Saturday, September 29, 2012

The Possiblity of Reaching Bax’s Normilasation in our national context: Why is it possible? When is it possible/reached/achieved? How will it be reached?

Bax suggests that in order for normalization to be achieved, we must first start with changes to our attitudes towards computers and computer software. We should regard CALL as something normal and nothing out of the ordinary and not have unreasonable fear or expectations of it. We must change the mindset that believes that if the hardware and software is made available, then everything else will fall into place.
This can be done by ensuring that all individuals involved with CALL are aware that in order to successfully integrate CALL, a number of other factors must be taken into account, such as technology, software and that teachers and learners have a positive attitude towards it. Also, we need to study, in depth, ethnographic data concerning the individuals that will be using CALL and to work on overcoming any barriers to normalization.

Normalization of CALL can be achieved in the near future in learning institutions in Saudi Arabia by doing the following things:
  • Computers must be made more available to all learners, regardless of age or gender, and they should be properly equipped with the appropriate software.
  • Teachers intending to use CALL must be properly trained.
  • Students must be made to see that computers CAN in fact be used for educational purposes and not simply for social or entertainment purposes such as chatting.
  • It must be taken into account that not all students can and will be proficient in the use of computers and so allowances must be made.
  • We must slowly work on overcoming the mindset, that a lot of people in Saudi Arabia have, that individuals that spend long hours on computers are inherently doing something bad.
  • Computers must be made smaller so that they are easier to carry around, smaller even than laptops nowadays.

3 comments:

  1. We must slowly work on overcoming the mindset, that a lot of people in Saudi Arabia have, that individuals that spend long hours on computers are inherently doing something bad.

    ^ I strongly agree with this point. My mom is open minded and she doesn't mind for me to spend long hours on computer but, some of my aunts were the problem. They used to ask her, what is your daughter doing with all that time online! may be she is chatting with some guy or something ! I used to get angry because of that but, now I just DON'T CARE. let them say what they want, and I will do WHATEVER I want to.


    Good work, keep it up

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  2. Strongly agree with your opinion.
    *thumbs up*

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  3. My lovely friend Salha,
    I really do agree with the things that you have mentioned above in order to achieve normalization in Saudi educational institutions.

    well done ^-^

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