Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[sitizubaidah]

Well...as we know learning via online become spread widely in learning field over the world. The students become very excited learning especially English language via online. I know that there are a lot of benefits that we gain if we learn through online because there are so many free websites that can help us as student in learning English language. But, is't really usefull to us or we still need a teacher as a guidance? Which one do you all prefer? Learning via online or face to face class with teacher? What you all out there think? Hope to here your comment.

[JESSINTA]

It is true that learning via online become spread widely in learning field over the world. The students become very excited learning especially English language via online. I know that there are a lot of benefits that we gain if we learn through online because there are so many free websites that can help us as student in learning English language. But, i dont think so that it really works completely and we still need a teacher as a guidance. Teacher will teach us how to do it well - how to make connections among different ideas, how to question the texts and issues presented to us, how to understand rather than memorize. Teacher also will encourage us to write, to think on paper in poetry and prose, to create new works instead of only reading those of others. She will believe in us, and her confidence will make us believe in ourselves. i don't think that computer will do all this to us.

[JESSINTA]

It is true that learning via online become spread widely in learning field over the world. The students become very excited learning especially English language via online. I know that there are a lot of benefits that we gain if we learn through online because there are so many free websites that can help us as student in learning English language. But, i dont think so that it really works completely and we still need a teacher as a guidance. Teacher will teach us how to do it well - how to make connections among different ideas, how to question the texts and issues presented to us, how to understand rather than memorize. Teacher also will encourage us to write, to think on paper in poetry and prose, to create new works instead of only reading those of others. She will believe in us, and her confidence will make us believe in ourselves. i don't think that computer will do all this to us.

[sumathy hari raman]

i thr. its true that our learning styles and methods were change alot. people tend to use computers and internet and they prefer to learn using these methods.
however, we should think that there must be a guide or instructer behind us to help students to learn using computer.
here teachers are most important persons who can help us learn through internet. students will face a lot of problems when there is no one to help them on thier studies. even learn via internet is beneficial and interesting we cant fully depend on this mechine . we need a teaher......

[sitizubaidah]

hey guys..

Well thank for your opinions. So, you all agree that computer becomed importants tool to the learner in their process of learning. But then, you all that the learner still need a person or teacher as their guide in the learning process.

Can the learner just go through learning without a guide? What you all think it could be?

[jayashany]

Here are some ways in which I believe online education excels:

Student-centered learning: Academics have recognized for years the shortcomings of the faculty-centered classroom, but it has been difficult to break away from the paradigm. Whether the classroom instructor uses lecture, discussions, role playing, small group activities, or any other technique, it is still the instructor running the show. In an online environment, however, the instructor soon takes a back seat. Students are empowered to learn on their own and even to teach one another. Particularly in the discussion group mode, students have the opportunity to explain, share, comment upon, critique, and develop course materials among themselves in a manner rarely seen in the face to face classroom.
Highly interactive discussions: One of the most exciting features of an online course is the discussion forum. In the traditional face to face classroom, the instructor asks a question, and the same four or five extroverted students inevitably raise their hands. They offer spontaneous, often unresearched responses in the limited time allotted for discussion. In the online environment, discussions enter a new dimension. When an instructor posts a question on the asynchronous discussion board, every student in the class is expected to respond, respond intelligently, and respond several times.Many online students have indicated that this is the first time they have ever "spoken up" in class and that they enjoy the opportunity. Similarly, instructors say that it is a pleasure to hear the surprisingly compelling ideas of the more introverted members of their classes.
An intimate community of learners: Strange as it may sound, one instructor after another notes the surprisingly close relationships that they have developed with their online students. They say that it is common for participants in online courses to develop a strong sense of community that enhances the learning process. Probably as a result of the relative anonymity of online courses, students are much more prone to open up and reveal information about themselves in e-mails and on discussion boards than they are in the face to face environment.

[venom]

computer is a machine that programmed to help people
people make this useful machine to help other people
people help other people through this machine
before this computer have a limit thing to do
basic calculation and make a simple task
nowadays we have a super computer that can solve a complex and multitask
but a computer can really place a teacher?
let see
my opinion
impossible that thing can happen
we need a teacher to teach us how to use computer
if we dont have a teacher how we can know to use it
simple
teacher can replace computer but computer can't replce teacher
so
computer need a teacher but teacher not really need a computer