The Global Chinese Web Education Center is a website introducing Chinese language learning and culture. It provides language lessons at all levels, numerous teaching materials and updated conference information in Scholastic Forum. The website is accessible in three languages, English, Chinese and Spanish, that enlarges the number of learners, even though the main objects of the site are for overseas learners. Supported by the government of Taiwan, the website not only offers Chinese but also the Taiwanese dialect and Hakka dialect learning and culture presentations.It pays particular attention to topics related to Taiwan.
Type of Material:
Collection
Recommended Uses:
For users who are interested in a variety of information related to Chinese education and news
Technical Requirements:
Video player
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Mostly for individuals whose learning goals involve Chinese language and culture, Chinese schools, and Chinese news related to Taiwan, in particular.
Target Student Population:
Intermediate and advanced learners of Chinese, and native Chinese speakers
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
At least an intermediate level of reading proficiency in Chinese
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
Most of the learning content is presented in the specific context with vivid pictures and accurately pronounced sound files. After a period of time learning, students can test their Chinese ability by taking The Simulated Online Chinese Proficiency Test on the site to estimate their learning effect and set up the next learning plan.he site is filled with information for students who wish to increase their Chinese language and culture learning through viewing authentic materials. It contains blogs, Moodle sites, and teaching/learning modules.
Concerns:
The layout is similar to most e-news sites, and the abundance of materials can be quite overwhelming for learners of Chinese. In particular, there are no instructions on how to search for certain material. Additionally, the categorization scheme is not very clear.While the website provides three kinds of Chinese phonetic symbols for visitors to choose, learners should have the basic Chinese phonetic knowledge to start their Chinese language learning. In other words, there is no phonology teaching on this website.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
The website does an excellent job in engaging language learning by providing arresting learning and teaching materials close to people's daily life. As far as the young learners are concerned, the website integrates Chinese songs, saying, riddles, e-cards and other activities for kids to arouse their learning interests. These two features are rarely seen in other Chinese language learning websites, unique this site from the others.
Concerns:
The website provides limited materials for learners to practice their Chinese speaking and writing skills, including Chinese character writing learning. In the E-card section, there is a link to teach how to write the corresponding Chinese character, but such link does not work. Learners will need guidance from a teacher or a native speaker of Chinese to effectively utilize the resources in this site.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
It is a friendly, well organized website that offers three languages and a clear sitemap framework. Learners or teachers can quickly and easily find what they need to visit. The materials provided by the site are all free and downloadable to enable offline learning for learners and materials reconstructing for specific teaching plans for teachers.The site is very informative and visually stimulating. It has a combination of text, images, and graphics in various colors. There is a search engine, and news can be searched by category.
Concerns:
There are some links do not work properly.Frequent and regular check of the materials is recommended. There could be more interaction involved if the website offered more opportunities communicate among learners, teachers, or learners and teachers.Although this site is very useful to native speakers, it can be quite challenging for learners of Chinese to search for the target material.
Other Issues and Comments:
n/a
Creative Commons:
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