Language Student Shared her Views on E-learning

Miss Gloria Lee, a current student of Foundation Korean I, has been attending the Korean Language programme at the School for one and a half years.  Having used the blended mode of learning in Korean language, she shared her view on E-learning. Below are the questions and her answers.    

 

How did you learn from E-learning? What are the benefits of E-learning to you?

E-learning helps me in a number of ways. Firstly, at the beginning of my study of Introductory Korean, the online audio files of the vowels and consonants of the pronunciation section helped me pick up the new language quickly. I could listen to them online when I was free. It did help my revision after class.

Secondly, the blended mode of learning provides an opportunity to strengthen my listening skills in Korean. The CD that comes with the textbook does not contain all the audio files of the vocabulary in each chapter. With the Korean E-learning Website, I can listen to the audio files of the remaining vocabulary after class.  It is really helpful and enhances the learning outcomes.

Lastly, the E-learning component helps us prepare for the oral examination. I can listen to the recorded passages narrated by the teachers as many times as I want.

 

What are the disadvantages of E-learning to you and your classmates?

The existing Korean E-Learning Website is not specially designed for mobile devices. I really want to visit the Website to do some revision while commuting to work. It will be more convenient if a mobile-compatible version is available.

(Response from the E-learning Team: To address the needs of learners, a mobile-compatible version has been developing and will be available in the Spring of 2018.)

 

Any recommendation or suggestion you may have for your teachers who may use E-learning in assessing the performance of students?

E-learning assessment brings about convenience to both teachers and learners. I am used to typing my written assignments and submitting them online while some of my classmates prefer to use pen and paper. For beginner learners, multiple choice questions will be a suitable method of assessment. For advanced learners, in order to facilitate online assessment, learners may need to learn how to type Hangeul on keyboard in the first place.

 

What are the areas that you think E-learning can help you?

E-learning can help improve my listening skills in Korean. Although our teachers conduct some listening practice activities in class, they are not sufficient because of limited class time. Thus, the online components serving as supplementary learning resources allow me to revise and practise more.

 

How do you perceive pure online courses or flipped classroom?

Pure online courses may be suitable for other subjects except languages. Reading and writing skills of a language can be developed by self-study, whereas the development of listening and speaking skills requires much more interaction between teachers and learners. It is quite difficult to develop speaking skills merely through online learning.

Regarding the flipped classroom, I think it mostly fits learners who have good time management. In order to have effective classroom discussion, we need to be well prepared before class. For part-time learners, this is difficult to achieve.

Miss Gloria Lee