OnLinE dAtAbaSes...

What is an online database? Actually this is my second time I heard about it and before this I did not use online database as a references to my assignment. According to my lecturer, a database is a structured collection of information organized in a way that makes us easy to retrieve information. So, for this week tutorial activities, I have been asked to do a research on the ‘Application of using blog in Language Learning’ using the online database such as EBSCOhost, NovaCat, ERIC, ProQuest, PsycINFO and so on.
For the first time I take it into account to use this, I feel it easy as I can search the information through the specific field. Though the server is a little bit slow at that time because my entire classmate doing the same thing, but I’m managed to get three article from three different sources in order to complete the task given.

I have gained the first journal from the Emerald databases. The title of the journal is “Campus- Wide Information Systems” in Volume 22, Number 3 on 2005 at page 154-161 which contain an article that related to the applications of using blog in language learning. The article title’s is ‘Assumption about Participating in Teacher Education Through the use of ICT’. The purpose of these articles is to discuss the different understanding of participation in an information and communication technology based on teacher education program in Sweden. These research papers also explain about the methodology that they have used in order to gain the information. The methodologies they have used are through;Interpretations within the tradition of philosophical hermeneutics;The interpretational framework and The empirical framework. The result of this paper is based on interview which involved a group of teacher and trainees also by using questionnaire. From the studies that has been done, the findings indicate that there is a need to be explicit about the ontological assumptions inherent in the intended use of ICT. The conclusion about this paper is that the program in question is built on assumptions of realism and that ICT lays the ground for individual participation and works to tell the students apart. However the most important thing about this paper is to help in understanding the use of ICT also indicate the different effect on different groups.

Besides the article that I have gained from Emerald online databases, I also used Gema Online Journal of Languages Studies, Volume 7 which publishes in 2007. This paper is all about the investigation and to understand how computers used are organized in a school situation that is totally dependent on the syllabus. This research paper has been done through classroom observations, field notes, interviews and written documents also computer based activities and non computer based activities. All the result are recorded and analyzed. It also explains about the ICT in the Malaysian Education System and English Language Teaching in Malaysia. As a conclusion for this study, its state that there are benefits and opportunities for students to use computer-based learning environment. However, the learning benefits the students received from using computer-based activities are depending on many related factors that need to be studied.

The last article that related to the applications of blog in language learning I’ve gained from the Wilson Web from the Education Full Text database. The title of the article is “The evolution of ICT-based learning environments: which perspectives for the school of the future?”, it is origin from the British Journal of Educational Technology, Volume 35, no5, 553-67 which publish at 2004. This paper briefly outlines about the evolution of ICT based on learning environment and discussing some of the main aspect that have characterized such evolution. The objective is to point out how the implementation of innovative learning environments, based on advanced technology, is the result of the strict interrelation between educational and cognitive theories, technological opportunities and teaching and learning needs. It is also related to the analyzing how the use of ICT and to identifying current perspective and future trends in the design and use of advanced ICT based learning system by using three model as a staring point for eliciting ideas about crucial issues in ICT based on learning system. To sum up of this paper, it states that ICT tools can influence and transform learning by fundamentally changing the way in which content can be taught and learnt also assumption that learning processes cannot be fully understood if only the individual learner is considered without taking into account the relationships that are established between teachers and students and the role played by mediating tools.

In conclusions, I feel that search information via online databases is interesting and very useful especially for students to get more information regarding their studies.