Development Of Computer-assisted Language Learning Research Articles

The road System travelled: Five decades of technology in language education

Given that System is an internationally recognized journal dedicated to “the applications of educational technology and applied linguistics to problems of foreign language teaching and learning”, it is interesting to examine the role that technology has played in the journal’s evolution. Furthermore, investigating the interdependence between the development of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and the evolution of System could provide valuable insights on the dynamic relationship between the advancements in educational technology and the scholarly discourse within System, illustrating how technological advancements have influenced the content and focus of the journal over time.

Considerations for the Development of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Teacher Training Course: A Practical Experience from a Call Course Development in Indonesia

The need for technology training for teachers will keep on growing in line with the development of technology itself. Although technology nowadays is more and more user friendly and may need no specific training on how to use it, teachers need to possess the knowledge that underpins the idea of using it for teaching and learning process. Teachers need to have solid pedagogical knowledge on how to use the technology to deliver contents to their students. Therefore, a technology-training course for teachers is always necessary. This paper presents the partial results of a design based study/research (DBR) on the development of online technology training for teachers with focus on CALL in Indonesia. Questions regarding factors affecting online CALL course and ways to improve the course in terms of training materials, activities, as well as the administration of the training are addressed in the study. Based on the study, some considerations on how to design such technology-training course are proposed. The considerations are ranging from aspects associated with technology competence for teacher standards, constructivism in online learning, adult learning theory, online instructional models, the technology, pedagogy and content knowledge (TPACK) framework and open educational resources (OER). Information regarding those aspects will be useful to assist other CALL teacher training course developers later to inform their decision in the development of the course which is based on a good theoretical understanding as well as highly practical in learning activities

Considerations for the Development of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) Teacher Training Course: A Practical Experience from a Call Course Development in Indonesia

The need for technology training for teachers will keep on growing in line with the development of technology itself. Although technology nowadays is more and more user friendly and may need no specific training on how to use it, teachers need to possess the knowledge that underpins the idea of using it for teaching and learning process. Teachers need to have solid pedagogical knowledge on how to use the technology to deliver contents to their students. Therefore, a technology-training course for teachers is always necessary. This paper presents the partial results of a design based study/research (DBR) on the development of online technology training for teachers with focus on CALL in Indonesia. Questions regarding factors affecting online CALL course and ways to improve the course in terms of training materials, activities, as well as the administration of the training are addressed in the study. Based on the study, some considerations on how to design such technology-training course are proposed. The considerations are ranging from aspects associated with technology competence for teacher standards, constructivism in online learning, adult learning theory, online instructional models, the technology, pedagogy and content knowledge (TPACK) framework and open educational resources (OER). Information regarding those aspects will be useful to assist other CALL teacher training course developers later to inform their decision in the development of the course which is based on a good theoretical understanding as well as highly practical in learning activities.

Biting the Hand that Feeds Me

Previous attempts to typify the field of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) have focused explicitly on technology or on trends in language pedagogy. This article offers a practical reexamination of CALL's development, as well as its moniker, and its fundamental best practices. The expression, CALL, is deemed inadequate to describe our field, for reasons including overemphasis on computers and underemphasis on the role of the instructor. E-language learning and teaching is proposed as a preferred term, one that more clearly describes our field and is therefore more likely to be understood and widely accepted by language educators, educators-at-large, and language learners. Best practices in e-language learning and teaching are described as those which are productive, informative, collaborative, communicative, and aggregative.

A Study of Multimedia Application-based Vocabulary Acquisition

The development of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has created the opportunity for exploring the effects of the multimedia application on foreign language vocabulary acquisition in recent years. This study provides an overview the computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and detailed a developing result of CALL—multimedia. With the application of constructivism theory, the research explores the use of multimedia software to vocabulary acquisition. It presents a case study that uses survey method to explore the interest level of Chinese college students with the multimedia software they worked with and their attitudes towards multimedia application. Another purpose of the thesis is to examine the effectiveness of multimedia application among Chinese EFL learners.

ESL Pre-service Teachers’ Perceptions on the Use of Paragraph Punch in Teaching Writing

The development of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) provides broad opportunities in teaching English in ESL countries. Given the rapid development in computer applications, it is important to look at how these applications can be used in language teaching specifically for writing skills. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the pre-service teachers’ perceptions of a writing software called ‘Paragraph Punch’ as a tool for assisting beginner writers. This software is designed to help learners of English as a second language to develop and organise paragraphs in essay writing. This paper provides an overview of the development of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) over the years, and the background and features of Paragraph Punch. Data for this study have been gathered from third-year TESL students in a state university in Malaysia using a questionnaire survey to elicit their views on the use of Paragraph Punch as a potential writing tool. The descriptive analysis of the data showed that the (i) respondents have a positive view towards Paragraph Punch as a potential writing tool, (ii) Paragraph Punch is more suited for beginner writers, and (iii) the software can still be improved in terms of interactivity and layout to enhance writing. The findings have been discussed with regard to ESL writing.

Computer-Assisted Language Learning: Context and Conceptualization

So far the development of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) has been fragmented. The points of departure for CALL projects have been enormously varied, and when the projects have been written up, they rarely refer to those that have gone before. Michael Levy addresses this shortcoming, setting CALL work into a context, both historical and interdisciplinary. He is the first person in the field to consider CALL as a body of work. He also aims to identify themes and patterns of development that relate contemporary CALL to earlier projects. The author goes on to explore how CALL practitioners have conceptualized the use of the computer in language teaching and learning. He achieves this through a detailed review of the literature, and through the results of an international CALL survey, where key CALL practitioners from 18 countries respond to questions on aspects of CALL materials development. Drawn from this rich source of information on actual CALL practice, Michael Levy analyses and expands on a tutor-tool framework. He shows this to be of value for a better understanding of methodology, integration of CALL into the curriculum, the role of the teacher and learner, and evaluation. This book is intended for researchers and teachers in Applied Linguistics with an interest in Computer-Assisted Language Learning, particularly those want a detailed overview of the field or who are involved in a CALL project.