Evaluating English Language Teaching Software for Kids: Education or Entertainment or Both?

Autor/inn/en	Kazanci, Zekeriya; Okan, Zuhal
Titel	Evaluating English Language Teaching Software for Kids: Education or Entertainment or Both?
Quelle	In: Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology - TOJET, 8 (2009) 3, S.30-38 (9 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1303-6521
Schlagwörter	Courseware; Computers; Learning Processes; Teaching Methods; English (Second Language); Second Language Instruction; Second Language Learning; Second Languages; Educational Technology; Computer Software Evaluation; Evaluation Methods + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Lernsoftware; Digitalrechner; Learning process; Lernprozess; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Second language; Zweitsprache; Unterrichtsmedien; Softwareanalyse
Abstract	The purpose of this study is to offer a critical consideration of instructional software designed particularly for children. Since the early 1990s computer applications integrating education with entertainment have been adopted on a large scale by both educators and parents. It is expected that through edutainment software the process of learning is going to be colorful and fun and that learners can acquire information without work and serious study. The aim of this article is to draw attention to possible harmful effects of this wholesale adoption of edutainment software, particularly to introducing learning "as a bitter medicine that needs the sugar-coating of entertainment to become palatable" (Resnick, 2004). It argues that it may be time to examine critically the educational potential of such software together with the advantages and disadvantages it might bring to the instructional process. The discussion focuses, after a brief definition of edutainment, on five English language teaching software packages for kids which are randomly selected from the market. They are examined through McKenzie's (2000) Assessment Chart to see to what extent the implementation of edutainment software has been able to match their promises. The study calls for critical awareness of how instructional software is impacting education and at the same time for the engagement of teachers in exploring the computer applications that shape classroom learning and teaching. (Contains 14 figures.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Sakarya University. Esentepe Campus, Adapazari 54000, Turkey. Tel: +90-505-2431868; Fax: +90-264-6141034; e-mail: tojet@sakarya.edu.tr; Web site: http://www.tojet.net
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10