Vance Stevens' CALL course and resources

Vance Stevens is a CALL coordinator and elearning -IT/CMC specialist (to learn about his skills and endeavours, please visit http://www.reocities.com/vance_stevens//vance.htm). He developed a website (http://www.reocities.com/vance_stevens//esl_home.htm) for CALL lab managers, teachers, and learners of languages online, on which he included links to CALL journals, computer set-up, ESL activities and CALL applications, the web, and web net working (including online community) and web-based issues (such as viruses, copyright, spamming).

The resources on the web page are not systematically built. There are vocabulary resources for low-level learners, and TOEFL preparation materials for intermediate level of students. But it is a good place for ESL teachers' reference when they have questions regarding the above topics.

Vance Steven also used Moodle to develop an online course called Multiliteracies for Collaborative Learning Environment in 2007, which is relevant to what we have discussed in our CALL course. One can access as a guest and view the course syllabus (http://prosites-vstevens.homestead.com/files/efi/papers/tesol/ppot/syllabus2007.htm#cycle1) and contents (( http://www.opensource.idv.tw/moodle/course/view.php?id=23). The course contents include an introduction, online community, concept of multiliteracy, information managing (using RSS, bloglines, podcasting, and podcatching), types of multiliteracy, web 2.0, Theoretical framework (e.g., Connectivism) and other CALL links. The course also includes an online events Calendar, student portfolios and a news forum.

This course gives another perspective on the concept of multiliteracies, which consists of three domains: functional literacy (computers as tools and students as users of technology); critical literacy (computers as cultural artifacts and students as questioners of technology) and rhetorical literacy (computer as hyper textual media and students as producers of technology).

To sum up, the websites are rather academic. The resources are carefully chosen for the intended audience. The main purpose is to inform and educate. There is no interaction and entertainments.