Executive Summary
The possibilities for exploiting computer-mediated communication (CMC) as a tool for education are truly exciting. And yet the growing enthusiasm for exploring instructional ways to make use of CMC must be tempered with determination to be guided always by pedagogical and humanistic values.
This project aims to lay the groundwork for developing instructional materials and methodology that make use of CMC in a Chinese context. In the longer term this may result in the design and development of programs, pedagogy and materials for use at the Chinese University, especially in the areas of general education and language teaching.
The investigation will be conducted in two phases, with the first providing a foundation for the second. In the first phase three questions will be addressed:
|
1) |
What are the potential advantages of using CMC for
instruction? |
|
2) |
What specific kinds of opportunities does CMC offer for
instruction? |
|
3) |
Can we make use of existing instructional opportunities
for use in a local context? If so, which ones and how? If
not, why not? |
Researchers Project Convenor Former Dean, Arts Faculty Associate Researcher Former Head, ELTU Principal Investigator Senior Instructor, ELTU Instructor, ELTU Linda Mak Former Instructor, ELTU Research Assistants Student Helpers
and Investigators
Methodology and Outcome
Literature review and online search will be conducted and then
the findings will be discussed and analysed by the whole group in
regular meetings. Literature review of CMC tells us that there are
significant potential advantages, yet there are also voices of
caution. We would like to find out how these potential advantages
might work out in our culture. Preliminary investigations show
possible pedagogcial uses of CMC are likely to come in the following
four areas:
1) CMC instructional capabilities
2) CMC research capabilities
3) CMC publishing opportunities
4) CMC interactive capabilities
We would like to conduct investigation into these four areas and to provide a foundation for the second phase that may result in the design and development of programs, pedagogy and materials for use at the Chinese University, especially in the areas of general education and language teaching such as :
(GEE course) Logic. Argumentation and Debate,
(GEE Course) Thinking Through Writing,
(ELT Course) Business Communication,
(GEE Course) Technical Communication, etc.
The investigation will inform the researchers, teachers and learners what kind of support they need (be it cognitive, pedagogical, linguistic or technical skills) to communicate efficiently and effectively in the CMC environment. And we hope to come up with an informed view of CMC pedagogy and publications in academic journals or presentations in seminars or workshops.
Last updated by George Jor on October 3, 1998.
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