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Table 2.1 Main Internet Features
Features Examples
What You Can Do Asynchronous computer-
mediated communication E-mail
Web bulletin boards Write a message for others to
read later Synchronous computer-
mediated communication Chat rooms
Instant messaging Videoconferencing
Communicative in real time with others who are on-line at
the same time Hypertext
World Wide Web Access and publish
multimedia documents with clickable links to other
documents Taken from Internet for English Teaching, Warschauer et al., 2000
The features of the Internet provide a tool for information processing and communication whether for asynchronous communication with a delayed message
system, synchronous communication with all users logged on and chatting at the same time, or hypertext information processing with easy access to an
unprecedented amount of authentic target-language information.
2.1.2.1 Asynchronous Computer-mediated Communication
Warschauer et al. 2000: 2 stated that “asynchronous computer-mediated communication refers to computer-mediated communication that takes place in a
delayed fashion; in other words, the people communicating do not need to be sitting at the computer at the same time”. The examples of asynchronous computer-mediated
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communication are e-mail and web bulletin boards. Many places, institutions, schools, universities, companies, organizations, etc have e-mail address nowadays.
By providing e-mail address, they can have better communication with the others or worldwide. People can contact them through the e-mail, whether for seeking further
information, complaining, sharing information, etc. We can communicate easily with our friends by sending e-mail to each other, no need to go to the post office anymore.
E-mail is not only sending messages in text but also can be used to send pictures, sound files, videos, word-processed documents, and even computer software.
Warschauer et al. 2000: 3 mentioned that “no matter what else you can do on the Internet, communicating with friends and colleagues remains the most popular Net-
based activity, and nothing beats the convenience of doing so via e-mail”.
2.1.2.2 Synchronous Computer-mediated Communication
On contrary to asynchronous computer-mediated communication, synchronous computer-mediated communication refers to computer-mediated
communication that takes place the people communicating need to be sitting at the computer at the same time. Warschauer et al. 2000: 3 stated that “messages are sent
instantly, and communication takes place live, as on a telephone”. This real-time communication is not only with text but also with voice or video. It has provided
alternative communication in a modest cost. This feature has also provided language
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learners authentic communication and interaction, in which it helps language learners to improve language proficiency.
2.1.2.3 Hypertext or World Wide Web
