E-learning through online assignments: EFL students' and EFL teachers' perspective

Recent advances in technology have made it an essential part of our lives, and foreign language pedagogy has also its own share. Besides e-mail, e-shopping, e-marketing, and e-commerce, foreign language education occurs in electronic setting, too. With e-learning, it is possible to support foreign language learning through web-based tutorials by creating an interactive environment. Grammar worksheets, vocabulary practices, reading and writing tasks, speaking activities and many other exercises can be prepared and assessed electronically, by giving a chance to the EFL students to study at their own places and paces. This study is aimed at assessing the effectiveness of an e-learning tutorial, MyElt, a supplement of the coursebook 'Life' by National Geographic from both EFL students' and EFL teachers' perspectives. 203 EFL preparation (prep) class students and 6 EFL teachers working in Fırat University participated in this study. The EFL students' perception of e-learning has been investigated through a questionnaire, an EFL group of 20 students has been observed and minute papers (4 times in total) have been collected with the guidance of the researcher. The EFL students have stated that, despite technological problems, they are satisfied with e-learning via online assignments. Moreover, they have added that online assignments give them the opportunity to study at any place and time. The perceptions of the EFL teachers about e-learning have been investigated through interviews. The results show that the EFL teachers have positive attitudes towards e-learning in general. The EFL teachers have stated that online assignments are enjoyable and they motivate their students towards foreign language learning. As a result it has been ascertained that with e-learning, authentic materials supported with visual and audial aids are made available at the EFL students' disposal, It has also been cocluded that creating a new curriculum in which e-learning is covered can make foreign language learning more effective. Key Words: E-learning, interactive environment, online assignment, technology, webbased tutorials