• "[S]tudents who are in high schools and universities now will spend most of their adult lives in a world of fast, cheap, easy-to-use electronic communication." (Bauman, 1998)

• "While technology should not take over the language classroom, it must be embraced in order to allow educators to do those things which they are unable to do themselves, or those which will improve what is currently being done in the classroom." (Singhal (1998, p. 44)

• "[T]o judge the effectiveness of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) we first need to research, analyze, and discuss the different approaches and teaching techniques that exist for using computers in classroom settings and then discuss what is considered to be effective practice to encourage language acquisition." (Shetzer, 1998, p. 13)

Possible Motivational Advantages of Computers

• Computers may encourage students to write and revise more (Moore & Karabenick, 1992)
• With computers, students can use language "in realistic, authentic situations" (Singhal, 1997)
• Computers may encourage students to read more outside of class (Soranasathapor, et al., 1999)
• Students can learn about the culture of native speakers of the language via the Internet (Shawback & Yamashita, 1999)
• Students take more pride in their writing when they use computers (Savoie, 1997)
• Students can use the Internet as "a platform for their own work" (Singhal, 1997)
• "[Computer are] still a relatively new (and thus exciting) experience, so students are eager to use computers in class" (Muehleisen, 1997)

Possible Disadvantages of Computers

• "[T]echnical glitches can lead to frustration" (Trokeloshvili & Jost, 1997)
• "[T]he 'bells and whistles' of CALL [may] have a short-lived motivational effect . . . [and] quickly lose their novelty and even become annoying" (Church, 1988, p. 38)
• "CALL is not a hammer and not every teaching problem is a nail!" (Chen, 1996)

Research Questions

• Were the 14 junior English majors in my advanced writing course motivated by use of computers?
• If so, which activities did they find motivating and useful? Why?

Methodology

• Beginning-of-semester and end-of-semester (anonymous) questionnaires
• "Reflective essays" written at the end of the course: "Reflect on the work you have done for this class and write a short essay about what you have learned this semester about writing and, especially, how you write."
• Other ethnographically-oriented techniques (e.g., students' actual written work, e-mail messages from students, informal conversations with students, participation and observation in class)

"Helpful" or "Useful" activities specifically mentioned in students' reflective essays (N=14)
 

• "I experienced new world of Internet. I who don't know even method of using Internet was helped my writing and practical life." (Student #8)

• "My essays are in my homepage on the internet. I'm so proud of that though it is not good. If someone visits my homepage, he or she will read my essays. How wonderful that would be!" (Student #2)

• "Also owing to this class, I could make my e-mail address and use internet. I didn't like computers, so I had no interest in doing something related to computers. At first I made my e-mail address and used internet passively and compulsorily. I realized e-mail and internet are interesting soon after that." (Student #14)

• "I got confidence about writing in English from having my work published on the Internet and the collection of essays. I thought the essays was important more than simple assignments for grades and I was moderately tense, because of those activities. I also got achievement sense about my essays published on the Internet and the collection of essays." (Student #13)

• "I also learned about Internet and became to have my e-mail. As I did homework, I knew how I look for information in Internet. I was happy to receive letters by e-mail and see my writings in Internet." (Student #11)

• "Revising my homework several times was very useful for me. Because I could have time to look for materials concerned my essay in internet or magazines, and I could think about my topic deeply. As a result, I could strength my essays with other people's suggestions and materials I found." (Student #7)

Conclusions

• Use of a limited number of computer activities did have a positive effect on students' motivation
• Students reported that they enjoyed and benefited from them
• Gave students an authentic sense of "audience"
• Students took more interest in both content and mechanics; revised more and more carefully
• Easier communication by e-mail encouraged students to edit even "final" drafts
• Use of computers in language teaching does not have to be an either/or proposition
• Computer activities can be easily integrated with more "traditional" activities
• Does not require a high degree of technical expertise for either teacher or students

References

• Full text of this paper: <http://english.daejin.ac.kr/~rtyson/cv/paper_motivation.html>
• Daejin University student home pages: <http://english.daejin.ac.kr/~rtyson/fall98/students3/>
• Daejin University student publications: <http://english.daejin.ac.kr/~rtyson/students/publications/index.html>
• List of English practice sites: <http://english.daejin.ac.kr/~rtyson/links/practice.html>
• E-mail/Internet assignment: <http://road.daejin.ac.kr/~rtyson/spring99/email.html> [no longer available, 10/16/00]

Bauman, J. (1998). Using e-mail with your students. The Language Teacher, 22(2). <http://langue.hyper.chuba.ac.jp/jalt/pub/tlt/98/feb/bauman.html>

Chen, J. F. (1996). CALL is not a hammer and not every teaching problem is a nail! The Internet TESL Journal, 2(7). <http://aitech.ac.jp/~teslj>

Church, D. M. (1988, September). On the use of carrots and sticks in CALL. CALICO Journal, 37-45.

Moore, M. A., & Karabenick, S. A. (1992). The effects of computer communications on the reading and writing performance of fifth-grade students. Computers in Human Behavior, 8, 27-38.

Muehleisen, V. (1997). Projects using the Internet in college English classes. The Internet TESL Journal, 3(6). <http://aitech.ac.jp/~teslj>

Savoie, J. (1997). Computer assisted language learning (CALL): "The computer generated newsletter." TESL Contact, 23(2), 15-20.

Shawback, M. J., & Yamashita, M. (1999). A stepping stone for learning culture: The World Wide Web in EFL classrooms. ThaiTESOL Conference Proceedings 1999, 66-67.

Shetzer, H. (1998). Documenting CALL approaches through action research and critical reflection. TESOL Matters, 8(4), 13.

Singhal, M. (1997). The Internet and foreign language education: Benefits and challenges. The Internet TESL Journal, 3(6). <http://aitech.ac.jp/~teslj>

Singhal, M. (1998). Computer mediated communication (CMC): Technology for enhancing foreign language/culture education. The English Teacher, 2(3), 36-45.

Soranasathaporn, S., Chantarasorn, A., & Roshong, K. M. (1999). EFL students in the new millennium: Outside readings via the Internet. ThaiTESOL Conference Proceedings 1999, 68.

Trokeloshvili, D. A., & Jost, N. H. (1997). The Internet and foreign language instruction: Practice and discussion. The Internet TESL Journal, 3(8). <http://aitech.ac.jp/~teslj>

Tyson, R. E. (1994). Motivation and computer assisted language learning. Studies on East-West Cultures, 2, 137-146.

Tyson, R. E. (1997). Motivation, self-confidence, and the process approach in Korean university writing classes. Paper presented at the 1997 National Korea TESOL Conference in Kyungju, October 3-5, 1997.

Tyson, R. E. (To appear). A study of the motivational aspects of computer use in an advanced English writing course. Daejin University. <http://english.daejin.ac.kr/~rtyson/cv/paper_motivation.html>