Exploring teachers’ professional development through participation in virtual exchange

ReCALL ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Robert O’Dowd ◽  
Melinda Dooly

Abstract Virtual exchange (VE) is an umbrella term used to refer to the engagement of groups of students in sustained online intercultural interaction and collaboration with international partners under the guidance of their teachers. In the computer-assisted language learning literature, telecollaboration and eTandem approaches to VE have been researched extensively. However, this research has principally focused to date on learner gains and the impact on teachers has been much less explored. This paper identifies the impact of VE on foreign language teachers’ practices and their professional development by examining the results of a qualitative study of 31 teacher trainers who engaged their classes in VE projects as part of a large-scale European project. The findings of the study suggest that participation in VE projects provides teachers with valuable experience in continued professional development and methodological innovation. In particular, VE was seen to open up opportunities for teachers to develop new professional partnerships, collaborative academic initiatives, to develop their own online collaboration skills, and also to introduce more innovative approaches in their current teaching practice.

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 1127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Hedayati ◽  
Bronwyn Reynolds ◽  
Andy Bown

This study investigated and identified the common computer-assisted language learning (CALL) teacher training types in the Iranian private language schools (PLSs), and their effectiveness in shaping and encouraging teachers’ use of new technologies. An exploratory mixed method approach was employed, and a total of 86 Iranian EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers participated in this study. The results indicated that teachers were primarily self-trained, in the absence of comprehensive CALL training provided by either PLSs or teacher training courses offered at university level. It was concluded that self-training had resulted in subsequent sporadic and non-systematic use of CALL by teachers.


Author(s):  
Maria João Marçalo ◽  
Maria do Céu Fonseca ◽  
Ana Alexandra Silva

Este artículo pretende explorar el Aprendizaje de Lenguas Asistido por Ordenador (CALL, Computer-Assisted Language Learning) en Portugal. Para ello, se centrará en el nivel de educación superior. La escasa explotación del CALL en Portugal ha sido ampliamente estudiado en varios informes, por ejemplo, el informe encargado por la UE titulado The Impact of Information and Communications Technologies on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and on the Role of Teachers of Foreign Languages (2002: 5): "The use and employment of ICT in FLT and FLL is far from satisfactory, as ICT resources are traditionally reserved for '(computer) science‘ subjects, and rarely assigned to arts subjects. A general lack of appropriate training of language teachers in meaningful uses of ICT tends to strengthen this trend". Este artículo abordará dichas necesidades centrándose en los resultados de proyectos europeos como POOLS. Analizaremos cuestiones relativas a los materiales en línea que pueden utilizarse para desarrollar contenidos de clases de lengua, hacienda uso de las ventajas del e-Learning.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Miguel Dos Santos

<p>The<strong> </strong>purpose of the research is to explore the development of peer-observation programme for the use of an extension language school in Hong Kong. The research objectives were to explore teachers’ perceptions on a peer observation programme as a means to improve teaching practice, examine how teachers make sense of the peer observation programme after they have taken part in it and to suggest alternative approaches and measures by which schools can improve peer observation programmes in schools.</p><p>Data was collected from six teachers who participated in peer observation programme in Hong Kong through an interview process. The research has found out that peer observation can be a good tool for continuous professional development for teachers in order to develop their teaching strategies. This is especially important within the field of language education. From the analysis, most teachers are wary of the practicalities of peer observation due to the sensitivity that is associated with it. The research also found out that teachers think that if the peer observation approach is well developed, it can be potentially interesting or generate excitement among teachers.</p>


Neofilolog ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 28-41
Author(s):  
Krystyna Droździał-Szelest

Innovation in language education, just as in any other discipline, is connected with changes whose primary goal is to make the process of language learning/language teaching more efficient. Examples of such innovations include, for instance, task based instruction, computer assisted language learning or the use of portfolio as a means of assessment.Innovation implies a new, qualitatively different perception of the language learning/ language teaching process, roles of teachers and learners, use of materials etc., hence it is believed to constitute a challenge for language teachers and their professionalism. The present article is an attempt to answer the question whether and to what extent the language teaching profession is actually prepared to deal with innovation.


Author(s):  
Hongmei Han ◽  
◽  
Jinghua Wang

This study explores the impact of teacher learning community on EFL teachers’ professional development. The participants are 17 EFL teachers from Hebei University in China. A year-long study was conducted on these teachers' group leaning activities through participatory observation and in-depth interviews. The preliminary results are as follows: 1) Generally speaking, through conversation, interaction and online peer evaluation in learning community, participant teachers have improved professionally in terms of critical thinking, academic writing, reflective thinking and research awareness; 2) In learning activities of the community, the experienced teachers focused more on the construction of knowledge regarding research methodology, through interaction with others and participation in teaching-based research activities, to reconstruct their knowledge about teaching and research; while the novice teachers placed more emphasis on the reconstruction of knowledge regarding pedagogical theories and the way these theories are applied in teaching practice, through social interaction with other teachers.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Javed Iqbal Mirani ◽  
Shokat Ali Lohar ◽  
Abdul Razaque Lanjwani Jat ◽  
Muhammad Faheem

The use of computer technology has become compulsory in education particularly in foreign language teaching and learning. It is known as Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). Language teachers and learners usually take more interest to utilize technology like mobile phone, computer, and internet in their teaching and learning. CALL has unlocked innovative dimensions in learning. Further, CALL offers advanced learning and teaching methods such as Audio–Video, Cognitive and Communicative approaches. Learning with help of CALL improves students’ cognitive and communicative abilities more as compare to traditional methods of teaching and learning. Cognitive learning makes learner responsible for his own learning and communicative approach improves learner communication skills in the language. It is necessary to consider major aspects of CALL. This paper discusses detail information about Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). The overview focus is especially on the development of CALL, Challenges and Future Impact on language teaching and learning.


ReCALL ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-4
Author(s):  
THIERRY CHANIER

This special issue offers a selection of papers presented at the 1999 annual EUROCALL conference, held last September in Besançon, France. Although CALL has a deep rooted tradition in France, EUROCALL’99 was the first large scale international CALL conference to take place in this country. Initiated by the European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning and the French speaking CALL journal ALSIC (2000), the conference attracted more than 370 full participants coming from 30 countries.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 210-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Rahimi ◽  
Samira Mouri

This study aimed to explore the impact of computer-assisted language learning on Iranian EFL students’ vocabulary learning. Participants of the study were 76 students – 29 males and 47 females – learning English as a foreign language in Parto, Sadr, Poyesh and Andishe Institutes in Ahvaz who were selected after taking the Nelson English Language Test as a proficiency test. They were randomly divided into two groups. One group was taken as control and the other as experimental group. Both groups participated in the teacher-made test of vocabulary, Vocabulary Levels Test (VLT), and Word-Associates Test (WAT) as pre-test. During class sessions the control group was taught the vocabulary, in the conventional way, through the printed textbook while the experimental group taught by the software version of the same book. Three ANCOVAs were run to compare the performance of experimental and control groups after the treatment period. The results of the ANCOVAs revealed that using vocabulary learning software was more effective than using printed book on vocabulary learning, vocabulary breadth, and vocabulary depth of the participants. The results of the present study could help EFL course book designers, foreign language institutes, educational planners, material developers, teachers, and learners to provide a better context for EFL learning. Keywords: computer-assisted instruction, computer-assisted language learning, information communication technology, vocabulary breadth, vocabulary teaching software.  


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