Exploring the Role of Technology through Collaborative Learning in Ecuadorian Language Education

Abstract

In order to resemble the real world outside the classroom, more and more institutions find it essential to implement technology into their teaching practices as learners make great use of it in their daily lives and are expected to use it in their future careers. As a consequence, the role of technology in second language education has become the focus of several studies in the last years. These studies have resulted in the finding of multiple benefits such as the increase of learners™ motivation, an approach to authentic and meaningful communication, among others. Unfortunately, most of the studies on the use of technology in second language education have been performed in developed countries (e.g. Japan, Australia, USA), which become the perfect scenario to conduct a sound research due to all of the elements these settings count on. Therefore, it becomes essential to determine whether these models can be implemented in Latin American settings and how feasible these will be due to the limited resources which public institutions usually rely on. Â This paper aims to review past research on the implementation of technology of EFL classrooms. Due to the broad scope, the use of technology implies and reluctance of more traditional instructors to include it, this literature-based research was limited to studies combining a technological feature with collaborative learning, another strong teaching approach in second language education. As a result, many advantages were found to the potential replication of these models in the Ecuadorian EFL classroom. Similarly, some criteria were developed to properly assess their feasibility for a more accurate outcome of the potential effectiveness of these models in the Ecuadorian EFL classrooms. Gruba and Hinkelman™s (2012) four considerations in the development of blended approaches to language learning were used as a reference to evaluate previous studies according to our needs. To conclude, some recommendations were made for future research on the topic.