SKBP 1023

Good day everyone. Well this is my last posting for the course. For this last task, we were required to discuss on the article “Beyond Concordance Lines: Using Concordances to Investigate Language Development” by Arshad Abd Samad page 70 in OTL book. I’m partnered with the same person as last time, Nurul Husna Ibrahim.

This article emphasizes the significant of concordance and the advantages of using this software in analyzing language data, on how words and grammatical construction are used. The software has totally proves that it gives a lot of worth towards the teachers, researchers and even language learners in examining the concordance lines.

EMAS Corpus which was used in the study collected in 2002, consists of close to half a million words. It is an untagged and unedited learner corpus that contains written data in the form of three essays written by about 800 students which comprises of year 5, form 1 and form 4. The topics were based on the amount of language the topic could elicit. As such, topics and tasks were selected because students were expected to be able to write more because of their familiarity with the task and topic.

Various methods can be used to determine language development. A basic assumption made in this article is that developmental patterns can be implied by comparing the language use of three different age groups. In this article, developmental patterns are examined by studying the language productivity, range of vocabulary and sophistication vocabulary of the students.

Productivity in this article is indicated by the number of sentences per essay in the words per sentence. The productivity of the three age groups is compared in order to examine language development. As for the range of the vocabulary, the diversity of the vocabulary used in a corpus is often determined by calculating the type to token the ration (Schmitt, 2002). Specialized software such as RANGE are used in determining the sophistication of the vocabulary.

Therefore, although concordance software can be used to help analyze the language data available, many may still be easily be disturbed by the huge amount of data available. This article has attempted to present the relevant of corpus data in investigating language development without having to analyze concordance lines. The values in this study, thus, can be regarded as benchmarks against which to compare future groups of students as well as assess the development of the language program.

Applications of concordance in: literary work and linguistic

Suppose you are required to search a word in a particular poem within a limited of time. Of course you wouldn’t have the time to search for the exact word in the poem especially when the poem is too long and have many words that will make you even more confusing. So, therefore, Concordance is the best solution in solving this matter.

Concordances gather all the words of a certain work or author and arrange them in alphabetical order. Each word is followed by a citation to the appropriate line or passage where the word appears. Most concordances include the surrounding words or line in which the word appears. For instance, if you look up the word of “ABROAD” in the poem Lyrical Ballads (Bristol, 1798) written by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, you will find:

ABROAD..............3

   There's neither horse nor man abroad,       Idiot Boy

   "There's not a single soul abroad."         Idiot Boy

   And who is she, be-times abroad,            Idiot Boy

A concordance doesn’t do your thinking or investigating for you, any more than a computer does. You have to ask the right questions, you have to follow up your own hunches and insights. A concordance is a matchless tool for investigating texts. Its power is limited only by its user’s imagination.

A computer concordance can now be prepared relatively easily provided a suitable e-text is available. However, in practice a good deal of editorial work is required in the early stages if a reliable concordance is wanted, and to produce a concordance of a quality suitable for publication in book form is generally reckoned to take around 2000 hours.

REFERENCES:

http://www.dundee.ac.uk/english.

Hello again. For this week’s task, I was required to do the online quiz based on the understandings of the basic level in ICT. At first, I was totally excited and eager to answer it because I know that my knowledge in it are good even though not that kind of expert, but my understandings in ICT are not quite bad. So I thought,” This must be such an easy questions for me. Simple as ABC”. Unluckily, as I started to do the questions, I was quite shocked for a second. All the questions were not in the English form as I thought before but in the MALAY language! “I’m dead”, I said. I was a bit disappointed and frustrated. But then again, I thought quickly,” Why shouldn’t I give it a try rather than just complaining it?”. And so, I continued doing it. As I go through the questions, almost of the words used were quite unfamiliar to me. Like ‘alat kelui’ which means handphone, ‘hamparan elektronik’ as Spreedsheet, ‘cakera liut’ which means diskette,etc. I giggled when I heard the words for the first time in my life. And to some extent, it really did confuse me for a while when trying to answer it.  “What on earth is this question trying to ask”, I would sighed. But overall, I found it interesting and quite challenging doing it. It was really fun after all. Finally, I ended the quiz and scored the following below:

Well that was just about the experience, but personally I found the test is somehow encouraging though. The quiz appears to motivate one to have fully grasp on the components of a basic computer, thus creating deep awareness on the understanding itself. Besides, the quiz itself also works as a user-friendly kind of way. This is because, the participants can leave the question for a while if they don’t know or unsure about the answer. And then come back to it later to answer it. Doing the online quiz is like taking an open book test where you can search for the particular information of question while doing it. You can also receive immediate feedback after doing it. You’ll get the result at that time after entering your password.

Therefore, for me, doing the online quiz gives me a wonderful experience. It’s enjoyable and fun answering it. (^_^)

1. Do you think that blogging activity improves your writing skill?

Of course. Blogging activity has definitely improved a lot in my writing skill by various means. Writing on the computer has not only made me become an overall better writer but also helped me in producing an overall better quality essays. I think it would be a good idea to have writing lessons in a computer lab as I find it a lot easier and more effective to complete an essay using a computer. Moreover, my grammar and vocabulary improves when writing on the computer when word processing is used. It had helped me splendidly when it autocorrected my spelling and the structure of the sentences. This makes me less troublesome when writing a composition. Furthermore, I get more ideas when writing by blogging. By reading and looking at others blog, it gives me the perfect idea on how to write such a creative writing.   It matures our mind and soul as the time goes by without us realizing it.

2. Do you think that blog is a useful learning experience for you?

Definitely. Using the blog all these while really gives such a wondrous learning experience to me throughout the course. I found it useful as it gives a lot of benefits especially in the writing skill component. Besides of giving me the opportunity to express my thought and views on the topics and issues discussed in lectures and tutorials, blogging also gives the opportunity to reflect on my learning experience. Furthermore, it also gives me the chance to view on other people’s writing. I really enjoyed when reading their blogs. It really gives me the pleasure. By reading and looking at the way they wrote, it gives me the idea on how to write such a creative writing. But this doesn’t mean that you plagiarize their work or so, it’s the main idea that you received from it. That is actually one of the best ways in writing a good composition for me. It developed our mind from time to time. Also, blogging facilitate me in critical thinking. This is because we need to think of ideas before the blog entries can be written as well as to consider the choice of words when writing blog entries. Moreover, blogs also requires us to do several drafts before submitting blog entries so that it will not only satisfy us as the writer in writing but the readers out there when they read it. 

3. What do you think that you need to know before you can complete the blogging activity successfully?

Research and analyzation of the work must be done thoroughly before the blog entries can be written. We need to think more deeply about what is being studied besides of having to interpret the element itself. Apart from that, we also have to consider the words used whether it is appropriate or not and whether the terms are applicable to the passage. Later, we have to consider as well the relevance of what is said in the blog. Thus, several drafts are needed to be done before submitting the final essay. By doing all these will make us satisfy of what we have done.

4. What are your problems that you face using blog?

Accessibility – one of the potential problems of using weblog still entails. As a student who do not have the ability to access the Internet connection, I may encounter disappointment in reading the teacher’s and my peers’ blogs. Plus, of having to update the blog frequently gives more difficulty to me as well. The needed of updating the blog too frequently also gives pressure sometimes to me as a student besides of the limited time consuming. Searching for information for the required topic in a limited of time could bring down myself in blogging. Eventually, this will end up of having ‘writer’s block’. This is when ideas for writing do not come very easily.  It is easy to get very frustrated when beginning to write in such a way. In addition, in the midst of juggling time between curricular and non-curricular activities, I do really feel that the lack of time totally affect my blogging interests.   Among all, financial problem could add to this hindrance, as limited budget sometimes disallow myself to have blogs posted in the cyber cafes.

5. Will you tell your friends, recommend to others about blogging?

Of course. Why shouldn’t I share a bit about my interest to others if the thing gives a lot of benefits to the people? We could share a few things together in common, talking about the world, or maybe we could just share some opinion regarded to some certain issues by blogging. With these, we’re not only improving our English languages but also developing ourselves in critical thinking.

6. Now that you are able to blog online will you continue using it even after the    SKBP is over? 

I’m not so sure about it. Perhaps I would still continue using it. Or maybe not. This is due to the fact that I’ve stated earlier of the barriers of blogging which is the limited of time consuming. In the midst of juggling time between blogging and work, will make me less in spending my time blogging.  But maybe I could just possibly spend myself on to it when I’m in a tense kind of feeling. That would make myself more relaxing besides of getting to express my own feeling on that particular day.    

Welcome back for my 3^rd posting for this week. This time, I would like to discuss on the Impact of ICT towards Our Health.

It seems that everyone is talking about the Information Society these days. Apparently, society is changing under the influence of rapidly evolving Information and Communication Technologies. ICT for health describes the application of information and communication technologies across the whole range of functions that affect the health sector. Nowadays, it is hard to imagine health care without Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Information technology in health care has existed for about three decades, and has gained widespread usage.

The term ICT refers to technologies as such. Whether the use of these technologies is successful depends not only on the quality of the technological artifacts but also on the actors, i.e. the people involved in information processing and the organizational environment in which they are employed. Introduction of ICT can radically affect health care organization and health care delivery and outcome. It is evident that the use of modern ICT offers tremendous opportunities to support health care professionals and to increase the efficiency, effectiveness and appropriateness of care.

Many inventions were created to assist the professionals in the health sector with researching and diagnosing the patient’s health conditions besides in helping them to collect, analyze and modeling data. Breakthroughs in surgery, medicine and treatment often result from scientists’ use of computers. Tiny computers now imitate functions of the central nervous system, retina of the eye, and cochlea of the ear.

For instance, a cochlea implant allows a deaf person to listen. Thus, hearing aids, an electro acoustic body-worn apparatus which typically fits in or behind the wearer’s ear, was designed to amplify and modulate sounds for the hearing-impaired person (people who do not hear some sounds at all). Recent hearing aids include wireless hearing aids. One hearing aid can transmit to the other side so that pressing one aid’s program button simultaneously changes the other aid and both aids change background settings simultaneously.

Apart from that, electrodes implanted in the brain stop tremors associated with Parkinson’s disease. Cameras that are small to swallow – sometimes called a camera pill – take pictures inside the body to detect polyps, cancer and other abnormalities.

Other possible surgeries might implant a rechargeable electrical stimulator to treat pain or muscle dysfunction or to zap the stomach or nerves with electric current to boost metabolism. A brain computer interface may monitor and treat diseases, such as epilepsy and depression that affect brain activity. A body-scanning machine might evaluate patients’ pain when they cannot communicate. In addition, a retinal prosthesis system with a light sensing chip implanted in the eye might help patients with degenerative retinal disease.

However, there can also be hazards of these associated with information technology in health care. ICT can be inappropriately specified, have functional errors, be unreliable, user-unfriendly, ill-functioning or the environment may not be properly prepared to accommodate the ICT in the working processes. Such breakdowns and failures may negatively affect the working processes and decisions of health care providers and may result in harm for the patients, i.e. ICT can create adverse side effects in the care process. Good medical practice implies that one is aware of the possible side effects of one’s actions and that one has insight into the implication of such side effects.

References:

1. http://royalsociety.org/publication.asp?id=5996

2. www.wikipedia.com

3. www.sciencedirect.com

4. Cashman, Thomas J. Discovering Computers 2008 Complete.2008

5. http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/

Welcome back! Hello to everyone. This task is about computerized writing. Here, I am going to focus on what is understood by computerized writing and how it works towards the students.

WHAT IS COMPUTERIZED WRITING?

“Computerized writing” refers of the computer programs that assist the students in writing. It is basically an instruction or remediation presented on a computer in writing essays which for me is the best solution for the student to improve their skills and also avoid them from doing mistakes. Moreover, computerized writing also helps the students to produce an effective essay whereby it improves writing by cutting fat and reworking awkward phrases.

Many educational computer programs are available online and from computer stores and textbook companies. They enhance the students in writing in several ways. Computer programs are interactive and can illustrate a concept through attractive animation, sound, and demonstration. They allow students to progress at their own pace and work individually or problem solve in a group. Computers provide immediate feedback, letting students know whether their answer is correct. If the answer is not correct, the program shows students how to correctly answer the question.

Computer writing improves assist for students with disabilities because students receive immediate feedback and do not continue to practice the wrong skills. Computers capture the students’ attention because the programs are interactive and engage the students’ spirit of competitiveness to increase their scores. Also, computerized writing moves at the students’ pace and usually does not move ahead until they have mastered the skill. Programs provide differentiated lessons to challenge students who are at risk, average, or gifted.

Word processors are excellent tools for students who find handwriting tedious. Often, students with disabilities have difficulty with all the requirements for the writing process. They have trouble organizing their thoughts and then retaining those thoughts long enough to put them on paper. Their handwriting must be neat enough and their spelling and grammar correct enough to convey their message, tasks that they may find difficult.

COMPUTERIZED WRITING ACTIVITIES & SOFTWARES
There are few activities connected to the computerized writing and can be viewed at the websites below:

1.  http://www.editavenue.com/how_works_1.asp
EditAvenue’s web technology provides an online marketplace for document editing commerce. Through EditAvenue you can access hundreds of professional editors who can correct and refine your written communication.

2. http://www.eslgo.com/classes/write/application_essays/
ESL go.com aims is to provide grammar and vocabulary activities that guide students toward expressing themselves. It also explains to you on how to write a good essay by following all the techniques provided.

Try those activities out and you will be able to see the difference.As for the software, there are many types of software that you can seek in the essay writing category. Normally, the software needs to be purchase first. But before that, it is

noted that all sales are final, so it is encourage for the users to take advantage of the free-trial program as a try. For that, I have entitled a website of software that can be used by the students in writing the best essays which is concise, direct, concrete, and detailed. This software is very useful as it gives all the tools that are needed in writing such essays. Therefore, everyone should try out these softwares.

1. http://www.whitesmoke.com/landing_flash/grammar.html
2. http://www.clearwriter.com/clearedits.html

CONCLUSION
Writing programs are beneficial towards the students especially because they allow students to learn in a variety of ways and can speed up the writing process. With proper training, students can learn to focus on the message instead of the mechanics.

eading comprehension can be defined as the level of understanding of the text or passage given. Basically, the comprehension skill was exposed since we were in the elementary years whereby it depends on the ability to recognize the words quickly and effortlessly.

For this 1st posting, me and my friend, Husna have decided to do the exercise in this website (http://www.rhlschool.com/read5n31.htm). Through the text, the passage tells us about the new painting that was exhibited in the gallery, whereby the visitors made many speculations of what the painting represents of. Each of them guessed until one of them entered the room and spoke that the painting was painted by his 3 year old son. He told them all, that his son symbolizes the painting as a maze and how the painting looks so amazing to him.

Throughout the whole text, we can easily imagine and understand the passage of what it is said. From the text also, the readers could test themselves by developing and reinforcing the reading comprehension skill. One of the skills is critical thinking which it builds up our thinking. Moreover, the readers can also learn new vocabulary such as “curator” which means the custodian of a collection (as a museum or library) as well as by improving one’s grammar. On the other hand, reading comprehension gives the readers the opportunity to give their own opinion or idea based on their understandings of the text when answering the questions. Furthermore, throughout the exercises, the readers could also enjoy themselves as well as to release their tension.

So, to all the readers out there who loves to spend their leisure time with useful activities, you can try out these exercises provided in this website (http://www.rhlschool.com/reading.htm). Enjoy yourself and have fun doing it!!!!!(^_^)…

logging? This is my first time ever since in my life using it. For me, blogging is such a tremendous way of telling people about our feelings and thoughts towards something. It also reflects the interest, opinion and our personality. We can share aspects of our personal life with our family, friends and also others. In fact, it really gives us the opportunity to “spit out” of what comes from our heart and mind freely without any fear.

For that, my plan in writing this blog is to accomplish the assignments given by our lecturer, Pn Zaini throughout the course. Hopefully, that I can manage to finish every posting before the due date of the submission.

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!