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Evaluating Web-based Business English Courseware: A Case Study On TMM

Posted on:2009-07-11Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:G H FanFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360242492573Subject:Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
Web-based courseware for business English, as a product of applying modern information technologies to language teaching and learning, is expected to provide more convenience for and have good learning effects on learners, especially those who do not have a chance to learn face to face in classrooms. As there are more and more choices of this kind coming into the market, which one to choose, or whether a prospective one is really suitable for the target learners, has become an important question to consider. Therefore, an in-depth evaluation turns out to be necessary in selecting a specific courseware.This research, as a case study, focuses on the evaluation of the web-based business English courseware TMM(?), with the purpose to find out the degree of suitability of TMM(?) for the target learners– BJISL (the in-service learners in Beijing's international business-related industries). Under the broad framework of ESP theories, the research design is based on the approaches of a number of researchers (e.g. Hutchinson and Waters, 1987; Cunningsworth, 1995; McGrath, 2002; McDonough and Shaw, 2004) to materials evaluation.This research is both qualitative and quantitative in nature. The present author first investigated and analyzed the needs of the target learners, and then on the ground of the results of the needs analysis, a comprehensive checklist for the evaluation of TMM(?) was developed. After that, the checklist was used by three evaluators for the evaluation of TMM(?), so as to get a final score to determine the suitability of TMM(?) for BJISL.The overall score of the evaluation of TMM(?) turned out to be 81.15 (centesimal), which indicated a fairly high degree of suitability of TMM(?) for the target learners– BJISL. Therefore, it can be concluded that the web-based business English courseware TMM(?) is highly suitable for the business English learning of the in-service learners in Beijing's international business-related industries and is practically worth using for this cohort.
Keywords/Search Tags:web-based courseware, web-based courseware evaluation, needs analysis, TMM(?)
PDF Full Text Request
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