1.0 Introduction
The use of Web technology in teaching and learning has begun to change the face of education. The World Wide Web has become a useful instructional medium and provides new learning experiences for students that were not previously possible. Nowadays, students with the help of an Internet connection, can receive instruction, create and submit assignments, and ask questions to the instructor and fellow students also can actively participate in class discussion from home, office, or any computer lab. These characteristics brought the idea of discovering the advantages and disadvantages of Web-based instruction in teaching and learning process specifically for ESL classroom comparing to the face-to-face learning which commonly used by ESL teachers.
Basically all the selected researches were referring to the theoretical of Web-based CALL since the focus are on the use of World Wide Web as the key of the resources. According to Web-based CALL theory, students can search through millions of files around the world within minutes to locate and access authentic materials exactly tailored to their own personal. Students can publish their texts or multimedia to share with partner classes or with general public. On the other hand, the researchers also highlighted the interaction among teachers and students as most of the researches chosen are comparing between Web-based instruction and traditional method of teaching such as face-to-face learning. For that reason, it is believed this topic is very significant especially for future teachers in order to have clear view and useful guidelines towards producing an effective and meaningful lesson.
Throughout this study, the focus is given towards learners’ preferences in choosing web-based instruction or classroom based instruction. The different variables that affect students’ preferences also been discovered based on other previous researches namely learners’ gender, learners’ learning style and type of software used.
2.0 Learners’ Preferences : Web-based Instruction or Face-to-face Learning
According to Baker (2009), web-based instruction (WBI) is defined as instruction that occurs between teacher and student that is facilitated strictly by use of the World Wide Web. The teacher is able to post curriculum, notes, etc. on a particular platform for student review with no requirement of coming to school or campus. Alessi and Trollip (2001 as cited in Luik, 2006) distinguish two types of web-based learning: on-site learning (people learn in classroom using web-recourses) and distance learning.
On the other hand, face-to-face learning is defined as the more traditional form of education between student and teacher and non web-based methods such as paper textbooks (Baker, 2009; Watson, 2009).
Based on previous researches, four researches out of five researches chosen positively resulted that learners are more interested in web-based instruction rather than face-to-face method. Given the choice between traditional course offerings and technology-based course offerings, students are increasingly choosing technology as a vehicle for learning (Sivapalan, Fatimah & Khairun Nisya ,2009). On the other hand, research done by Manko (2010) indicated that classroom study was more effective, as 85% of those who studied in the classroom answered the survey questions correctly, compared to the 72% correct answers by the online ESL students.
3.0 Learners’ Gender
Gender is one of the aspects that affect students’ preferences in choosing method of instructions. It was well-proven that when comparing boys’ and girls’ preferences, the result were fairly same (Luik, 2006). Based on the result, both boys and girls preferred more blended learning in which combining web-based and face-to-face instruction than wholly web-based learning. Boys preferred more wholly web-based courses than girls did but there was not any significant difference comparing boys’ and girls’ preferences about the blended course.
4.0 Learners’ learning style
Terrell and Dringus (2000 as cited in Zacharis, 2010) measured learning styles of online learning students with a high level of computer literacy, based on the Kolbs's LSI. The study showed that learning style had no effect on success in online learning but it was determined on how the lesson was carried out by the teacher too.
5.0 Type of Software
According to research done by Subarna Sivapalan, Wan Fatimah and Nur Khairun Nisya (2007), the findings indicate that almost half of the respondents felt that the search engine was useful in helping them locate information on the poems in comparison to the teacher while 73.1% of them also indicated that the voice clips helped them understand the poems better. Moreover, quarter and half of the respondents indicated that the information presented on the poet’s background and the meaning of the text in the multimedia platform was more useful than the information provided by the textbooks they currently use in their school. This result was also parallel with research done by Luik (2006). Thus, it is concluded that type of software used plays an important role in identifying learners’ preferences towards choosing the instructions to be used in language classroom.
6.0 Conclusion
In a nutshell, there is very few researches done conclude that learners prefer wholly web-based as medium of instruction. Even though it is proven that learners are very interested in web-based instruction yet they prefer more on incorporating both instructions. Based on the discussions concluded, the researches done are very useful for ESL teachers as they could benefits from learners’ preferences whether to introduce the use of World Wide Web in teaching. Few suggestions on how to employ the method also can help teachers a lot in order to improve students’ achievement as well as increase their motivation in learning. However, it is quite difficult to make use of World Wide Web in local setting as the lack of infrastructures will be the obstacle other than in need of thorough studies in order to observe students’ differences and teachers’ readiness.
REFERENCES
Baker, J. R. (2009) Web-based vs. Classroom Instruction of Statistic. Retrieved on February 21st, 2011 from http://proquest.umi.com.ezaccess.library.uitm.edu.my/pqdweb?index=0&sid=1&srchmode=1&vinst=PROD&fmt=6&startpage=-1&clientid=28403&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=1903203151&scaling=FULL&ts=1298427897&vtype=PQD&rqt=309&TS=1298427905&clientId=28403
Manko, B. A. (2010). Comparing Traditional and Technological Methods for Studying English as a Second Language (ESL). Retrieved on February 18th,2011 from http://proquest.umi.com.ezaccess.library.uitm.edu.my/pqdweb?index=2&sid=1&srchmode=1&vinst=PROD&fmt=6&startpage=-1&clientid=28403&vname=PQD&RQT=309&did=2168239091&scaling=FULL&ts=1298268010&vtype=PQD&rqt=309&TS=1298336034&clientId=28403
Luik, P. (2006). Web-based learning or face-to-face teaching – preferences of Estonian Students. Retrieved on February 22nd, 2011 from http://www.aare.edu.au/06pap/lui06159.pdf
Subarna, S, Wan Fatimah Wan Ahmad & Nur Khairun Nisya Isha (2008). A Web-based Multimedia Approach to Literature in Malaysian Secondary Schools: Design and Learning Preferences. Retrieved on February 21st, 2011 from http://eprints.utp.edu.my/2061/2/MELTA_09_SUBARNA_%26_WAN_FATIMAH.pdf
Watson, J. (2009). Blending learning: The convergence of online and face-to-face education: Internet edition. Retrieved on February 2nd, 2011 from http://www.inacol.org/research/promisingpractices/NACOL_PP-BlendedLearning-lr.pdf
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