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2008 Computer Assisted Language Learning Reflection 2 (May 15th, 2008) Name: Schuyler (蘇士凱) STID: A9202002 Since my last reflection on this course, Computer Assisted Language Learning, five weeks have passed. During this period, I did not waste my time; at least I myself think so. To rephrase it, within the last five weeks, I learned how to evaluate the Internet sources and print media. Besides, I have learnt new learning resources to improve my English. These new resources include podcasts, which help me improve my English listening ability; some useful programs, like My English Tutor and Chat Robot, which improve my English speaking ability. Furthermore, I have also practiced keeping a blog to record my learning experience. In addition, I found BBC Learning English Message Board (BBC LEMB), which Sally introduced to me, is an exciting and wonderful web site. Because of the responsible and kind tutors on BBC LEMB, like Low Flyer, BBC LEMB is a reliable system for English

learners to find out and clarify whatever tricky questions they have on their journeys of English learning. However, the importance of something new I found is far beyond those mentioned above. First, to evaluate the accuracy of studying materials and research sources is essential for not only students but researchers. One of the many approaches to figure out the value of the sources is referring to the citation indexes, like Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Science Citation Index (SCI), etc. By these citation indexes, anyone can get the information about how often the sources are cited or referred; thus, the accuracy or academic performance of the sources can be inferred from the citation statistics. Now, these citation indexes are owned by Thomson Reuters Yet, many universities in Taiwan have signed contrasts and order the right to access search engines, like Web of Science, to access these citation indexes; so every student and researcher studying or working in Taiwan is able

to apply these citation indexes into her/his academic studies. In addition to the powerful Thomson Reuters citation indexes systems, online resources and software I got to improve my English are Randall’s Cyber Listening Lab, ESL Pod.com, My English Tutor, and Chat Robot For learning purposes, these resources definitely can help students improve their English. However, some of them, more or less, have their own disadvantages and the weakness born with them. For instance, though My English Tutor can identify learners’ voice waveforms and analyze them, it recognizes the waveforms as correct, proper ones only if the waveforms meet certain criteria, which base on the built-in scripts of My English Tutor. That is to say, if one learner just finished the fights between he and his brothers, Page 1 of 3 Reflection 2 (May 15th, 2008) 2008 Computer Assisted Language Learning Name: Schuyler (蘇士凱) STID: A9202002 then, he, for some reasons, has to sit at a table to study English

with My English Tutor; now, in order to obtain good grades in speaking practices, he must adjust his mood and tone of his voice to suit the specific scenes and lines in the built-in scripts of My English Tutor. By the same token, the situations similar with the above happen around us not only once or twice a year, but almost every moment in one day because we human beings’ moods change all the time, by the way, of course, the learners I talk about here are restricted to those who are human beings and not other creatures. Hence, although My English Tutor is certainly perfectly designed, it got perfect work only in certain occasions. For a little further discussion, how can we improve it? I think Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be one of the solutions because from an ideal point of view, computers with AI are capable of “understanding” human beings’ talking, so that these computers can have real conversations with people, and people can speak in their own real feelings and their

favorite tone instead of changing their mood for computers to recognize what they feel and to understand what they say. Next, a short reflection on my blog works will be summarized. Before I begin the short reflection on my blog works, I want to emphasize that when it comes to keeping a blog, I believe it is what I really love to do. With regard to the reason, actually I am not quite sure; I think the reason might be that I love doing the tasks relating to word formats and printed page make-up; or other unidentified emotions confusing me. Maybe I can figure it out some time later Well, now, let’s go back to the subject we focus on. Keeping a blog is an effective mean to record some special events, like blogger’s learning journal, a quick note for blogger’s favorite web sites, etc. Nevertheless, a blog only plays a large part in helping a blogger keep records of everyday life, and there is nothing more a blog can do – no blogger really wants to reveal his/her true feelings or

real thoughts publicly, after all. Regarding BBC Learning English Message Board (BBC LEMB), it is proved to be a reliable system for English learners to clarify the questions they have when they study English. I once raised my question on this message board on May 4th, 2008; and one day after I posted it, I got the detailed answer to my question from Low Flyer, one of the BBC Learning English staff. Thus, I can tell that the staff of BBC Learning English do their work hard and efficiently; as a result, their reliable hard work undoubtedly makes the BBC LEMB a helpful, powerful, and useful system for English learners. In like manner, according to the performance of the BBC LEMB, it can be reasonably inferred that other services BBC provides, like BBC News section, Page 2 of 3 2008 Computer Assisted Language Learning Reflection 2 (May 15th, 2008) Name: Schuyler (蘇士凱) STID: A9202002 BBC Learning English section, etc. have the same excellent quality as the BBC LEMB has. On the

contrary, in spite of the advantages the new learning resources have and the assistance these resources can offer to learners, my learning performance is not as remarkable as the quality of these new resources, especially my English listening and speaking performance. My problems are mainly about incorrect pronunciation and improper intonation, but just like what printed on LEARNING PRONUNCIATION P1, a handout which the Language Center of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology provided, “Improving pronunciation is a longterm progress and requires constant practice.” I believe I can improve my pronunciation if I follow the suggested advice regularly and patiently. Finally, nonetheless I have learnt new resources mentioned above and discovered what weakness I have now, two more important facts I found during the last five weeks are (1) the spirit of language, which is to provide an effective way for people not only to communicate with each other but speak to themselves,

talk to themselves, so that people can put themselves in other people’s places, and even, people can realize what is inside their own mind and understand themselves more completely; and (2) every statement or standard, which is passed on among the public and accepted by all society should be inspected thoroughly before they are applied to our own life. Page 3 of 3