English through the Internet (19-017-01)

Fall 2003

Instructor: Yuah Vicky Chun

Email: yvchun@essex.ac.uk and vylee52@yahoo.com

(Correspondence best by email or by posting at message boards)

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Prerequisites

Language proficiency: Intermediate and above

Computer skills: basic word processing and basic internet skills are sufficient

Primary objectives

To improve accuracy and fluency in all four language skills in English, using computer technology as a means

• To learn basic computer terminology in English and to be able to give and receive instructions in this area.
• To encourage writing on the Internet as an alternative to conventional communicative writing, and to raise awareness of purpose and audience in communication.
• To enable students to use the Internet and computer-mediated communication as a language learning tool which they can continue to use for their own independent study after the course.
• To develop awareness of different cultures through the World Wide Web and various forms of computer-mediated communication, such as email, bulletin board systems and mailing lists

Secondary objectives

• To develop basic computer skills in the following areas: word processing, using the Internet, using email, familiarization with codes of conduct on the Internet ("netiquette") and creating basic web pages.

Assessment

1. Oral Group Presentation (15%)

Evaluation of Web Page (w/Power Point)

☞ Individual Copies of Slides and a Summary (maximum of 500 words) of the presentation should be presented for a full mark.

2. Research/ Writing Projects

2.1 International Writing Exchange (IWE) essays (15%)

①Introduction ②Articles on Korean Culture ③ Evaluation of IWE

2.2 Web page essays (15%)

①Personal profile page ② Link page ③ Essay on British/American Culture

2.3 Cognitive Writing Tasks and Recall Interviews (10 %)

3. Mid-term Quiz (15%)

4. Participation (20%)

E.g. Your report on findings of websites, Response message of listening activities, Summary of a newspaper article

*Guidelines for Evaluation.......Print out all the postings or emails you have written so that they may be evaluated at the end of the semester and keep them in a file

5. Attendance (10%)

Your attendance is crucial to being focused on the performance of the course tasks. Students are strongly advised not to miss a class unless prior notice can be given. You may be excused for missing a class under extenuating circumstances, however only when sufficient evidence can be provided.

Weekly Schedule of English through the Internet

	Course Tasks	International Writing Exchange (IWE)
Week 1	① Personal introductions ② Course introduction ③ Introducing class message board ④ Email techniques: adding addresses, cc mail, bcc
Week 2	① Basic computer terminology ② Netiquette; writing emails ③ Join Special Interest Groups ④ Internet: the browser toolbar, Search engines & directories, Boolean Logic and Advanced Searches		①Introduction to IWE Procedures ②Purpose & Audience-Sample viewing of articles posted at IWE
Week 3	Lecture on Writing Skills and Strategies with the Process Approach (preparing to write for IWE and making of Web Pages, and for all writing related tasks of the course)	Round 27 Starts Sep 15 ①Write Introductions- Write personal introductions in class ② Collective in-class Planning for IWE ‘article’ with the Web on Korean Cultural themes
Week 4	Evaluating Websites with Eastment’s criteria (in connection with evaluation of student selected websites of group presentations in Week 6)	① Write and post an Article (on Korean Cultural themes) after Peer Feedback and Teacher Feedback on Drafts ② Remedial work on student common errors (based on drafts on writing articles for IWE)
Week 5	① Introduction to making of Personal Web Pages on British/American Cultural Themes ② Purpose & audience- Sample viewing of web pages at Yahoo Geocities	Write comments to 3 favorite articles
Week 6	Web site presentations “Evaluation of your selected websites of cultural themes” with Power Point	Work on unfinished work, e.g., grammar
Week 7	Collective in-class Planning for Web pages with the Web on British/American Cultural themes	Evaluation and your gains
Week 8	Mid-term Exam week	⑦ Undone jobs and Independent tasks
Week 9	① Creating student personal web pages. Basic HTML. ② Uploading to Yahoo Geocities.
Week 10	① Web site design; organizing the site structure; creation and positioning of links and Troubleshooting ② Peer Feedback and Teacher Feedback on Draft for Personal Web pages
Week 11	Remedial work on student common errors (based on drafts of personal webpages)
Week 12	Student Personal WebPages Due for submission & Presentation of web pages
Week 13	① Grammar and Vocabulary exercises with ESL/EFL websites ② First Writing Task on the Web with Think Aloud
Week 14	① Reading on the Net with Short Stories and Newspaper articles ② Second Writing Task on the Web with Think Aloud
Week 15	Listening on the Net with listening sites
Week 16	Final exam week