Article Review - Redo

I'm so sorry sir that the previous article did not relate to the topic at all,it was my fault. :( this is the redo of the article review,really hope that you consider this one as part of the assessment,despite of the previous one. Thank u so much sir.


Title: Effectiveness of Interactive Multimedia Environment on Language Acquisition Skills of 6th Grade Students in the United Arab Emirates

Journal – volume: International Journal of Instructional Media v. 33 no4 (2006) p. 427-41

Author: Dr. Abdurrahman Ghaleb Almekhlafi, Ph.D., United Arab Emirates University.

Summary:
The research was intended to investigate the effect of Interactive Multimedia (IMM) on United Arab Emirates’ sixth grade students’ achievement (acquisition and improvement in their ability to read, use of correct grammar and vocabulary) in English Language skills. Participants were 90 sixth grade school students taking English as a second language chosen in a private school, Al Ain Model School 2, Abu Dhabi. They were all males and had been using a textbook entitled New Parade 6 as a supplementary material. Students were divided into experimental and control groups (46 and 44 participants respectively). Pre and post tests were administered and using Witken's test, participants were classified according to their cognitive styles into field-dependent (FD) and field-independent (FI) learners. Interactive Multimedia did not reveal significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the overall students' gain scores. FI learners scored higher than FD ones in the overall and two of the three sub sections of ESL skills. Fl learners might have learning strategies and techniques superior to these owned by their FD counterparts regardless of the teaching and delivery method. FI learners also score higher than the FD learners' scores on overall and all subsets of ESL skills. The difference in achievement between FD learners and FI learners indicated that IMM is more effective for the FI learners. FI learners tend to be persistent, prefer silent classrooms, and learn individually and privately. These conditions can be achieved with the use of IMM as it can provide privacy and self-paced learning through its abilities; and can adapt to individual differences and allow the learner to control the path of his/her leaning. F1 learners scored higher than FD learners in "reading" and "vocabulary" sub sections. This is due to these learners benefit from printed materials more than FD learners do. There is an interaction between IMM environment and students' cognitive styles in favour of field-independent learners in the experimental group.
Yes, this is an interesting research to study of how technology contributes to the teaching and learning of ESL. It is important to know how far technology helps the students to achieve a higher achievement in ESL. The research was very well done with the current participants being studied alongside a control group for better results. Some of useful implications found were identified. Generally, the research revealed that IMM work best with FI learners. Thus, teachers could work on enhancing the teaching and learning using technology to benefit this type of learners while improving on the FD learners to cope with the FI learners, even if not at the same level because IMM is more beneficial for field independent learners than field dependent learners. Meanwhile in Malaysian perspective, this research can be used as a guideline for further study in the use of technology in teaching and learning, perhaps in the rural areas and involving both genders too. In addition, research in technology-equipped schools can also be done to compare the results of teaching and learning with the achievements gained. As we know the government does provide certain schools with the latest technology available and it would be tempting to know the progress of the schools and their academic achievement since technology is at their best.

http://mitesol.elc.msu.edu/dmdocuments/call_sig/Almekhlafi.pdf