CALL Course Design for Second Language Learning

Abstract

The study presented in this chapter investigated the impact of computers and the Internet on both the achievement of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) and their attitudes toward learning EFL. The field study took place at a University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where first year students study English 101, a compulsory English language course. Thirty students were randomly selected to study in an alternative EFL course using computers, the Internet and collaborative activities within a constructivist framework. Another group of 38 students was also randomly selected to be the control group. These students attended English 101 taught using traditional teaching aids and the grammar-translation teaching method. The study was 13 weeks long. The findings of the study indicate a strong positive shift in the subjects’ attitude and motivation toward learning EFL after using the new technology-based approach. As to the subjects’ language achievement, the treatment group outperformed the control group by 30%. These findings provide strong support for the effectiveness of a technology-enhanced learning environment for second language teaching and learning.