Conclusions

CONCLUSIONS

We need to interpret Web 2.0 technologies from a pedagogical perspective, so that students can become digitally fluent and ready for the challenges of the knowledge society. Thus, we as educators are firstly forced to follow them if we want to be part of the future education.

Secondly, we must ask our students, when they use Web 2.0 technologies, to prove initiative and responsibility, curiosity and imagination, the ability to explore, creativity, to work cooperatively and constructively, to communicate and collaborate distinctly with each other, to be open towards identifying and solving problems.

Most importantly, we should ask them to carry a fruitful dialogue, on both educational and social issues. Only in this way can we make students face knowledge experiences, by giving up frontal teaching and adopting a form of activity based both on group and individual work.

It is also important to remember that changing the teaching method is closely connected to the attributes of Web 2.0 technologies, which allow students to collaborate, to get involved actively in creating content, and to share (exchange) online information.

Reading is a complex process that draws upon many skills that need to be developed at the same time. Reading expert Marilyn Adams compares the operation of the reading system to the operation of a car. Unlike drivers, though, readers also need to:

·      Build the car (develop the mechanical systems for identifying words)

·      Maintain the car (fuel it with print, fix up problems along the way, and make sure it runs smoothly)

·      Drive the car (which requires us to be motivated, strategic, and mindful of the route we're taking).

Cars are built by assembling the parts separately and fastening them together. In contrast, the parts of the reading system must grow together. The ultimate goal of reading is to make meaning from print, and a vehicle in good working order is required to help us reach that goal.

Because learning to read is complex, the most accomplished teachers learn to teach with the end goal of readers and learners in mind. Teachers working with young children learn to balance the various components of reading, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension in their everyday teaching. The very best teachers integrate the components while fostering a love of books, words, and stories.

When using any teaching strategy, teachers should (1) help students to understand why a strategy is useful, and (2) describe explicitly how the strategy should be used. Teacher demonstration, modeling, and follow-up independent practice are critical factors for success. Student discussion following strategy instruction is also helpful.

The use of e-learning website to support the teaching and learning process is now mushrooming all over the world. E-Learning website is a website that is specially designed for supporting teaching and learning process. To get the best result of integrating e-learning website during the teaching and learning activity, teachers should prepare themselves with a proper strategy. Based on the result of the field study that has been done by the writers, it is recommended that the teachers use PCAST Strategy when they want to teach reading through an e-learning website. It is because this strategy is able to activate or build the students’ prior knowledge, help the students’ to comprehend the reading text, and more importantly, this strategy is compatible with the tools offered by the e-learning website.  Furthermore, before implementing e-learning website for teaching reading, there are some benefits and problems that should be understood by the teachers so that when they apply an e-learning website to teach reading, they can maximize the benefits and minimize or anticipate the possible problems.