The Description of the Website Focusing on the ESL Game Plus Website - Case Study Example

A CALL evaluation report of ESL games plus (www.elsgamesplus.com) Name Name of the institution 10 October 2015 LIN8006 Assignment 2 Part A: Evaluation Report Title A CALL Evaluation Report: ESL games plus (www.elsgamesplus.com) 1. Introduction Over the past years, the use of the internet has become significant in the learning system, research and as well as passing time. Due to the recent growth of the internet, specifically World Wide Web (www), there has been a rapid increase of the websites. To a better understanding, in the current world there has been a quite a large number of learning and educating website. Therefore, due such cases of huge numbers of language and learning websites, websites evaluation is viewed as a vital step toward realizing the useful website that can be used purposely (Son, 2005). Also, websites evaluation is essential to the teachers because they will be able to select the most quality websites that is equivalent to their interests and need. Importantly, the development of the websites has essentially improved the prospective scope of CALL. For instance, the ESL website has been evidently described as one of the webs that provide a world database of reliable materials that can improve language education and teaching (Manythings.org, 2015). As not all education website contain authentic learning information, it is necessary for language teachers to know how to evaluate Web properties critically. Also, creating any potential website, the ideas of the web site should be clear and consist quality factors. Evaluating a website determine the quality of the website as well provide the guidance to the students regarding useful materials that apply to their educations. Also, the website provides an interactive approach to the students’ and provides an educative environment. In implementing a website evaluation, there are some criteria that are used. As such, there are more than ten measures that one can use in evaluating a website. Additionally, evaluation of websites determines the effectiveness of the website (MacDonald, 2011). Therefore, this report presents the evaluation of a learning website and as well as the description of the website focusing on ESL game plus website. 2. Description Before designing or developing any Web, the person responsible for the task is required to identify the goal of the Website, keep it modest, and always keep the pages updated. In describing a website, one is supposed to focus on the ability, the purpose and the quality of a Website. A Website includes communication within the users and develops a community that is open in exchanging information. To some contexts, websites are used for the purposes of learning, whereby both teachers and students can access useful educational materials. Let’s reflect on the case of ESL Games Plus Website (Manythings.org, 2015). As such, the ESL Website is described as one of the largest collection of learning materials. The Website contains English learning words with numerous accessible games that are used to present the word lists. Moreover, ESL provides a collaborating online game that is useful for learning and training the English language as an additional language to the students. Typically, the ESL education games are suitable for young students and as well as teenagers. On the other hand, the ESL focuses on offering learning activities such as training and practicing English language rules, English terminologies, and words pronunciations. All these activities are conducted by playing the fun learning games, and they enhance or rather improve the student’s ability to listen, communicate and pronounce the English language (Manythings.org, 2015). The whole process of learning through the fun game start by a student selecting the word list he/she is focusing on using. Moreover, students can select more than one games while using one-word list. Although, the website is set for English education as an additional language, the website is also valuable to the students interested in learning English as an extraneous language. Additionally, the website provides interesting educational information to the students speaking local languages or native languages. More so, in the ESL, one is not required to seek permission while linking up with the Web page. Any individual who is interested in linking his/her web page with the ESL web page is not restricted taking the action. In fact, one can link his/her web page directly with that of the ESL website. However, linking up the ESL web page with a personal web page is limited if the person doing so traps any ESL page in a setting. In a recap, students may use ESL learning website to boost their knowledge in terms of grammar (Manythings.org, 2015). The grammar improvement through the site can be used to enable the students develop studying pronunciations and indicating. Also, the site can be useful to the students studying how to write English terminological words. 3. Evaluation In any attempt to create a website, the web designer should ensure that there are specific guidelines that are followed. Normally, this is mostly applied to design and develop a learning website such as ESL. In this context, the one should maintain essential guidelines such the usefulness of the website, the ability of the web being fun and friendly to the user and as well ensuring that the designed materials posted on the website are true. More so, the web designer should be in a position to be accessible by the people using poor quality computers or it mobile phones. Additionally, through these guidelines the web designer should enhance that before developing the web he/she should use some criteria. In language learning situation, evaluating a website will help the students or the teachers to make the decision on whether to the site or not. Reflecting on the case of the ESL Games Plus website, one need to consider several criteria in reviewing the website. (Son, 2005) After the process of evaluating a learning site is completed, one can be able to describe the website as whether it is satisfactory or not satisfactory at all. Therefore, reviewing a website will require the person conducting the task to consider the following criteria; First, the ESL website clearly indicates its purpose. In this case, the website content is clearly related to the purpose of the site. As such, one can say that the website holds appropriate learning information to both the teachers and the students. To a better understanding, the website serves its purpose of notifying, entertaining, providing information and as well individual enjoyment to the students accessing the site (Stanley, 2013). Therefore, ESL learning and teaching site is seen as a useful site for the students and teachers select the site due to its capability of offering purposeful educating materials. Also, in rating a website one should review the accuracy of the web page. As such, the ESL website is seen as a site that has is created with accurate content. In this situation, the content comprises the spelling of the words use and as well the grammar. As such, the site has accurate spelling regarding the information being accessed and the grammar used is understandable. Moreover, the content of the page is well organized and designed. On the other hand, the information written makes the content of the site to be accurate hence the ESL website is seen as a satisfactory website. In addition, for the education website to be more reliable and suitable for learning materials, the currency of the site should up to date. This means that all website requires providing current information that is essential to the students and the teachers. Conversely, in reviewing the currency of the ESL website, one can observe that the webpage is frequently up to date (Manythings.org, 2015). Also, the site on the observation case, the site is regularly revised, and the links are not viable comparing with other sites. Also, in any case, educational websites are required to have authorized information. Considering the ESL website, one can argue that the website is authorized as it presents recognized information. Also, the information contained on the site belongs to authors who are well known for their work. Therefore, with such analysis the web page is ranked as a satisfactory one to the teachers and students. Above all, for a learning website to be satisfactory to both teachers and the students, the site should be reliable and have a suitable loading speed. When a site has a high loading speed, it will attract more audience since the site will be reliable even in the situation of network failure (Stanley, 2013). More so, looking at the ESL website, the site is seen as one of the most dependable sites by the teachers and the students. The site does not break at the time of learning and does not have links that may hinder the success of language learning. Also, the content of the ESL website download effectively thus being tipped as the best website for language education. Moreover, on assessing a website the person carrying out the task should focus on the navigation of the website and the feedback obtained. By saying navigation of the website, it is mean that any web page should have the instruction that are easy for the students and teachers to follow. (Stanley, 2013) the ESL Games Plus websites present hyperlinks that are easy and simple to understand. As such, this makes it easy for the audience accessing the website. Additionally, ESL learning website receives useful feedback from the students and mostly the teachers. The feedback demonstrates that the site can be ranked as useful and as well satisfactory to the interested individuals. Strengths and weaknesses of the ESL Games Plus website In this section, the main focus is on the strength and the weaknesses of the ESL Games Plus website. More so, in reviewing the website one can be in a position to know and understand how to improve the strength and the weaknesses of the ESL website. The process of identifying the strength and the weaknesses of the website, one can base his/her information from the audience feedback regarding the websites. Strengths After the evaluation of the website through various criteria, it is clearly observable that the site has numerous strengths (Bailey320.wordpress.com, 2015). The strengths can be used as a measure of the ability of the website serving its purposes to the audience. Some of the strengths of the website include; a) The homepage of the ESL Games Plus website is offered precisely and clearly in columns. This is seen particularly in the layout of the ESL Games Plus website as it uses a page that is simple to understand for any interested person. Furthermore, the links on the website are clearly indicated and highlighted at the top of the web page. b) Secondly, ESL Games Plus website presents the learners and the teachers with the pleasurable experience. The website is one of the most used by teachers and students for the purpose of education (Bailey320.wordpress.com, 2015). With its aspect of using fun games, it attracts more users as it is seen as an enjoyable site. c) Besides, ESL website is a unique web as it information collection is situated at the top of the web page. Therefore, the website is viewed as a different one in comparison to other websites offering the same service. d) More so, the ESL website is decorated with attracting colors, from blue to red. For example, the headings of the website are made of different attracting colors (Bailey320.wordpress.com, 2015). These colors are used as a way to attract the attention from the students and the educators. For instance, the word Games in the website is red in color, and it is centered in the middle of the web page. With such decorated and more words, the website draws the attention of the people accessing the site. Weaknesses However, as the assessment of the ESL Games Plus website demonstrated that the site is much useful and helpful to the students; it is observed that the website can as well have some weaknesses. The weaknesses can make the website fail to deliver its purpose thus causing some hindrances in the study of the English language. Some of the weaknesses observed from the review of the ESL website include; a) To start with, the ESL website contains a large amount of information that may be irrelevant on the homepage (Lederer, 2015). As such, the large amount of information on the website can be overwhelming to the learner and the teachers. As a result, the language learning process will be of poor quality and the readers will not accomplish their purpose. b) On the other hand, some of the columns on the website are not straight. As a result of advertising information, the layout of the web page is not clear, and it can cause confusion to any student accessing the website (Lederer, 2015). c) Some of the links provided on the web page do not respond. To a better understanding, when one drags the cursor above a hyperlink, the link does not show any change hence showing that there is no response. Consequentially, this will make the teachers and the students venture into the useful websites for the purpose of learning. d) Another weakness that was observable by reviewing the ESL website is the issue to do with opening a new link. In this context, when one open a new link the web does not open a new browser but it continues to use the same page. Many students prefer to keep the homepage of the web in a different browser so as to save time and avoid waiting for the browser to complete opening a given link. Suggestions to improve the quality of the ESL Games Plus website Equally, this section focuses on identifying the suggestions that one can use in improving the quality of a website. On this case, the recommended steps will be based on the weaknesses and the strengths of the ESL website. Importantly, improving the quality of the ESL website will lead to increased number of individuals accessing the website. Moreover, with an improved website of high quality, the teachers, and the students will be in a position of accessing useful learning materials. Therefore, the quality of ESL website can be improved through the following ways; a) First, one of the suitable ways to improve the quality of the ESL website can be through using applicable charts and animations. Using the graphics will ensure that the ESL website will increase the number of people accessing the website. Moreover, animation and charts in the ESL website can be viewed as a way of advertising the site, thus improving the quality of the website (Bell, & Burnaby, 2008). b) More so, to improve the quality of the ESL website, it will be appropriate for the web designer to discover or rather maintain the web logo. The web logo can be decorated with different colors that attract the attention of the users. c) Additionally, any learning website can be improved quality wise by enhancing good color contrast (Bell, & Burnaby, 2008). As such, for ESL web to b improved quality wise, it will essential for the person responsible for the task to ensure the colors used in the website are appropriate and attracting. The web designer can use any color either white or any other whole developing the background of the ESL website. Also, there should a difference in the coloring the text on the website as different words represent different meaning for learning students. 4. Integration As a result, of technology growth and development many teachers are becoming comfortable with the fact that integrating ESL in learning is beneficial for both teachers and the students. Importantly, technology in learning has over the past years made the learning system effective and as well language learning becomes a more positive course for students. Reading abilities have massive importance in the learners’ success at school. As such, ESL website has increasingly improved reading in the classroom (Williams, 2010). Through integrating website and learning, the learning skills of the students has been improved and developed. Historically, ESL website has been introduced in the learning system so as to enhance a better level of education to students who want to learn English as their second language. As a result of implementing ESL language to the education system, the learning skill of a learner will at the accurate at any level of education. With a clear understanding of what it is meant with the integration of ESL in the learning system, one can say that the act will only bring benefit to the students and the teachers. One of the benefits of integrating ESL in the education is that the students will be motivated and become more engaged with learning. Learning through the website will increase the case of students’ engagements in an act of language learning. More so, mixing ESL with learning operations will only motivate the learner. This is simply because teaching the English language through ESL will make the teacher understand what motivate the learners in a much open way. Integrating of ESL to education will lead to students gaining individualized training. The individualized learning can be viewed as the manner of matching the students’ interest in the level of his/her education. Moreover, through application ESL in the class students will be able to understand and cope up with the pace of learning. Scholars, claim that ESL has enhanced language teaching in the classroom and has also made teaching progressive (Carlsen, & Willis, 2007). Therefore, the application of ESL in the learning process can be viewed as an approach that can ensure the success of the learners. 5. Conclusion Conclusively, there is quite a large number English language educational World Wide Web that offers many learning information that is useful to both the teacher and the students. ESL website being one of them has for a long of time presented effective information to its users. As an educational language website, ESL is expected to offer effective and useful school materials and act as an effective way of interaction between different users. Essentially, learning websites such as ESL should be designed in a way that they encourage students to engage in the educational system through website element. Also, the web designer for the ESL should ensure that the website represent a professional set up of a clean and simple site. More so the website should display the purpose and its objective of improving learning through technology. In this paper much more about the quality of learning website has been discussed and as well how to improve the quality of an educational site. With quality chats, colour, quality animations the ESL website will attract more students and teachers who are interested in accessing education online. Lastly, for the purposes future learning through ESL, it is vital for the web designer of ESL should ensure that content of the website and the design is interactive to the users. Total Number of Words 3100 References Bell, J., & Burnaby, B. (2008). A handbook for ESL literacy. Toronto, Ont.: OISE Press in association with Hodder & Stoughton. Carlsen, R., & Willis, D. (2007). Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference annual. Chesapeake, Va: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education. Josephson, S., & Barnes, S. (2010). Visualizing the Web. New York: P. Lang. Lederer, N. (2015). How to Evaluate a Web Page | Libraries | Colorado State University. Lib.colostate.edu. Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://lib.colostate.edu/howto/evalweb2.html MacDonald, M. (2011). Creating a website. Beijing: O'Reilly. Manythings.org, (2015). English Vocabulary Word Lists with Games, Puzzles and Quizzes (ESL/EFL). Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://www.manythings.org/vocabulary/ Bailey320.wordpress.com, (2015). Strengths and weaknesses of online websites, Retrieved 10 October 2015, from http://bailey320.wordpress.com/2009/02/18strengths-and-weakness-of-three-online-news-website/ Son, J.-B. (2005). Exploring and evaluating language learning web sites. In J.-B. Son, &S. O'Neill (Eds.), Enhancing learning and teaching: Pedagogy, technology and language (pp. 215–227). Retrieved 29 September 2015 from, http://www.apacall.org/member/sonjb/papers/enhancing2005.htm Stanley, G. (2013). Language learning with technology: Ideas for integrating Technology in the classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. “1 Integrating Technology” (pp. 9–23). Williams, H. S., & Williams, P. N. (2010). Integrating Reading and Computers: An Approach to Improve ESL Students Reading Skills. Reading skills. Reading Improvement, 37(3), 98-100 Appendix Read More