Reading for Week 8

Drawing on your experience at your university, where do the language learning tasks (ideally that involve IT) fall on the flexibility continuum? Give one or more examples to illustrate. Can tasks that are "liberated" or "free" be easily incorporated into your teaching?

In my university both the closed (Point 4) and liberated (point 2) tasks are used in the English lessons.
These tasks are adopted in two types of computer-based lessons. Both of the lessons fall into the scope of Synchronous learning (SL), where is teaching and learning emphasizing an interaction between individuals or groups that occurs in real time.
In the first type of lessons (three hours per week), the class is organized in the same way as those outside the computer labs. Computers and other machines are used in only to support or simulate lectures, case discussions, classroom interactions and real-time discussions. In such classes the tasks are rather un-flexible.
However, in the second type of lessons, students are asked to attend to the lecture in the afternoon (one hour and a half per week), log into the computer, and conduct self study online. The teacher will also be present for answering questions or consultation. In such courses no particular curriculum is designed officially. Students can set their own study goal according to their level and interest. Thus the tasks fulfilled are quite free in nature.
With closed tasked students may be interactive in class to practice cooperative learning. Yet due to individual differences the convergent tasks may make some students feel un challenged while others nervous as the tasks are beyond them. On the other hand, though the free tasks may suit students of different levels, it requires great autonomy. Therefore incorporating the two types of tasks may better facilitate the progress of students.