Teacher Education in Computer-Assisted Language Learning : A Sociocultural and Linguistic Perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 146-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francis Bangou ◽  
Gene Vasilopoulos

This article experiments with creativity, ambiguity, design thinking, research, and teacher education in computer-assisted language learning within the development of a distance teacher education course on computer-assisted language learning. By deploying philosophy of immanence, the associated agencements of teacher becoming in computer-assisted language learning, and design thinking, this article generates new ways of thinking about creativity, ambiguity, design thinking, language-teacher education, and research. Data collection included course materials, student interviews, and assignments. The paper uses rhizoanalysis to map affective connections within the research agencement, highlighting potential for transformation. It presents vignettes to palpate, disrupt, and encourage further concept creation.


2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Motteram

This paper explores three research projects conducted by the writer and others with a view to demonstrating the importance of effective theory and methodology in the analysis of teaching situations where Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), teacher practice and teacher education meet. It argues that there is a tendency in the field of teacher education for CALL to make use of what might be considered quite traditional research methodology, often drawing on research traditions not connected to teacher education. In teacher education and CALL, research theory is quite often drawn from the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), which despite its connection with CALL, is less relevant to the specific combined demands of researching teacher education for CALL. At the same time we are seeing some moves in recent publications and conference presentations towards the use of sociocultural theories as part of an analysis of CALL teacher practices and teacher education for CALL. In this paper, I argue that this is a positive step in the direction of establishing teacher education for CALL as a more mature field of enquiry. In order to avoid the pitfalls of inappropriate research methodology, the paper then presents an argument for a range of methodologies, chosen on the basis of a fashioning of research instruments (Czarniawska 1998), or a ‘bricolage’ (Levi-Strauss 1962/1966) that enables us – in conjunction with the theory – to explore different teaching situations in an informed and effective way.


2011 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdelilah Salim Sehlaoui

A review of the relevant literature strongly suggests that many, if not most, English as a Second or Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) teacher education programmes typically utilize concepts of culture and strategies for teaching and learning that are open to some cogent, but constructive, critiques from the perspective of critical educational theory. In addition, according to Wise (1995), throughout the last ten years the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education has required that colleges of teacher education must integrate technology into their curricula. In fact, ESL/EFL teacher education programmes are increasingly incorporating computer-based technologies and software into their curricula. However, this integration is often done in ways that seem to leave unquestioned the potential cultural and hegemonic ramifications of such technology (see, for example, Bowers, 1988; Jones, 1995; Morton, 1996; Murray, 1997; Sehlaoui, 1999).DOI:10.1080/0968776010090306 


2007 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-68

07–76Banister, Savilla, Rachel A. Vannatta & Cynthia Ross (Bowling Green State U, USA), Testing electronic portfolio systems in teacher education: Finding the right fit. Action in Teacher Education (Association of Teacher Educators), 27.4 (2005), 81–90.07–77Carroll, David M. (Western Washington U, USA), Developing joint accountability in university–school teacher education partnerships. Action in Teacher Education (Association of Teacher Educators), 27.4 (2005), 3–11.07–78Clarke, Marie & Sheelagh Drudy (U College Dublin, Ireland), Teaching for diversity, social justice and global awareness. European Journal of Teacher Education (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 29.3 (2006), 371–386.07–79Farrell, Thomas (Brock U, Canada; [email protected]), ‘The teacher is an octopus’: Uncovering pre-service English language teachers’ prior beliefs through metaphor analysis problems. RELC Journal (Sage) 37.2 (2006), 236–248.07–80Fox, Rebecca K. (George Mason U, USA) & Rosario Diaz-Greenberg, Culture, multiculturalism, and foreign/world language standards in U.S. teacher preparation programs: Toward a discourse of dissonance. European Journal of Teacher Education (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 29.3 (2006), 401–422.07–81Hampel, Regine & Ursula Stickler (The Open U, UK), New skills for new classrooms: Training tutors to teach languages online. Computer Assisted Language Learning (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 18.4 (2005), 311–326.07–82Harrison, Judy, Hal McAffee, Gary Smithey & Charles Weiner (Henderson State U, USA), Assessing candidate disposition for admission into teacher education: Can just anyone teach?Action in Teacher Education (Association of Teacher Educators), 27.4 (2005), 72–80.07–83Hubbard, Philip (Stanford U, USA), A review of subject characteristics in CALL research. Computer Assisted Language Learning (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 18.5 (2005), 351–368.07–84Humphrey, Neil (U Manchester, UK), Paul Bartolo, Peter Ale, Colin Calleja, Thomas Hofsaess, Vera Janikova, Annemieke Mol Lous, Vida Vilkiene & Gun-Marie Wetso, Understanding and responding to diversity in the primary classroom: An international study. European Journal of Teacher Education (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 29.3 (2006), 305–318.07–85Jones, Phyllis (U South Florida, USA; [email protected]),Elizabeth West & Dana Stevens, Nurturing moments of transformation in teachers – Comparative perspectives on the challenges of professional development. British Journal of Special Education (Blackwell) 33.2 (2006), 82–90.07–86Kyriakides, Leonidas, Demetris Demetriou & Charalambos Charalambous (U Cyprus, Cyprus), Generating criteria for evaluating teachers through teacher effectiveness research. Educational Research (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 48.1 (2006), 1–20.07–87O'Donnell, James & Robert Gallegos (New Mexico State U, USA), Project MOVEMOS: A university–public school collaboration. Action in Teacher Education (Association of Teacher Educators), 27.4 (2005), 12–22.07–88Singh, Gurmit ([email protected]) & Jack Richards, Teaching and learning in the language teacher education course room: A critical sociocultural perspective. RELC Journal (Sage) 37.2 (2006), 149–175.07–89Varghese, Manka M. (U Washington, Seattle, USA), Bilingual teachers-in-the-making in Urbantown. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development (Multilingual Matters) 27.3 (2006), 211–224.07–90Wolyie Hussein, Jeylan(Haramaya U, Ethiopia), Hopes and challenges in using action research: The outcome of attempting to help in-service teachers learn how to design, evaluate and use reading comprehension questions collaboratively. Educational Action Research (Routledge/Taylor & Francis) 14.3 (2006), 377–393.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramia DIRAR SHEHADEH MUSMAR

Integrating scaffolding-learning technologies has been recognized for its potential to create intellectual and engaging classroom interactions. In the United Arab Emirates, having language teachers employ computers as a medium of new pedagogical instrument for teaching second languages generated the idea of Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) as a medium of an innovative pedagogical instrument for facilitating and scaffolding language learning, with an aspiration that it will lead to improved English language attainment and better assessment results. This study aims at investigating the perspectives of students and teachers on the advantageous and disadvantageous impacts of CALL on learning and teaching English as a second language in one public school in the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The results show that CALL has a facilitating role in L2 classroom and that using CALL activities is advantageous in reducing English learning tension, boosting motivation, catering for student diversity, promoting self-directed language learning and scaffolding while learning English. The results additionally report that numerous aspects like time constraints, teachers’ unsatisfactory computer skills, insufficient computer facilities, and inflexible school courses undesirably affect the implementation of CALL in English classrooms. It is recommended that further studies should be undertaken to investigate the actual effect of CALL on students’ language proficiency. 


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document