Networked Multimedia Environments

According to Chun and Plass (2000), the strengths of networked multimedia environments lie in the ìinstant access to a wealth of primary information on the World Wide Web, the capabilities of synchronous and asynchronous communication and collaborative work, and the use of multiple modes and nonlinear forms of presenting information [Ö]î (p. 152). These attributes make them an invaluable tool for language learning. But for the networked multimedia environments to function properly, five sub-systems need to be interrelated and functionally compatible (Kirschner, 2001, p. 6).  Figure 1 below, adapted from Kirschner (2001, p. 7), shows these relationships[3]:
 

Figure 1: Networked Multimedia Environments

If all of these five components are being coordinated properly, the Internet and World Wide Web can be used to their full potential providing the language learners and teachers with a ìmedium both for conveying thoughts and for negotiating with others [which make] them particularly useful for second language acquisition because the ultimate goal of learning a new language is to be able to successfully express oneís own ideas and to comprehend the thoughts of others, in other words, to understand and be understoodî (Chun and Plass, 2000, p. 153).
 

Classroom Uses

However, as McKenna and McKenna (2000) point out, the use of the Internet and World Wide Web is still more or less a theory than actual practice in the language classrooms (p. 8). They further claim that it is crucial for educators to evaluate the pedagogical language learning possibilities of the Internet and World Wide Web and thus suggest to categorize them into three main areas: message (i.e., email and bulletin board), material (i.e., any document, reference or source relating to the target language), and instruction (i.e., dedicated teaching material such as exercises, tasks and activities designed for language learning purposes) (McKenna and McKenna, 2000, p. 9).

Pedagogically sound online instruction thus is the real challenge for language teachers of the 21st century. It becomes evident that we are beyond the initial stage of excitement over the new medium. Teachers now question the material they find on the net and they carefully select when to use the Internetís message capabilities. Consequently, instructors are also cautious about using pre-packaged online software. The guidelines in the final section of this article provide one possible means of assessment of software but further research needs to be done to determine the softwareís positive influence on Second Language Acquisition which, in turn, will aid the design of effective online software for language learning.

The next section gives an an overview of the many different applications of computer technology to language teaching.



Notes:
[3] For a detailed discussion see Salaberry (2001) p. 51-52.

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