sophisticated technology with the support of well developed software. The syllabus prescribes a stipulated time period to be spent by each learner for interactive multimedia learning. Apart from the instruction on traditional content-oriented classroom teaching, the students avail of a 3-period duration of lab work i.e.150 minutes per week. The curriculum concludes with a compulsory semester end examination with theory paper for 60 marks followed by a practical examination for 40 marks.

The University offers language teaching only during the first semester of the First year technical degree course. The syllabus for classroom includes a prescribed Reader, Non-detailed text with selected topics. The lab syllabus is divided into multimedia lab work and

communication

skills

lab

activities.

The

software

in

the

147 multimedia lab has to support the following necessary syllabus excluding the other ancillary items that go in the direction of meeting the target goals or objectives. The JNTU Laboratory Manual followed at present has the following items:

TABLE 3.2 S.No.

Contents of the Module 1. Sounds in English

I.

Theoretical Laboratory Total Hours Hours Hours 34

42

76

9

16

25

18

8

26

4

10

14

-

24

24

15

15

115

180

2. IPA- Scripts and Description 3. Situational Dialogue/

II.

Role Play 4. Public Speaking 5. Debate

III.

6. Group Discussion 7. Interviewing

IV.

8. Resume Preparation Interaction Quiz Module Exams

65

(Trimester 123 of 60 hours each)

148 In order to cater to the syllabus requirements of the language laboratory, a good number of software are identified. The well established platform at the laboratory offers the instructors with a control mechanism over the lab activities of the learners. The software used has been enlisted from the aspect of its usefulness and its ability to cultivate the relevant skills among the learners. The observations are presented in the following Tables. The items of study, the delivery of those items through different techniques of teaching and testing are given in detail. Some remarks, wherever necessary, are made about the software. The order in which the results of the study of the software is as follows: Dorling Kindersley Series – Grammar Made Easy Dorling Kindersley Series– Punctuation Made Easy Oxford Advanced Learner’s Compass English in Mind Series Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

149 TABLE 3.3: Dorling Kindersley Series – Grammar Made Easy Name of the Software & Items Present Dorling Kindersley Series – Grammar made Easy Nouns Pronouns Verbs Verb Forms Adjectives Adverbs Sentences-Simple, Complex and Compound. Standard EnglishAmerican & Britain dialects.

Techniques of Teaching & Testing

Remarks

Teaching Methods:

The software facilitates self learning.

An introduction on the importance of grammar for communication.

The explanation is simple and clear.

Explanation of each Language item based on the contents given, followed by practice exercises for self evaluation. A Diagnostic test facility before beginning the practice to teach the items based on the difficulty level identified during the test evaluation.

The Diagnostic testing enables the learners to know their strengths and weaknesses. The practice exercises offer plenty of room for perfection.

Testing Methods:

A comprehensive term end test can be constructed with the practice questions available.

A Diagnostic test at the beginning of each session to make a self identification regarding the strengths and weaknesses of the learner towards the particular language item.

The knowledge on dialects and slang helps the learner to identify the formal discourse from an informal conversation.

A facility to offer the test after awareness on the particular item.

An average learner or the learner without expertise in computer technology can access the material as the software adopts user friendly applications.

developing

150 TABLE 3.4: Dorling Kindersley Series– Punctuation Made Easy Name of the Software & Items Present Dorling Kindersley Series - Punctuation Made Easy Apostrophes Brackets, Hyphens, Dashes Abbreviations Capital Letters, Full Stops Direct/Indirect questions Exclamation Marks and Question Marks Colons and Semicolons Direct speech — Punctuation within Question words Dialogue

Techniques of Teaching & Testing Teaching Methods: The learner with a little knowledge can take diagnostic test to know the strong and weak areas. The learner can directly access the language item of his choice. Learning topic-wise is the alternative method. One has a choice to make on the type of instruction one desires. Explanation is both auditory and visual. Practice exercises that follow enable the learner to achieve perfection in the language items.

Remarks The learning of punctuation happens easily and faster. The conventional class room environment does not offer such enthusiastic teaching/ learning. The lab teaching / learning provides the missing impetus to the topic. The written communication among learners gets blurred when it is lacking right punctuation marks at right places. The technology offers many examples which learner observes visually, followed by aural listening. The instructors cannot make an attempt at creating such realistic examples with the traditional teaching aids. The support of technology provides instructors to convey the item more realistically.

151

Name of the Software & Items Present


Remarks

Testing Methods: The diagnostic tests help the students to assess their knowledge. Practice tests are offered after every language item which helps students develop the necessary skill. The comprehensive test after learning the complete contents offers feedback to the instructor.

The testing pattern is followed by feedback giving the correct answer to the wrong attempts made by the learner. The retrieving facility helps the learners to call and recall the contents depending on their difficulty level.

152 TABLE 3.5: Oxford Advanced Learners Compass Name of the Software & Items Present


Learners Compass

Teaching Methods: Introduction and explanation each item present.

Adjectives

Exercises for practice are given.

Adverbs

Practice items on error identification and substitution of the right form in the incomplete sentences

Oxford Advanced

Idioms Nouns Phrasal Verbs Synonyms

of

Testing Methods: A diagnostic test for assessment of knowledge on the item at hand. CBTs with patterns of questions that are meant for testing of knowledge. Special focus on error recognition in sentences. The teacher can avail the patterns of questions for constructing a term end comprehensive exam including all language items taught.

Remarks The software expedites the acquisition of vocabulary among intermediate level learners. The average learner gets ample opportunity to visit and revisit the items of choice till a certain level of comprehension is developed. The exercises of various types help in understanding the language item from different angles. The incomplete sentences and error identification throw light upon the level of comprehension, achieved at regular intervals. The revisiting facility provides easy access to difficult and unfamiliar words, depending on one’s perception. The easy to access mechanisms can make even a diffident individual perform with confidence in the lab. The interactive explanatory approach focuses on the enhancement of study skills. The learners develop the desirable skill at a faster pace compared to learning words or language item through dictionary. The depiction of language items and vocabulary items are possible in a traditional classroom atmosphere where teaching aids employed may not perform as efficiently as in a multimedia environment.

153

Name of the Software & Items Present English in Mind Series Grammar Vocabulary Reading Writing Listening Dictation

TABLE 3.6: English in Mind Series Techniques of Teaching & Testing Teaching Methods : The language item to be taught is explained. The focus is on skill development; hence exercises analyze the learner’s knowledge of using the target language in various ways. The Grammar and Vocabulary consists of comprehension exercises with scrambled word and guessing the meaning of the first part. The Reading and Writing aim at first reading a passage, and then reproducing the text.

Remarks The software is graded into four series. The students are meant to use the four series in a gradual fashion in order to learn the target language. The rural and semi urban learners with minimum exposure to the target language get a lot of scope to master the skills of the language as they are graded.

The learners are given exposure to American accent.

The simplicity and the clarity in presentation give every learner the impetus to perform independent of the instructor.

Listening and Dictation give scope to practice listening techniques essential for speaking the language fluently.

The situational dialogues teach learners how to use the language in every day conversation.

The exercises on situational dialogues allow learners to listen and practice answering the questions that follow.

The reading comprehension exercises improve the study skills of the learners as they offer the techniques such as skimming, scanning and anticipation.

A number of practice exercises such as scrambled words, match the following, incomplete sentences which emphasize on the necessity of each before achieving a certain level of competency in the skills.

The listening exercises followed by dictation give plenty of scope to improve listening skills.

154

Name of the Software & Items Present


Remarks

Testing Methods : The testing pattern is based on comprehension passages which students read and try reproducing the text as exactly as possible. While performing the exercise a student can retrieve the original text, if necessary.

The American accent provides the learner the exposure to the particular dialect most commonly used in conducting computer based tests.

The Listening passages provide the teacher a testing facility to identify the student’s capacity to grasp the language items. Filling the blanks, scrambled words, guessing or anticipation mechanisms are offered in plenty for the learner to grasp the skills of the language. All the dialogues test whether the language is learnt from the utility perspective and also tests whether a learner has developed the required control over the language item to use it in communication with the outside world. The scrambled sentences are provided to test the logic and syntax of the English sentence.

The slow learners with little ability to understand a classroom lecture too can understand the contents and answer the questions without inhibition. The teachers too are at a benefit as many language items such as reading comprehension, listening skills, etc. can be easily taught with the help of the software. The scrambled word is taught with a number of examples that at the end of the session the learner grasps the technique of constructing the sentences without grammatical errors. The learner can self evaluate his performance by taking the test and learning the score.

155 Name of the Software & Items Present


Remarks

The situational dialogues offer scope to assess the application of language skills in real life situations.

The provision of right answers to the mistakes committed helps in identifying the erroneous part in one’s learning style and to rectify the same.

Guessing the incomplete part tests the reading skills such as skimming, scanning and anticipation. The comprehension passages offer scope for developing the listening skill.

The software being offered in series gives the learner ample time and participation facility to thoroughly learn the language items. Overall the software is suitable to any style of learners whether slow, medium or fast.

156 TABLE 3.7: Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary Name of the Software & Items Present Cambridge Advanced learners Dictionary Adjectives Collocations Homophones Phrasal Verbs Prefixes Suffixes Prepositions Synonyms


Remarks

Teaching Methods: The focus is on teaching vocabulary items to improve study skills of technology students.

The vocabulary teaching gets synonymous to active learning unlike the monotonous rote learning methods.

Each vocabulary item is portrayed with explanation on the significance of the item at hand. Plenty of practice exercises are supplied for learners to expose themselves to the relevant words. The contextual grasping of meaning is encouraged.

The students with a certain level of English knowledge can develop awareness towards the ways of forming new words from the existing ones thereby increasing their word power. The listening of the words and the explanation followed helps not only in right pronunciation but also in learning the correct meaning.

The multiple choice exercises provide objective assessment of the given word.

The advanced learners can get awareness of homonyms, homophones and homographs which a learner is not exposed to at +2 level.

Affixations are taught to make new words by prefixing and suffixing to the existing words.

The roots of words get familiar to the learners.

Pronunciation and meaning of the words is given accurately.

The learners learn how to perform and score well in competitive exams in the verbal ability sections.

157 Name of the Software & Items Present

Techniques of Teaching & Testing Testing Methods: Vocabulary exercises for self assessment. Innovation in testing the vocabulary by inclusion of different patterns of questions for evoking responses from the learners. Teachers are provided with new questions which can be picked up from the given exercises for creating term end tests or while setting a comprehensive test paper.

Remarks Teaching idioms to a non native learner becomes easier with the number of examples provided in the practice exercises. The phrasal verbs are taught with clarity by providing exercises on prepositions such as substituting the right preposition in the given blank. The learners get access to knowledge of a number of vocabulary items meant for real time situations. The frequent usage of words in the exercises provides facility to retain the word in the memory. The repeated exercises give the teacher an opportunity to observe the performances of learners at regular intervals. The teachers can access the questions from the given material to design a question paper on the vocabulary items. The collocations provide the teacher a facility to identify mistakenly used words resulting in communication distortion.

158 Excluding the software mentioned above, a number of other varieties of software are used depending on the needs of the learners. Some of them are given below:

Quick Find - Many students find difficulty with learning the meanings of new words which they accost in their learning material. This software is specially designed to answer their problems by supplying the meaning of the word.

Train to Success - This software is specially designed to expose learners to the ethics in business. It helps the management students to develop business communication and soft skills. The topics cover a vast range of activities/tasks on communication skills and soft skills. The techniques employed to train the students are interview skills; business correspondence; negotiation skills for executives; telephone skills; and time management.

The Clarity Mind Games - Students learn the language effortlessly in a fun filled atmosphere. Teaching can be made interesting by substituting some language sessions with activities based on games. Here, while playing the game, the students develop language communication through interaction and collaboration. The Clarity Mind Games software is graded into four levels: Elementary, Lower Intermediate, Intermediate and Advanced. The teacher finds it easy as

159 the graded structure allows one to use the software according to the proficiency level of the individual learners.

The Rosetta Stone English Library - This software contains a number of exercises on Tenses, Reported Speech and other basic items of grammar. Both the teacher and learner can use the software for testing and for practice, respectively. At the end of a teaching session, the teachers conduct a comprehensive test to make an evaluation of the items taught. This software eases the burden on the teacher by offering a number of questions for designing the test paper.

The Brain Teasers – This software is brought out from The Times of India, a leading newspaper to encourage the multimedia oriented learning among the students. The software offers a wide variety of tests such as psychometric tests; aptitude tests; IQ tests and brain teasers.

3.6.1.1. CALT (Computer Assisted Language Testing)

Evaluation of performances is an integral part of any teaching programme. It plays a vital role in enlightening both the teacher and the taught on the level of their success in the delivery and absorption, respectively. In the traditional classroom teaching situation, the teachers used to spend laborious hours designing effective test modules. The onus on the teacher who is already burdened with a

160 number of tasks increases while searching for items to be included into the tests. CALT has solved that problem for the teachers and is capable of saving time which could be profitably spent on designing the teaching programme. All the above mentioned software provides the teacher with a number of exercises followed by correct options and explanatory notes wherever necessary. The job of creating the test paper gets easy in such situations where plenty of resource material is available.

All these softwares are used from time to time to cover up the lab syllabus of the students of B Tech First year and MBA and MCA courses. Every learner is given ample opportunity to spend time before the computer and perform as many language items as possible till a level of understanding is reached. The diagnostic tests at the beginning of the exercises offer the learners information about their awareness level before the commencement of the course. The end tests given after each topic enlighten the teacher about the usefulness of the item in reaching the desired goal/objective.

3.6.2 Osmania University (OU) The Osmania University has been catering to the educational pursuits of the students of Andhra Pradesh for about a century and a half. The University is located in the heart of the city amidst a sprawling landscape. The courses the university offers range from

161 arts,

commerce,

engineering,

law,

management,

science,

and

technology. Students desirous of pursuing their engineering and technology education have to get qualified in the state level entrance examination,

EAMCET.

Excluding

the

seats

available

at

the

University, the students can prefer to study in the affiliated colleges of the university which are approximately 10 in number. There are around 500 graduation and post graduation colleges affiliated to the University. The English language teaching is offered to all the general courses and the technology courses too. With changed perspectives in the language teaching field, the University has prescribed language teaching through multimedia as mandatory at every institution of higher learning along with the campus colleges of the University. The duration of teaching testing and the curriculum are as follows:

EN 101 Instruction

3

Periods per week

Duration of University Examination

3

Hours

University Examination

75

Marks

Sessional

25

Marks

Unit – I Role and importance of communication; Verbal and non-verbal communication; Effective interpersonal communication; Introducing oneself

and

others;

Greetings;

Expressing

thanks,

apologies,

agreement and disagreement; Small group communication: Drafting

162 and delivering speeches; Presentation of papers and participation in seminar and conferences. Unit – II Paragraph writing; Report writing: Types of reports, Dos and Don’ts in writing technical reports and scientific papers.

Use of graphics,

visuals and power point presentations. Unit – III Communication through letters: Dos and Don’ts, Official and personal letters, Resume writing; Letters of complaint, Letters of enquiry and responses, Writing memos, Circulars and notices, Writing minutes of meetings. Unit – IV Remedial English: Common errors, Words often confused, Concord, Tense and aspect, Use of articles and prepositions, Use of dictionary and thesaurus; Vocabulary; Synonyms and antonyms, One-word substitutes, Affixes; Idiomatic usage; Comprehension. Unit – V The following four essays are prescribed: 1.

Our Own Civilization - CEM, Joad

2.

Andrew Carnegie - E.H. Carter

3.

The Secret of Work - Swami Vivekananda

4.

The Generation Gap - Benjamin Spock.

163 With regard to the degree colleges, the University designed a course ware for the lab work. All the degree colleges use the same software and follow the same syllabus far lab work and class work.

The stipulated time period that each student has to spend in the lab is prescribed in the syllabus of the University. Apart from the conventional classroom learning of the text and non-detailed syllabus, all the learners are offered a compulsory curriculum of three class room hours per week for the lab work. The students of the general courses are allotted 15 marks for the lab work which is limited to only listening exercises; whereas, the students of technology education have a comprehensive syllabus based on all the skills and sub skills for developing communicative competency.

The University utilizes a number of softwares to train the learners in all the skills. The software is developed and designed by Clarity, a premier

software

technology

company

institutions

which

affiliated

supplies

both

to

software

JNTU

and

observations made on the software are enlisted as follows:

to OU.

many The

164

TABLE 3.8: The Sky Pronunciation Suite Name of the Software & Items Present The Sky Pronunciation Suite Part I: Phonemic Alphabetpractice sounds and compare with original sounds Part II: Similar sounds

Techniques of Teaching & Testing Teaching Methods: The software provides an attractive visual depiction of the introduction of phonetics. The introduction follows a demonstration of the facilities that the software offers in order to avail of the benefit from it. The recording tools are supplied to record the sound after listening to the correct sound.

Listening

The listening and recording help the learners to practice the sounds of English.

Stress forms

Testing Methods:

Rhythm

All areas are tested after completion of practice exercises.

Rhythms from England

A score card of students is maintained indicating the gradual progress achieved by the learner as one progresses.

Remarks The software is an excellent learning platform for all types of learners. The focus is on the peculiarities pronunciation of the non-native learners.

in

The facility to practice and compare with the original sound helps the learners to imbibe the correct pronunciation. The practice exercises improve the ability to recognize correct sounds and to produce correct sounds. The collaborative working offers the learners a spirit of team work. The testing process which is continuous, provides the teacher with the scores and development of the learner’s skill.

165

TABLE 3.9: Essential Academic Skills in English (EASE) Name of the Software & Items Present Essential Academic Skills in English (EASE) Listening Skills on 85 video clips and 25 topics.


Remarks

Teaching Methods: Students are exposed to the listening items by selecting from the video clippings provided.

The Listening items focus on developing academic skills among the learners.

They listen to the language used in the lectures. They predict what comes next. They classify and categorize the lectures. They learn how to prepare for a lecture. They understand lectures.

the

tone

of

different

They understand what are arguments and the language to be used for constructing arguments. Testing Methods: After listening to the lectures students are asked questions based on the lectures which they have to answer. Every wrong answer provides the correct explanation and the score is given for assessment.

The vast varieties of topics used expose the learners to different contents and vocabulary of the specific content. The Listening items are presented along with video clippings of the speakers. This process helps the learner with developing the presentation skills essential for seminars, symposiums, etc. The Argumentation techniques assist the learner on how to proceed in the argument and the type of language one has to cultivate to propose one’s argument in a presentable manner. The different styles of speech given by speakers from various corners of the globe indicate to the learners the dialects of English and the variation in pronunciation of people belonging to different places.

166

TABLE 3.10: Clarity Tense Buster (Elementary) Name of the Software & Items Present Clarity Tense BusterElementary: Am, is, are Simple present Negatives (don’t go)


Remarks

Teaching Methods: Each language item is explained from its utility aspect. A number of examples are supplied showing their usage in communication.

I, me. My

Students are provided with practice exercises to test their knowledge on the newly learnt item.

A, an, the

The progress is shown from time to time.

Countable?

Testing Methods:

Questions (does he)

Some, any Have got

The verbs are tested from the mistakes students make usually in written and spoken communication. The score card provides performance of the learner.

data

on

the

Tenses are a difficult area for non native speakers as grammar in their mother tongue follows different principles and does not agree with the grammar, specially, the verbs that they study in English. Hence, teaching verbs in a conventional classroom atmosphere leaves many doubts in the learners’ mind. A multimedia technology offers solace by providing the material on verbs in a graded fashion. The learners of any capacity average or fast understand the verbs taught in the self learning style because each one can operate the material according to one’s convenience. The facility to retrieve the material as many times as possible gives the learner the ability to master the language at one’s own pace. The number of examples and exercises makes the learner to perform the exercises and to assess his/her own performance.

167

TABLE 3.11: Clarity Tense Buster (Intermediate) Name of the software & items present Clarity Tense BusterIntermediate Equality Passives Relative Clauses Will and going to Conditionals Vocabulary: Same meanings Linking words Phrasal verbs Verbs + out Dictionary

Techniques of Teaching & Testing Teaching Methods: The students are first explained about the items, either according to their choice, i.e. by clicking on the topic area of their choice or by going step by step, topic after topic. A number of examples are supplied so that the learner gets sufficient awareness over the content area. Practice exercises follow after every item so that the learners get enough practice over the specific topic.

Remarks The Tenses software is graded in structure, hence, this helps the instructors and the learners to identify what item they desire to teach/learn. The relative clauses that are difficult to be taught in a classroom atmosphere are taught with ease in a multimedia environment. The vocabulary items based on verbs such as phrasal verbs, and certain structures such as verb+out, are taught in a simple manner. The usage of dictionary is highlighted with assistance on how to derive benefit on using it.

168

TABLE 3.12: Clarity Tense Buster ( Upper Intermediate) Name of the Software and items present Clarity Tense BusterUpper Intermediate Present perfect Must, might, can’t


Remarks

Teaching Methods: The language items are explained from the structure and usage aspects.

Past continuous

Learners are exposed to Vocabulary by introducing Word Families and Word Groups.

Conditionals

Testing Methods:

The future tense

Plenty of practice exercises are provided.

Vocabulary:

Finding errors/correction of errors discussed with the right answer choice.

word families word groups

is

The material is suitable to all varieties of learners whether fast, average and slow. Students from rural and semi-urban strata who had no experience in understanding verbs find the material simple and easy to learn. The practice exercises offer the learner a good opportunity to improve upon the existing knowledge. The error detection and correction allow the learners to gradually reduce their mistakes and strive towards perfection.

169

TABLE 3.13: Clarity Tense Buster (Advanced)) Name of the software & Items present Clarity Tense Buster – Advanced Past perfect Articles Reported speech Passives Phrasal verbs How to learn faster? Learning word order


Remarks

Teaching Methods:

The learning of tenses occurs faster.

The software offers a diagnostic test to provide the learners with a self assessment on their knowledge.

The explanation with a number of examples makes it easier to understand.

The diagnostic test follows the identification of the choice of software each individual wants to start learning. The learners are provided with practice exercises to develop the skill. Testing Methods: A diagnostic test is given at the beginning. The topics follow a final test with scores recorded. Questions consist of filling the blanks, error identification and correction.

Unlike the conventional classroom teaching a number of language items such as articles are taught from famous plays. The diagnostic test offers the learner with awareness of one’s standard in grammar. Grammar teaching/learning gets easier and simple with the learners having scope to learn from their mistakes.

170

TABLE 3.14: Clarity the Report Writer Name of the Software & Items present


Clarity- The Report Writer

Teaching Methods:

Types of correspondences:

Teaches written communication necessary for the modern day.

Letters

The process of writing is explained clearly.

Faxes

List of items for Check list, are provided.

E Mails The Writing Process: Check list- Revision, Proof Reading, etc.

Remarks Correspondence in written form is taught in an easily understandable manner. The samples provide the learner with a visual facility upon how to format letters which is difficult to be expanded in a classroom teaching. The revision, proof reading and various check lists help the learners to develop perfect writing.

171

TABLE 3.15: Clarity Study Skills Name of the Software & Items present


Clarity Study Skills

Teaching Methods:

Listening

Listening skill is introduced and elucidated in detail.

Prediction Detail Main points Orientation towards the task

Anticipation, listening for detail and with orienting oneself to the task of listening, form the core content of listening skill.

Remarks This is a comprehensive inculcating language skills.

package

for

The Listening skill offers each individual an opportunity to develop the skill for improving their study skills.

Lectures Speaking Importance What to say? Accuracy Short talks Giving opinions Pronunciation Avoiding long words

Speaking skill is provided with necessary The Speaking skill makes technology explanation about the importance of what to students aware of the vital aspects that need say and how to say. to be noted while performing assignments on speaking such as seminars, presentations, Short talks, giving opinions and avoiding etc. unnecessary jargon is detailed. The academic performance of the learners gets reflected in the fluency with which one speaks. Hence, speaking skills have to be inculcated for good study skills.

172

Name of the Software & Items present Reading: Introduction Scanning Topic sentence Prediction Skimming


Remarks

Reading skill is introduced and academic reading with important components such as scanning, skimming prediction are explained

The software is excellent at indicating subtly the effect of speaking and reading skills on academic performance.

Academic reading is mentioned with the The skimming and scanning techniques significance it has in technology education. which students are rarely exposed to, are dealt in detail. The summarizing and note making help learners to grasp the importance of the reading skill.

Note making Summarizing Writing: Title analysis Essay structure Linking ideas Writing an essay Vocabulary: Teaching words along with grammar. Guessing unknown words Word families Six tips

Writing is taught with essay writing and title analysis. The detailed explanation of assembling facts and linking ideas is given. The introduction, body and conclusion of an essay are presented clearly. Vocabulary consists of tips for Reading extensively and actively. The word families are taught for students to develop word power.

The Writing tasks are the deciding factors in academic performances. Many students fail to convey their ideas precisely in the tests hence, lose scores. The software is excellent at demonstrating the vital aspects of writing that enhance academic performances. The vocabulary is another area in English in which second language learners are weak at. The software teaches is a simple and interesting manner the components of inculcating word power.

173

Name of the Software & Items present Grammar: Diagnosis


Remarks

The grammar is taught with explanation on structures essential for academic and spoken skills.

The grammar is basic to both oral and written communication which students find boring in a traditional classroom atmosphere. The multimedia technology offers scope to allow learners imbibe the skill with ease and interest.

The Passives Modals Language of cause and effect Six tips for grammar

The cause and effect are the special components of teaching grammar in an innovative way.

The six tips for grammar help the learners how to understand the utility aspect in an easy to learn manner.

174 The students of technology belonging to all branches are taught the communication skills with the help of the software.

The non professional students from degree colleges affiliated to the University are taught only selected skills. The learners are exposed to Listening skills, using the software designed by the teachers of OU. The purpose of teaching the Listening skills is that students from non technology stream who do not opt for any professional courses generally possess an average academic background. Most of them hail from economically weaker sections and are mostly the first generation learners. Such students pursue their academics by opting for non professional courses.

All these students are provided with lab material suitable to their curricular needs. The Listening skills are focused mainly because many of them are unaware of the language speaking which develops only when one is exposed to standard speech items. Hence, the exercises are designed to listen to dialogues of everyday conversation such as booking tickets, interacting with strangers, etc.

The students not only listen but also observe the conversations that take place through the monitor. They understand the discussions and attempt to practice the questions based on the given dialogues. This skill helps the learners in study skills such as listening to a

175 classroom lecture, attending a seminar, etc. Students have the facility to practice the questions as many times as possible.

At the end of the academic year the students take a lab examination followed by viva voice, in addition to the conventional written examination. Every learner gets to know how to take CBTs which helps them in their future endeavour.

The following chapter would present the observations on the platform devices used in affiliated colleges. An analysis of the questionnaires administered on the faculty and students on the platform

devices

observations made.

is

mentioned

in

order

to

authenticate

the

176 CHAPTER III REFERENCES

1.

Donaldson, Randall P. and Margaret A. Haggstrom Changing Language Education through CALL. Oxon: Routledge, 2006. Pg33

2.

Teaching

and

Researching

Computer-Assisted

Language

Learning, Pg. 7 3.

Computer Applications in Second Language Acquisition, Pg. 95

4.

Ibid. Pg. 19

5.

Magdolna F. Silye & Troy B. Wiwezaroski. “A Critical Review of Selected Computer Assisted Language Testing Instruments,” www.date.hu/acta-agraria/2002-01i-fekete1.pdf

6.

Computer Applications in Second Language Acquisition. Pg 52