An Evaluation of English Language Teaching Courseware in Malaysia

This study included a qualitative analysis of the content of the teaching courseware that was developed by the Curriculum Development Center of the Ministry of Education in 2003. The objective of the study was to determine efficacy of the courseware from the perspective of learning-teaching. The results indicated that most of the lessons selected for analysis followed a traditionally linear approach. Furthermore, an analysis of the roles of the learner, the teacher and the courseware showed that the courseware had a domineering role throughout the lesson, instructing, modeling and providing feedback. The teacher’s role was reduced to that of a computer operator while the learners followed the instructions of the courseware and were seldom prompted to initiate any communication activity without the stimulus provided by the teaching courseware. The analysis of the data also revealed that the courseware had a lopsided focus on the language skills. Finally, it was found that presenting the materials in the courseware would require a considerably longer time than what is recommended by the courseware developers. The findings of the study may prove helpful for the developers of the courseware in improving its quality in its future revisions