Projections: From a Graduate TELL Class to the Practical World of L2 Teachers

Abstract

Our action research study used a mixed design to explore the experiences of 90 pre- and in-service ESL, foreign language (FL), and bilingual teachers in studying and incorporating technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) in their classrooms. Through focus on a TELL graduate course, we considered participants' expectations, experiences, and recommendations as the course evolved and after 1-3 subsequent years in the field. Data sources included pre- and postcourse questionnaires and interview data. The study revealed that students arrive in the course with differing levels of TELL knowledge and goals. While most participants perceived a dramatic increase in TELL knowledge after the course, in-service and preservice teachers had contrasting expectations. Preservice teachers, for example, sometimes began with unrealistic goals. Current teaching environments proved important, as did target population grade level and proficiency. The frustration of teaching with limited computer access was frequently mentioned by public school teachers, and FL teachers requested more specific attention to computer-based materials in the target language. Teachers of adults cited the challenge of using technology with older learners, who sometimes had low L1 and L2 literacy and were resistant to computer use. Our goal is to better align course participants' personal expectations with the skills and materials that they will need in the classroom.