Figure 3. A model of the correlation of teacher intervention, computer technology and degree of cooperation
From this figure, the three continuums construct eight representative points, A to H. Each of these points will be discussed in the following paragraphs. These eight representative points can also be categorized to two major groups, without computer and with computer.
3.6.1. Without computer
In this group, the computer technology is abandoned. Most of the time, the teacher teach the target language and the students learn the target language in traditional ways. The four points A, B, C, and D will be discussed individually in the following paragraphs.
3.6.1.1. Point A
Point A means the extreme that the teacher intervention is the slightest, the least
computer technology is used, and the loosest cooperation type is adopted. In this extreme, the teacher doesn’t intervene into students’ learning. He or she won’t spend time creating an environment, such as building a bulletin board, or a chatting room, but let the students learn by themselves. Students rarely use computer technology to enrich their learning. In this extreme, unless the students have already possessed the prerequisite learning ability and English competence, they cannot benefit from such learning activities.
3.6.1.2. Point B
Point B is the extreme that teacher’s intervention is the greatest, but the degree of operation and the use of technology are the least. This type of learning is just like the traditional language teaching and learning. The teacher takes the full responsibility of the teaching program, such as explaining grammar rules, conducting the drills, and so on. Students are passive receivers and have no choice but to sit there listening to their teacher’s lectures.
3.6.1.3. Point C
Point C is an extreme that the teacher intervention is slightest, and the use of computer technology is the least, but the degree of cooperation is greatest. The difference between Point C and Point B is the teacher intervention. In point C, students have to possess the prerequisite knowledge of the ESL/EFL learning and the cooperative learning, since the teacher doesn’t intervene into the teaching and learning program directly. The students can benefit from the cooperation among the cooperators, but they can’t benefit from the computer technology.
3.6.1.4. Point D
Point D is an extreme that the teacher intervention is greatest and the degree of cooperation is also greatest, but the use of computer technology is the least. This type of learning is just like the cooperative learning in physical classroom settings without
the incorporation of computer technology. Students can benefit from the cooperation among their cooperators, but they do not benefit from the computer technology. That is, all the limitations we discussed in 3.2.2 still exist.
3.6.2. With computer
In this group, the computer is widely used. The teacher and the students make the best of the computer technology to enhance their teaching and learning effects. The four points E, F, G, and H will be discussed individually in the following paragraphs.
3.6.2.1. Point E
Point E is an extreme that the teacher intervention and the degree of cooperation are the slightest, but the use of computer technology is the greatest. This type of teaching and learning is just like the “tutor” CALL. The computer substitutes the role of the teacher. However, due to the limitation of the current technology, it is impossible to create a real human- like machine. Therefore, the effects of teaching and learning between computer and the students are not satisfactory.
3.6.2.2. Point F
Point F is an extreme that the teacher intervention is the greatest, and the use of computer technology is the greatest, but the degree of cooperation is the slightest.
This type of teaching and learning is just like Web-based learning without the incorporation of cooperative learning. The teacher creates powerful programs or constructs websites for students to learning the target language individually. Students can benefit from the computer technology, but can’t benefit from the cooperation among students. Most of the interaction is between the students and the teacher through the Internet.
3.6.2.3. Point G
Point G is the extreme that teacher’s intervention is the slightest, students organize their own cooperative groups to learn the target language. They have to
decide their own learning goals, choose their learning methods, and evaluate their own performance. During the learning process, computer technology is widely used.
However, the teacher’s intervention has been removed. That is, the teacher doesn’t intervene into the learning in any aspect, but let the students take the full responsibility of learning. This extreme is especially suitable and helpful for those students with enough prerequisite EFL learning experience, cooperative learning experience and computer knowledge. Since they already have enough prerequisite competence, they can learn independently from their teachers.
3.6.2.4. Point H
Point H is another extreme of this model. It means that every computer technology available, such as vir tual 3D, web-database pages, multimedia, and interactive games, is used to help students learn the target language. Besides, the teacher organizes the students into groups and requests students to learn on the Internet in groups. The cooperators are their classmates. That is, in this extreme, the teacher intervenes into students’ learning program greatly. The teacher has to set up the learning goals, assigns students into groups, creates or finds some useful programs, collects useful links, and evaluates students’ performance constantly. In other words, the teacher sets a learning framework for students to follow. This extreme is especially helpful for those students without prerequisite EFL learning experiences.
However, for those students that with enough learning ability and experience, this limits their learning, since the students seem not to have enough space to decide their own learning.
After the discussion of the eight representative points, we can find that the higher degree of the use of computer technology or the higher degree of cooperation, the closer to the goal of our EFL/ESL teaching and learning. As for the continuum of the teacher intervention, according to different situations, such as students’ prerequisite
competence, the degree of teacher intervention has to change. Therefore, the unlimited points between G and H are the favored ones of the cooperative language learning activities in a web-based environment. They offer English teachers a wide room to realize the teaching goals. That is, teachers can adopt the most appropriate type of web-based cooperative language learning activities, according to the students’
current language proficiency, current learning ability, and some other considerations to achieve the goals of language teaching and learning.
In sum, the EFL/ESL teachers have to utilize their profession, in language, in language teaching, and in computer technology, to decide the most appropriate type of web-based cooperative language learning to their students. The ways of organizing students to achieve cooperative effects are there. The language teaching methods are there. The computer technology is there. The Internet is there. However, they won’t work together by themselves. It’s the teacher that puts them together and achieves the final goal – to enhance students’ communicative competence. In the next chapter, we will use the three factors to evaluate some cooperative language learning activities in web-based environment.