The 21st century is commonly referred to as the computer age. This term characterises the important place computers have in our everyday lives and the increasingly crucial role they will play in the future, determining the way we work, play, learn and teach. Computers are also slowly – but surely – finding their way into South African classrooms. In Gauteng, for example, the number of schools equipped with computers have grown from 24% in 1998 to 89% in 2003. This increase can be attributed directly to the concerted efforts of the National Education Department and other non-governmental organisations to close the digital divide between South Africa and the rest of the world. Apart from launching various projects to supply schools with computers, the National Education Department has further committed itself to the implementation of E-learning in a Draft White Paper on E-Learning in September 2003. The integration of computers in learning and teaching has, thus, now become a reality. This situation neccesitates much needed empirical research on how the use of computers can be effectively integrated into the teaching and learning of, inter alia, languages. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the use of computers in teaching Afrikaans as an Additional Language. To do this, an extensive literature study has been undertaken to investigate international best practices of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). Subsequently, an empirical study – in the form of a quasi-experiment – was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of CALL in the teaching and learning of Afrikaans as an Additional Language, by comparing it with conventional language teaching methods. A longitudinal study was done with two groups of Grade 9 learners at the Bishops Diocesian College in Cape Town and the development of their language skills was assessed by using a standardised language proficiency test (EVAT – Evaluering van Afrikaans Taalvaardigheid) as pre and post tests. The literature review indicates that computers possess certain unique characteristics that can enhance the language learning process. The results of the empirical study, furthermore, indicates that computers can be used in the teaching and learning of Afrikaans as an Additional Language and in such a way that learners’ language skills can develop in a similar way to using conventional language teaching. It further shows that learners can improve certain language skills better when using computers. This study also suggests that these results could be used as guidelines for the integration of computers in the teaching and learning of Afrikaans as an Additional Language. / Prof. A.E. Coetzee
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uj/uj:14697 |
| Date | 07 December 2007 |
| Creators | Lawrence, Donovan Charles |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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