Reflections on Web-based language teaching

Web-based education has been enjoying greater popularity because of its undeniable advantages. It has been seen as a panacea by more and more people in educational field, including language teaching. Based on the realization of the great potential brought by the development of technology, some viewpoints about the relationship among technology, teaching and pedagogy are put forward: firstly, technology is a tool, not a strategy; secondly, pedagogical concerns and theory should drive the way technology is used in education, not the other way around; thirdly, what matters more than technology is how the technology is used for learning, and how it is integrated into the daily classroom scheme so that active engagement in acquisition-oriented work take place; and finally, the change of learning environment inevitably calls for parallel changes in teaching and learning procedures. Available technologies can greatly enhance both student-teacher and student-student interaction and can afford students increased opportunities for self directed learning. To be most effective, technology must be used to support well-planned curricular goals and should involve carefully designed activities providing students with meaningful educational experiences.