"Application of Bax Normilasation in Saudi Arabia: The how!"

Stephan Bax argues that, "Our aim should be to attain a state of `normalisation' in which the technology is invisible and truly integrated"

- Paraphrasing of Bax's article:

CALL was divided into three phases which are "behaviouristic", "communicative" and "integrative". Despite that, Steven changed the term "phases" into "approaches". He said that they were not in three different histrical times so they should not be called "phases". After that, he started to change the whole names of the three approaches. First, he changed the "behaviouristic approach" into the" restricted approach" because he believed that this term is more accurate. Second, he called the "communicative CALL" as the "open CALL" because it is open to all the dimensions. Third, he made the "integrative CALL" becomes the "integrated CALL" and the reason is he thinks that it represents a goal to which we should be working.Then Steven say that , we did not reach "normalisation" yet. He said that we will reach that point when technology becomes a part of our daily life .
He also listed stages of normalization:  

   ·         Early Adopters. A few teachers and schools adopt the technology out

curiosity.

  ·         Ignorance/scepticism. However, most people are sceptical, or ignorant of its

existence.

    ·         Try once. People try it out but reject it because of early problems. They can’t

see its value—it doesn’t appear to add anything of ‘relative advantage’

(Rogers, 1995).

      ·         Try again. Someone tells them it really works. They try again. They see it does

in fact have relative advantage. 24 S. Bax / System 31 (2003) 13–28

 ·         Fear/awe. More people start to use it, but still there is (a) fear, alternating

with (b) exaggerated expectations.

       ·         Normalizing. Gradually it is seen as something normal.

       ·          Normalization.   

         How to apply these changes on our Saudi context ? 

      I think we as a Saudi community we can apply that ’’ Normalization’’  in our context .Computers are available in each and every place around us .We use it a lot  in many parts of our life but unfortunately  we didn’t  use  it  as  a  part of  our education since years ago . I believe we are able to  include technology in our education since we have all the factors and materials to make such a technological  educational  environment .

      

      Before six  years ago learning were based on teacher’s   traditional way of controlling . Nowadays , schools  started  to  use  computer or  Tecnological devices in teaching .  Even so  , we still  did not reach the normalization which Steven Bax mentioned . To do so , we need many  process , teacher should avoid using the regular ways of teaching during her /his class and try to use PowerPoint . Even the students should have the chance to present their works by using applications and giving them some speace to express themselves and their thougths through some social Network . At the end I can say, it is not easy  to change , but if we work together as one community involve teachers and students , we will reach it Ansha Allaha . ^_^  

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