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Previous research has documented that students' reading comprehension performance in learning English as a foreign language (EFL) differs greatly between mobile-assisted and paper-based reading. The present study extends previous work by investigating whether reading cognitive load differs between mobile-assisted and paper-based EFL reading processes and exploring whether cognitive load mediates the relationship between reading medium and EFL reading comprehension performance. The instruments used are reading comprehension tests and questionnaire surveys administered to a sample of 191 first-year college students. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicates that cognitive load is significantly greater for mobile-assisted EFL reading than for paper-based EFL reading. In addition, structural equation modeling analyses indicate that cognitive load fully mediates the relationships between medium and reading comprehension performance; these mediation effects are independent of the level of English language proficiency. These results imply that cognitive load is a pivotal factor influencing students' reading comprehension across media. Reasons for differences in reading cognitive load and its role as a mediator are discussed. Recommendations for promoting students' reading experience on mobile phones are provided.

The issues of whether mobile-assisted English as a foreign language (EFL) reading is effective have become increasingly important for EFL teachers and policy-makers. However, empirical studies investigating EFL students' reading comprehension performance on mobile phones and students' perceptions of these reading formats are lacking. The present research employed questionnaire surveys and semistructured interviews to investigate whether differences exist between mobile-assisted and paper-based EFL reading in terms of participants' reading comprehension accuracy, reading speed, and reading strategy used (i.e. general, problem-solving or support strategies) and explore EFL learners' perceptions of mobile-assisted EFL reading. A sample of 81 first-year college students participated in a quasiexperiment, 6 participants participated in a semistructured interview, and a sample of an additional 10 students participated in a pilot study. The analyses, including qualitative descriptions, mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA), paired-sample t-tests, and independent-sample t-tests, indicated that participants achieved superior reading comprehension accuracy when reading from printed paper compared to reading from mobile phones. Superior reading speed from paper was observed only when participants were instructed to read and complete the comprehension test the first time, while no difference in speed between the two reading media was observed the second time. Additionally, participants' use of reading strategies during mobile-assisted EFL reading was not as effective as that during paper reading. Regarding participants' preferences, most participants (79%) preferred reading from paper over mobile phones because hard copies provided a better reading experience and promoted active reading engagement. However, participants held positive attitudes toward mobile-assisted EFL learning and wanted to continue to read from mobile phones to assist their foreign language learning due to their convenient built-in functions and portability. The implications for the use of mobile devices to assist language pedagogical practice are discussed.

Previous research has documented that students' reading comprehension performance in learning English as a foreign language (EFL) differs greatly between mobile-assisted and paper-based reading. The present study extends previous work by investigating whether reading cognitive load differs between mobile-assisted and paper-based EFL reading processes and exploring whether cognitive load mediates the relationship between reading medium and EFL reading comprehension performance. The instruments used are reading comprehension tests and questionnaire surveys administered to a sample of 191 first-year college students. A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicates that cognitive load is significantly greater for mobile-assisted EFL reading than for paper-based EFL reading. In addition, structural equation modeling analyses indicate that cognitive load fully mediates the relationships between medium and reading comprehension performance; these mediation effects are independent of the level of English language proficiency. These results imply that cognitive load is a pivotal factor influencing students' reading comprehension across media. Reasons for differences in reading cognitive load and its role as a mediator are discussed. Recommendations for promoting students' reading experience on mobile phones are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study is reported of the performance and attainment of 32 students from overseas studying elementary Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) in a Chinese university. With an AB-BA design, they were asked to use two forms of writing media to present two essays: one a word-processed essay entitled "My Favourite Female" and the other a conventional hand-written essay entitled "My Favourite Male". The essays were marked by experienced Chinese language experts and the learners' impression of using each type of writing medium was gathered via questionnaires and interviews. Inferential statistics showed that the students performed significantly better when using a word-processor, and they thought that completing writing tasks using pencil-and-paper and word-processors were markedly different. Most of them felt that their work was more professional when produced on a word-processor. A small number of students considered that writing by hand in Chinese was aesthetically pleasing, but they appreciated the convenience of writing in words spelled and written correctly by the computer. Inter-marker consistency was more homogeneous for essays written on the computer. In conclusion, word-processors are suggested as the preferred writing medium for beginning learners of CFL.

The writing process has traditionally been seen "as a lonely journey" to typify the lack of support that students experience for writing outside the classroom. This paper examines an attempt of The Writing Portal (TWP), a supplementary online writing platform, to support students' writing needs throughout the five stages of the writing process, viz., planning, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Social constructivist principles underpin TWP, which was designed to engender collaboration amongst its student participants. Not only does TWP provide links to evaluated Internet resources and a writing portfolio, but it also features collaboration tools such as the Group Forum, chat, a writing portfolio, a private messaging system, and a comment function for pages or articles created. Thus, it is very much akin to a "one-stop centre" for academic writing within a flexible and supportive environment. In this qualitative case study, 16 third-year TESL pre-service teachers at a Malaysian Teacher Education Institute embarked on a 12-week writing course using TWP. Qualitative data in the form of students' online discourses, task reflections, log files, and digital artefacts were captured to explore how TWP's affordances supported students' writing needs. In addition, Soller's collaborative learning conversation skills (CLCS) taxonomy was used as an analytical framework to investigate the collaborative learning engendered in the online environment. The findings indicate that TWP served its purpose by addressing students' writing needs at all stages of the writing process as they accomplished multiple writing tasks. Additionally, evidence of collaborative learning is evident in three functions of TWP: the Group Forum, chat, and the comments for pages/articles. However, there are differences between the frequencies of the specific skills used for each function. To conclude, TWP appears to be a successful tool at supporting students at all stages of the writing process.

Facebook has best leveraged the rapid technological and societal changes over the past decade to grow into the world's largest social-networking site (SNS). However, research of Facebook has lagged behind other Web 2.0 technologies, particularly in regards to investigating its efficacy versus a control group to improve L2 writing. This study, which involved 30 Japanese university English as a foreign language (EFL) students, aims to fill this gap in the literature by examining three areas of L2 writing, namely--writing fluency, lexical richness, and grammatical accuracy--in an experimental group using Facebook (n = 16) and a control group (n = 14) using paper-and-pencil. Both groups underwent a 12-week treatment of two in-class focused freewritings a week. Three writing assessments were administered at the start, middle, and end of the treatment to assess its effectiveness. Results from the Mann-Whitney test showed that the experimental group made more significant gains in terms of writing fluency. On the other hand, neither group made significant progress in lexical richness nor grammatical accuracy. These findings strengthen previous research in support of the use of Facebook in L2 classes and highlight the need for additional studies comparing Facebook with other writing mediums.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the influences of a six-stage story structure (4S) approach on elementary students' story production. To this end, the 4S approach was developed and realized in the form of paper-based and digital storybooks based on scaffolding theory. Specifically, the students learned the six-stage story structure (i.e. setting, theme, attempt, consequence, climax, and resolution) from a number of stories in the dual tasks (i.e. the use of digital storybook after the use of paper-based storybook) and then applied this structure to create their own stories. To address the influence of the 4S approach, forty-nine fifth-grade students participated in a quasi-experimental study for seven 40-minute sessions over 2 weeks. The students in the Experimental Group using the 4S approach were compared with those in the Control Group without the 4S approach. The findings revealed that the 4S approach helps students' story quality, interests, and attitudes. Some implications and limitations are also discussed in this paper.

This study aims to explore the current published research on Language Massive Open Online Courses (LMOOCs), outlining the types of papers, countries where studies were performed and institutions devoted to this field. Also, it intends to classify the reviewed literature following a general categorisation of MOOCs , and to identify the main trends and topics of interest for LMOOC researchers. Results show that there is still a lack of LMOOC-related articles in CALL (computer assisted language learning) journals, since most of the publications in the period reviewed (2012-18) are conference papers. The country in which most studies have been done so far is Spain and Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) is currently the most active institution in this area. Within the taxonomy established, the most popular categories of studies focused on LMOOC participants or providers and case studies. Systematic review of the published literature indicated that research trends in LMOOCs studies comprise: 1) conceptualisation of LMOOCs and their distinctive features; 2) attempts to find the most suitable model for language teaching and learning beyond the xMOOC/cMOOC dichotomy; 3) suitability of LMOOCs for languages for specific purposes (LSP) courses; 4) focus on the learners and their motivation and experience throughout the course; 5) reflection on the new role of the teacher; 6) instructional design and how it affects participants' learning and possible attrition; and 7) importance of social learning in LMOOCs. Nevertheless, LMOOCs is still an emerging field in need of further serious studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including synchronous communication, initial-level learners' acquisition of oral skills and online interaction of Malaysian postgraduate students.

The article reflects on use of persuasive and ill-defined terms and use of ‘virtual' is justified in the context of online exchanges. It mentions telecollaboration is an online intercultural communication and collaborative learning with a view to developing linguistic, social, intercultural, and digital competences. It also mentions need to follow and analyze this evolution with frequency tools, quantitative linguistics, concordancer, and corpora in slavery.

This research uses the theoretical framework of CALL normalisation developed by Bax (2003) and Chambers and Bax (2006) to offer a systematic review (Gough et al., 2012) of the uses and spread of data-driven learning (DDL) and corpora in language learning and teaching across five major CALL-related journals during the 2011–2015 period. DDL research represented 4.2% of all published papers on CALL during this time frame. The main focus of research was found to be the use of concordancing and collocations when developing university students' writing skills. Contrary to previous research, access to technology was not identified as an impeding factor for normalisation. Syllabus integration and a lack of contribution from language teachers other than researchers emerged as threats to the normalisation of corpora use. Further theorisation is needed if DDL and corpora are to expand their influence on mainstream second language education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including anatomised computer-assisted language learning, use of the Writing Portal online writing platform by language students, and teaching English language to Korean students.

Previous reading research on incidental word learning as product and process has largely employed computer- or paper-based delivery methods. The present study uses a novel combination of offline and online measures to examine the effects of mobile media (mobile phone and tablet) compared to traditional media (paper and computer) on incidental L2 word learning from reading at three stages: the acquisition outcome, the acquisition process, and the posttest recall. One hundred fifty-six participants were assigned to one of the four media conditions with their eye movements recorded. We examined the acquisition outcome using form recognition, meaning recognition, and meaning recall posttests. We examined the acquisition process using summed first fixation duration, summed gaze duration, and summed fixation time. We used response time to examine the posttest recall. Our results show that mobile-assisted reading yielded an equivalent performance in word learning accuracy, allocated visual attention, and response time compared with paper-based reading that still presents a small advantage. Lower performance in one dimension of accuracy and two dimensions of attentional allocation suggest less efficiency in word learning from computer-assisted reading. This study presents a new research direction and cognitive evidence of the effectiveness of mobile-assisted language learning in word learning. We critically discuss the limitations of this study and provide suggestions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overarching goal of this design-based research was to explore WhatsApp's potential for facilitating and supporting speaking and pronunciation instruction in an EFL large-class speaking course. More specifically, this paper explored the perceived learning outcomes of WhatsApp-supported pedagogy in large English-speaking classes. Ninety-nine English students practiced their English by recording themselves, listening to the recordings, and comparing their recordings to native speakers' pronunciation. When satisfied with the quality, they sent their own recordings to a five-member WhatsApp group made up of their classmates. The recordings involved speed reading, singing a song or reading the lyrics aloud, tongue twisters, and making a video summary. Students listened to the recordings of the other four group members and provided feedback on pronunciation. The data were collected via an open-ended survey and individual and focus-group interviews. Qualitative content analysis of the data indicated that the vast majority of the participants reacted positively and mentioned the following major contributions to large speaking classes: (1) educational affordances for pronunciation, speaking, motivation, vocabulary, and reading; and (2) technological affordances, i.e. ease of use and accessibility. The adopted approach supported speaking and pronunciation instruction, specifically through instructor and peer feedback, speed reading, and ease of access. The paper concludes that it is rewarding to unravel WhatsApp's potential as a mobile instant messaging (MIM) tool in large-classes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThe main purpose of this study is to investigate the possibility of designing English textbooks based on the concept of the metaverse and using the new term TechBoox, which is a combination of Technology and Boox (modified from book with a greater emphasis on box as a spatial concept). To achieve this goal, this study documents the creation of TechBoox by a group of 23 pre-service English as a Foreign Language teachers in their teacher training program, who have converted learning content and materials from elementary English paper and digital textbooks into a three-dimensional metaverse platform. Thereafter, the research analyzes the participants’ perceptions and experiences regarding TechBoox ideation and creation. This is done through a qualitative case study approach with refleciton papers and semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest, on the one hand, that TechBoox has the potential to overcome the limitations of the static and two-dimensional nature of traditional textbooks through constructability for enhanced immersion, as well as experiential learning via direct participation in avatar movements. On the other hand, the study identifies the technological limitations of the concept in generating immersive content, access devices, potential distractions, and the novelty effect, which highlights the important role of teachers in the metaverse. Based on the findings, this study highlights the critical role of teacher training initiatives of emerging technology integration in language eudcaiton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by the digital revolution in second language (L2) classrooms and broadened views on literacy, digital multimodal composing (DMC) has gained a robust growth of interests in the past decade. To illuminate the empirical landscape of this budding field, this paper provides a substantive and methodological review of 60 empirical L2 studies on DMC in tertiary settings from 2005 to 2020. Each study was coded for characteristics regarding research context, methodology, study setup features, analyses performed, and the methodological practices. Our findings suggest that with a combination of flourishing qualitative observational research and emerging interventionist studies, this domain features (a) great attention to DMC in language classes, (b) an underrepresentation of non-English classrooms, (c) a preference for video projects over visual projects, and (d)immense efforts in exploring the potential of DMC from learners' perspectives. Also, using a broad range of data sources, this domain relies on analytic frameworks distinct from traditional monomodal L2 writing. Methodologically, we found a strength in the use of two validity strategies (i.e., a thick description and triangulation) and less-than-ideal practices in reporting reliability and learners' proficiency level. We conclude the paper with a number of empirically grounded recommendations for future research efforts. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2021.1942068. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper proposes an updated framework for the evaluation of the computer-assisted language learning (CALL) framework, further developed from Chapelle (2001) and González-Lloret and Ortega (2014). Based on a review of prominent previous CALL evaluation frameworks, an exploration of relevant literature in formal evaluation and my own first-hand practical experience,1 this paper provides an updated computer-mediated task evaluation framework to aid student language learning. The current paper makes use of a hybrid evaluation framework drawing from Chapelle (2001) and González-Lloret and Ortega (2014), identifying and addressing gaps in their frameworks. The proposed CALL framework is based on nine criteria: primary focus on meaning, goal-orientation, learner autonomy, affective dimension, authenticity, reflective learning, learner fit, positive impact, and practicality. The chosen criteria permit the elaboration of an evaluation framework that takes recent research findings on best practices in the design of CALL tasks into account. This paper provides a detailed explanation of the proposed CALL evaluation framework and pedagogical design, which will allow CALL designers and teachers to assess the design and evaluate the effectiveness of their technology-mediated language tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to present a specific case of CALL task design adopting the patterns-based learning design approach. The approach provides a common framework/vocabulary for educational designers, particularly teachers, to systematically capture, articulate, make explicit, share and reuse expert knowledge of teaching and good design. Over the past 10–15 years, considerable advances have been made in both learning design (LD) and learning analytics (LA) research in terms of research outputs. However, the anticipated impact and benefits, e.g. the patterns-based approach, to the everyday practice of teachers and learners have been invisible or mostly unrealized. Research to explore CALL task design with reference to LD and LA is underrepresented in the literature. The aim of this paper is to explain the challenges faced by CALL designers/teachers in task design and reflect on them methodologically with relation to the patterns-based approach. It firstly provides an overview of the CALL task design literature to highlight the gaps and weaknesses in the research and practice, followed by an introduction of the concept of design patterns. This paper then examines three CALL tasks from two current online language learning beginners courses in a New Zealand university, and develops them into design patterns. Explanation of how they were developed and discussion of the possible added value of design pattern to the design of CALL tasks are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWhether stroke order learning facilitates Chinese character writing for Chinese as a Second Language (CSL) learners is a subject of debate both in teaching practice and empirical research. This study employs a self-developed computer-assisted stroke order learning system to explore the effect of stroke order learning on CSL learners’ Chinese character writing by comparing their performance across different stroke order conditions (correct stroke order, random stroke order, and no stroke order) and with characters of different numbers of strokes. The results show that under the correct stroke order condition, CSL learners have higher accuracy in writing characters, especially for characters with fewer strokes. Additionally, there is a trend indicating that correct stroke order may contribute to shortening writing time. The study demonstrates that learning correct stroke order helps CSL learners to write Chinese characters more accurately and possibly more quickly as well; the impact of stroke order on ‘writing correctly’ is greater than on ‘writing quickly.’ Based on empirical findings, this paper advocates for the significance and enhancement of stroke order instruction in teaching Chinese character writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach, this study explored the impact of electronic writing portfolio on writing performance in English as a foreign language (EFL) context. Two intact classes were first selected and randomly assigned to an electronic writing portfolio group (22 EFL students) and a conventional (i.e. paper-based) writing portfolio group (23 EFL students). To collect the quantitative data, timed writing tasks were administered before and after the electronic and conventional writing portfolio courses, and to collect the qualitative data, the students' peer writing mediations were tracked during the courses and an individual semi-structured interview was conducted at the end of the electronic writing portfolio course. One-way ANCOVA and Pearson Chi square were applied to analyse the quantitative data and microgenetic method and thematic analysis were run to analyse the qualitative data. The findings showed both electronic and conventional writing portfolio instructions developed the EFL students' writing performance. In addition, the electronic writing portfolio group outperformed its conventional counterpart in developing writing performance. The qualitative data analyses, used to explain the quantitative findings, further revealed the EFL students' microgenetic development of writing content, writing organisation, and language use in the electronic writing portfolio group, as well as the students' positive perceptions towards the electronic writing portfolio course. Pearson Chi-square analysis also indicated that the distributions of content-, organisation-, and language-related peer writing mediations between the two groups were significantly different which confirmed that the electronic students provided more content-, organisation-, and language-related peer writing mediations during the collaborative writing activities. Practical implications are discussed next. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review maps the scientific literature on social media as a language learning environment published between 2008 and 2019. Over 1,600 journals from the Scopus database were surveyed and 396 documents were analyzed using bibliometric analysis. The findings indicate that this field of interest has exponentially grown in the past 12 years and is likely to progress in the next several years. Although the scientific output is highly concentrated on the ten leading countries, the data also indicates its wide geographical distribution. As the first review to cover the 17 most popular social media platforms, the qualitative analysis of the findings of each study provided overwhelming evidence on the positive impact of social media as a language learning and teaching environment. The paper also reveals that high-profile platforms, such as Facebook, Skype, WhatsApp, and Twitter remain to attract the greatest attention from language learning scholars. This result was attributed to their multiple and flexible communication affordances, wide geographical distribution, and large number of active users. The paper concludes with implications for social media adoption and future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractParticipatory action research (PAR)—the inquiry procedure adopted by researchers who collaborate with communities experiencing injustices to identify workable and evidence-based solutions to existing problems—is not well-known in the area of CALL. Taking the social justice challenges existing in CALL, PAR methodology may be of relevance and importance to CALL researchers-educators committed to initiating change and cultivating social justice in and through CALL. Accordingly, this methodological paper sets out to bring PAR methodology closer to the CALL research community as a type of socially engaged research inquiry. It (re)introduces the notion of social justice in CALL and indicates a range of equity-related challenges and opportunities existing in the field, provides an overview of PAR methodological issues, its foundational principles, and the essential phases, and articulates the relevance of PAR for the CALL research community. The paper ends with an illustration of PAR using an advocacy project conducted by the present author for social justice in L2 education through CALL at her university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research applied a web-based dynamic assessment system, GPAM-WATA system, to help low English achievers to perform self-directed learning of junior high school English grammar. A quasi-experimental design was adopted. A total of 124 seventh graders from four classes participated in this research. Participants were randomly divided into the GPAM-WATA group and the paper-and-pencil test (PPT) group. A total of 33 students were identified as low English achievers, among which 17 belonged to the GPAM-WATA group and the remaining 16 belonged to the PPT group. All participants in the GPAM-WATA and PPT groups performed self-directed learning through the GPAM-WATA and the PPT, respectively. Only 33 low English achievers from both groups took the pre- and post-test of learning achievement assessment and the English learning motivation scale. The research findings reveal that low English achievers in the GPAM-WATA group exhibit significantly better improvement in terms of learning effectiveness than those in the PPT group. Moreover, it is found that the IPs in the GPAM-WATA are effective in compensating for low English achiever's lack of grammatical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA common issue in the second/foreign language (L2) classroom is that teachers’ insights are not often included in the development of CALL materials. To understand how teachers can customize CALL materials that meet the needs of their students, our previous conceptual paper proposed a three-level approach to show how teachers can leverage basic computers skills to categorize pre-existing digital materials to stimulate L2 interaction, namely by using them as-is, modifying them, and/or using online tools to create them from scratch. This one-group mixed-methods study implements these ideas by: (1) examining the types of CALL materials teachers can customize to stimulate L2 interaction, and (2) assessing participants’ perceptions of how they used the approach. The study took place in a CALL teacher training course for eight weeks at an English-speaking university in Montréal and featured readings, lectures, lab sessions, and projects directed at customizing CALL materials. To understand the types of CALL materials participants could customize (goal #1), mixed-methods data were collected in the form of online ESL courses built by participants and a design-choice log where they recorded details about the tools they used, providing an overview of each activity. A reflective discussion was held using the Socratic-Wheel technique to understand how participants used the approach (goal #2). The results indicate that participants customized CALL materials at all three levels, targeting L2 interaction with (e.g. online flashcards) and through (e.g. synchronous messages) computers. Responses from the reflective discussion revealed that participants perceived becoming aware of their abilities in CALL, thus endorsing the pedagogical effectiveness of the approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed a realistic, interactive English blockade-running game that integrates virtual environments and mobile devices to conduct a collaborative and competitive contest to promote English learning among technical college students. In addition, it also explored students' learning effectiveness, perception of peer collaboration, and the use of grouping strategies for collaborative learning. This study adopted a quasi-experimental design and separated 120 participants into four groups (Baseline, Smartphone, Collaborative Learning, and Smartphone + Collaborative Learning). The procedure included the pretest, English blockade-running contest, peer collaboration perception questionnaire, focus interview, and the posttest at the end of the semester. Our findings in terms of learning effectiveness, the Collaborative Learning Group and the Smartphone + Collaborative Learning Group exhibited significant improvements in their scores. In terms of peer collaboration, we also found that the Smartphone + Collaborative Learning Group reported increased perceptions of collaboration in Take Action and Group Organization dimensions when compared with the Collaborative Learning Group. Regarding grouping strategies for collaborative learning, the Smartphone + Collaborative Learning Group used smartphones to ensure continuous communication between team members during both individual and collaborative blockades. Team members performed their respective duties, jointly participated in the contest, and worked together to overcome the challenges of the different blockades. The implications and research limitations are also discussed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a corpus-assisted method for language pedagogy, DDL (data-driven learning) may have the potential to enhance language exposure and promote active learner engagement. Concordancing, or KWIC (Key Words in Context), has been the traditional method used in DDL to retrieve numerous language examples, while the method has limitations with overreliance on individual words to search. This paper aims to propose and promote concordancing alternatively based on grammar patterns, a multi-word concept in corpus linguistics. The conceptualised method is named as PIC (Patterns in Context), an extended form of KWIC. An empirical study was conducted to investigate whether the PIC method has any advantages over the traditional KWIC method, using two custom-built Android apps. The research involved 18 pre-university intermediate learners (and six pilot study participants), who used the apps in a self-directed way for two weeks. Then the assessment of the two apps and methods was conducted based on data from automatic logs and responses from questionnaires and interviews. The results suggest that, compared to KWIC, PIC could be slightly advantageous in efficiently helping learners find the target language use, while this approach seems not strong in user engagement and perceived effectiveness. The implications for DDL are discussed, and further investigation is also planned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper reports on the effectiveness and inclusiveness of human-delivered synchronous written corrective feedback (SWCF) in paired writing tasks. Replicating Yamashita, Study 2 and Study 3 each conducted a classroom-based quasi-experimental study in an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writing program at an American university. In Study 2, 50 learners were assigned to either of the two experimental groups (direct, indirect) or the control group based on their language analytical ability (LAA). All the three groups worked on two in-class computer-mediated animation description tasks in pairs for 50 minutes. The two experimental groups received either direct or indirect SWCF on their uses of the referential articles during the tasks, while the control group did not. Learners' article use was assessed with an animation description test and a sentence rewriting test on a pretest (one week prior to the treatment), posttest (a few days after), and delayed posttest (two weeks after). Inclusiveness of SWCF was explored by examining changes in performance of high LAA and low LAA learners separately. Study 3 recruited another cohort of 51 learners from the same writing program and replicated Study 2 with a modified test in place of the sentence rewriting test. Findings suggested that only the direct group improved to a greater extent than the control group, and this finding was found only in Study 2, potentially questioning the effectiveness of SWCF in this context. However, SWCF improved low LAA learners' article use to a comparable extent to high LAA learners, contributing to inclusive classroom teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite the growing interest in game-based learning (GBL) over the last two decades, the influence of Augmented Reality-based GBL on English vocabulary growth is still not well understood when compared with other forms of media, especially with regard to academic English vocabulary. This quasi-experimental study with 90 Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) university students investigated the efficacy of GBL supported by three forms of media (paper, digital, and AR) for learners’ academic English vocabulary growth by measuring their immediate recall and long-term retention. The study involved one experimental and two control groups, each learning 17 target words relating to the digestive system by using AR-based GBL (AR-GBL), digital-based GBL (D-GBL), and paper-based GBL (P-GBL) approaches. Participants completed a pretest, an immediate posttest, and two delayed posttests (one and three weeks after the intervention) on these target words. A mixed 3 × 4 repeated measures analysis revealed a quadratic trend in vocabulary growth across all three media-based GBL approaches. AR-GBL’s effect on immediate academic vocabulary learning was superior to D-BGL’s and equivalent to P-GBL’s effect. All approaches exhibited similar declines in delayed retention after one week, with no significant differences. Notably, AR-GBL indicated a marginally significant difference compared to D-GBL in terms of retention at the three-week delayed posttest. These findings underscore the need to capitalize on each approach’s unique benefits as well as spaced learning to optimize EFL academic vocabulary learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the literature on the use of digital simulation games in computer-assisted language learning (CALL). The discussion explores research approaches, contexts, methodologies, findings, trends and issues in peer-reviewed research that has investigated the use of this type of digital game over the period 2005 to 2020. Results showed that in a majority of studies, a simulation game was implemented in an experimental project. In terms of research context, most studies were carried out in universities in North America and EFL students were the most common participants. Most studies involved the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data. The majority of studies investigated vocabulary learning and data indicates that playing this type of game may enhance L2 vocabulary knowledge and retention. In addition, positive findings relating to affective factors are reported across the majority of projects. Analysis reveals that research is focused primarily on the above areas and that other aspects of learning remain under researched. It was also found that studies are subject to significant limitations. As findings from the current body of research are not conclusive, more work appears needed in order to clarify if simulation games represent an effective means to enhance learning outcomes. The discussion concludes by identifying areas of interest for investigation in future research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effects of an online workbook and a paper workbook on L2 vocabulary acquisition. Participants consisted of 549 L2 learners of Spanish enrolled in a large language program at an American state university. The participants received 4 hours of classroom instruction per week and worked with an online or a paper workbook once a week during two semesters. They also completed a screening test and four vocabulary tests: two during the first semester and two during the second semester. The results showed no significant differences between the online and the paper workbook groups after one semester of instructional treatment. However, the online workbook group proved better than the paper workbook group in the second semester. These findings confirm results of previous studies on the beneficial role of CALL on L2 vocabulary acquisition, and they point to the pedagogical advantages of online workbooks for large language programs as long as enough length of exposure to the online environment is allotted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have investigated how metacognitive processes foster the application of genre knowledge to students’ academic writing. This is largely due to its internal and unobservable characteristics. To bridge this gap, an online writing system based on metacognition, involving the stages of planning, monitoring, evaluating, and revising, was developed to investigate how such a system contributed to the understanding and application of genre knowledge to students’ academic writing. The data included three different versions of each student's written research proposal, action logs, discussion transcripts in discussion forums, and an open-ended questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, a typical case sampling, and the constant comparison method were used to analyze the data. The results suggested that the students made greater improvements in academic writing performance after experiencing metacognitive processes. Particularly, collaborative efforts throughout the metacognitive processes were important in supporting students to understand the academic genre, recognize the problems of unstructured academic papers, and apply genre knowledge to academic writing. The online writing system features, designed to nurture students’ metacognitive processes, served as useful cognitive stimuli to raise students’ metacognitive awareness. The system's functions overcame the limitations of observing students’ metacognitive processes described in previous studies, and enabled teachers to provide follow-up instruction. Implications and recommendations are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Knowledge of collocations is essential for English academic writing. However, there are few academic collocation referencing tools available and there is a pressing need to develop more. In this paper, we will introduce the ACOP (Academic Collocations and Phrases Search Engine), a newly developed corpus-based tool to search large academic corpora. Using the AntCorGen corpus crawling tool, 100,000 articles from 10 academic areas were downloaded from the PLOS One journal database. A multidisciplinary 500-million-word academic corpus was thus created. Our team further developed the ACOP to allow users to search for collocations and phrases in the academic corpus that we compiled. Additionally, this new tool will allow learners to search for not only bigrams but also for three- to five-word strings. Learners can further search using parts of speech. To validate whether the new tool can assist EFL learners in finding appropriate academic collocations, we compared this tool with BYU's state-of-the-art COCA corpus search tool. The 35 students who participated in the study were randomly divided into two groups. One group used BYU's COCA tool and the other used the ACOP tool. Both groups were asked to identify suitable collocates for 25 gap-fill questions. Paired t-tests and independent t-tests were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that both groups showed a significant improvement in the posttest when they had access to the collocation retrieval systems. However, statistically, the results showed no significant difference between the two tools, as they were equally useful in helping the students find appropriate collocates. According to the users' surveys, compared with the COCA group, the participants in the ACOP group found the ACOP easier to use and the interface was clearer and simpler. The Mann-Whitney U tests of the two groups showed significant differences in the aspect of the interface. The preliminary results indicated that the ACOP can assist EFL learners in finding suitable academic collocations and phrases, and the users' surveys showed positive results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the digital age, children's and adolescents' willingness to engage in absorbed reading for pleasure is on the decline. Digital narratives with a linear storyline enriched with hyperlinks to supporting media materials, could potentially facilitate narrative absorption even better than print, thus stimulating fictional reading among adolescents. This paper examines hyperlink placement desirability in five full-length novels, and investigates the link with narrative absorption. It was found that, independently of genre, the desired hyperlinks were most concentrated in the first quartile of the story, and gradually diminished towards quartile four. Furthermore, closer scrutiny of one case study showed that as reported narrative absorption levels increased, hyperlink desirability decreased. The results suggest that hyperlinks to different types of supporting media materials could be particularly useful to assist reading if situated in the first quartile of digital narrative. As the story plot reaches its climax, hyperlinks may become less required for experienced readers, whereas lower ability readers might still benefit from their support to sustain the reading experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines whether a web-based training on English discourse intonation leads to better spontaneous speech quality for Mandarin Chinese speakers who reside in the U.S. and in China. The four-week fully online training consisted of meta-instruction videos as well as listening and speaking activities, including instant visual pitch contour feedback and individualized evaluation. The students gave a one-minute spontaneous speech on a given topic at the beginning and the end of the study via videoconferencing. Four native English speakers judged the students' speech comprehensibility, fluidity, accent, confidence and attractiveness, in addition to their intonation performance. Two-way ANCOVA test results show that the experimental group made statistically significant improvement in their speech comprehensibility and speaking confidence. In contrast, the control group did not show improvement. The participants' residence in the U.S. or in China did not affect the training effects. There was not an interaction between the participants' residence and the training. The web-based training, visualization and CMC technology provided an effective scaffolding experience and benefited both EFL and ESL students equally. This study also explores Chinese students' challenges with specific intonation features based on both the raters' judgments and the learners' self-evaluations. The results suggest they have more difficulties with thought groups and prominence than with tone choices. While the trainees gave high ratings to all the activities, they preferred individualized evaluation from the researcher to self-created visual feedback using Praat. The findings have implications for Chinese L1-specific intonation instruction and developing web-based computer assisted pronunciation training systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the ever-increasing number of available language technology products, there is also a need to evaluate them objectively. Unsubstantiated beliefs about what language technology can and cannot do inside or outside the language classroom often influence decisions about the choice of language technology to be used. The declarative/procedural model, which makes a clear distinction between the declarative and procedural memory systems, can help to provide an objective, neuroscience-informed evaluation of language technology. The central argument in this paper is that language technology caters predominantly to the declarative memory system. This system is very effective in forming explicit metalinguistic knowledge but does not lead to automatic production or procedural ability. For technology to promote procedural ability, it should instead cater to the procedural memory, which involves the implicit neurofunctional computational system. This paper provides a language technology evaluation flowchart to help professionals evaluate the language technology products they will use and gauge their expectations of those products more realistically. It also provides a list of factors to be taken into account in maximizing the benefits of technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the application of digital technologies in education and questions the extent to which increases in the power of computing are reflected in the amount of progress made in using computers in the field of English Language Teaching. This concern arises from the known difficulties of using the computer as a reading medium and describes two potential problem areas in language pedagogy when analogue materials are replaced by digital forms: namely, the World Wide Web and language assessment testing. The paper concludes by identifying a number of areas in digital education where research could be usefully undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractDespite the growing interest in learners’ feedback engagement in second language writing in recent decades, learners’ multidimensional engagement with teachers’ feedback provided via different modes is an issue yet to be explored. Using the case study approach, this study explored how five Saudi university EFL students engaged affectively, behaviorally, and cognitively with teacher feedback provided via three different modes: oral, audio-recorded, and automatically written feedback. Content and textual analysis of students ‘drafts, reflections on mistakes, semi-structured interviews, and final course reflections revealed that the students’ high, moderate, and low engagement patterns were mediated by the affordances of the modes. Regardless of their preference for certain modes, highly - engaged students show deep engagement cognitively and behaviorally. Further, their cognitive and metacognitive strategies were triggered by the affordances of their preferred mode. Moderately and low engaged students had more complex engagement patterns and there was a nonlinear and inconsistent relationship among the three engagement dimensions. While the students’ cognitive engagement with the mode mediated their affective engagement to a great extent, mismatches persisted. Similarly, the students’ affective engagement with certain modes did not influence their revision uptake, but the aversion to certain modes indirectly led to withdrawal that consequently impacted their behavioral and cognitive engagement. The paper highlights the influence of alignment and misalignment between learners and contextual factors that further exacerbate the inconsistency across the three dimensions. The results suggest that writing teachers should be aware of different modes’ affordances in relation to learners’ needs and preferences to harvest their feedback engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has turned into a critical way of addressing the interrelationships between L2 pedagogy and technology. This autobiographical narrative inquiry aimed to investigate CALL researchers' strategies to conduct genuine CALL research (Colpaert, 2020). To that end, the autobiographical narratives of 24 CALL researchers were collected and analyzed using a deductive-inductive thematic analysis. The findings indicated that the researchers addressed the research needs of the CALL community of practice by focusing on contexts and conditions, CALL research streams, future directions, and creating academic knowledge. Moreover, the researchers addressed their CALL research identification through addressing local, global, and real-world audiences for authentic communication topics. Furthermore, to show their competence in their CALL studies, they attempted to review CALL literature comprehensively, cite papers from experienced CALL researchers, use comprehensive research designs, and publish/present CALL research in academic journals/conferences. Additionally, the findings showed that they tried to build relatedness in their studies by citing academic articles and books, using methodologies implemented by experienced CALL researchers, and having research collaboration locally and globally. Finally, CALL researchers attempted to become autonomous in selecting research methods, academic writing styles, and addressing CALL materials and applications in CALL research to show their autonomy in their CALL research. Therefore, it can be concluded that the role of the CALL community of practice is rather critical in leading the types and qualities of the strategies used by CALL researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the results of a quasi-experimental study which was conducted with a view to determining the effect of an intervention in the form of the application of teacher-designed Internet-based resources (i.e., websites, podcasts, movie clips) that students could use autonomously on the development of pronunciation of the English regular past tense -ed ending. The sample consisted of 45 Polish secondary school learners. Participants were divided into three groups, two treatment and one control. The intervention spanned two weeks. The lessons in treatment group 1 were conducted by means of online resources and those in treatment group 2 were carried out in a traditional way (i.e., without autonomous recourse to computer-assisted pronunciation teaching). The students in the control group did not receive any instruction related to the pronunciation feature in question over that time. The data were gathered by means of perception and production tests administered before (pretest) and after (immediate and delayed posttests) the treatment, and subjected to quantitative analysis. The results, supported by the participants' evaluation of the two types of pedagogic intervention, indicate that although the effects of the experimental treatments proved to be comparable, the use of online resources produced more durable gains and was more favorably evaluated by learners. This provides a rationale for using computer technology as a tool for enhancing traditional teaching of English pronunciation in secondary school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the needs of an international workforce, English for Specific Purpose courses are being promoted in higher education, and instructors are turning to learning technology to help design the instruction. In this paper, a needs analysis was conducted to guide the design of the system, materials and activities for context-aware ubiquitous language learning (CAULL) and English for Fitness Purposes (EFP) in a fitness center as part of a Design-Based Research project. The data collection methods included on-site observations, semi-structured interviews, and a questionnaire. The participants included 82 undergraduate students, seven physical education (PE) instructors, and six non-PE faculty members who frequently used the fitness center. All data forms were then triangulated and analyzed. The results show that all three groups consistently agreed that they need receptive language skills as well as specific terminology for fitness. Furthermore, it was suggested that the oral communication skills for EFP learners should also be developed for sharing ideas, experience, and suggestions. They pointed out that vocabulary related to diverse topics such as warm-up and cool-down stretches, cardiovascular exercises, and weight training are needed. Furthermore, participants reported that the CAULL system should be hypermedia-based, and contain a portfolio and a user-friendly interface. The findings were used to develop a blue print for a CAULL system based on design principles. The findings are of interest to context-aware language learning researchers, instructional designers, and the field of English for Specific Purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effects of watching an entire season of a French series with the streaming service Netflix in an out-of-classroom context. University Dutch-speaking low- to high-intermediate learners of French were divided into two groups: a control group who only took the tests (N = 37) and a treatment group (N = 65). Learners in the treatment group watched six episodes with glossed captions provided by the Chrome extension Language Learning with Netflix (i.e., they could access the meaning of the words in the captions whenever they wanted) within a maximum of 21 days. We examined learners' incidental vocabulary learning gains by means of a form and meaning recall test and also analysed learning gains in relation to different variables: word-related factors, the use of glossed captions and learners' vocabulary size. Results revealed that participants recalled approximately 35% of the word meanings and 28% of the word forms. Besides, learning gains were positively influenced by the use of the glossed captions as well as vocabulary size scores. Findings also demonstrated that frequency of occurrence positively impacted learning gains, especially when target words appeared more concentrated in one episode rather than across different ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earlier research efforts have succeeded in training students to enhance their skills commenting on peer writing and using peer and lecturer comments to revise their writing, but few studies have investigated (1) the effect of the lecturer's e-comments on the quality of peer e-comments, and (2) the relative effectiveness of lecturer and peer e-comments on the revisions made by student writers. The current study begins to fill these gaps in the literature. Fifty graduate students enrolled in the course called Academic Writing participated in the study. The study collected and analyzed quantitative data from student writer drafts and revisions, the lecturer's model e-comments, and peer e-comments. The study found that qualified e-comments (revision-oriented comments) addressing global issues as opposed to local issues in student writing were different in statistically significant ways during the peer comment activities of the course. The effects of lecturer e-comments and peer e-comments on student writer revisions, however, showed no statistically significant differences. The study indicates that the lecturer's model e-comments had great effect in improving the peer commenting skills and writing quality of the graduate student writers. The effect of two incidentals, contributing factors, increased exposure time and reduced instructor load, are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An editorial is presented on articles originated from presentations at the 2018 and 2019 PPTELL conferences. Topics include strengthening the research communities of language learning and information technology; encouraging cross-disciplinary dialogue between the researchers of TELL/CALL and e-Learning; and promoting cross-country collaboration and communication empowering the individuals in the society.

This paper reports on the development of constructive EAP CALL courseware, and its integration into blended learning contexts, as a solution to the problems in EAP courses in Chinese universities. A case study of a defining skills package, developed for undergraduates at the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB), is used to illustrate the design and integration of the courseware. Guided by constructivist learning theory, the design draws on a synthesis of language-centered, academic skills-centered, content-based and task-based approaches. The integration is evaluated through the quality of students' written work and evidence of their satisfaction with their defining skills improvement and the CALL courseware, based upon the data from a questionnaire survey. Web-based digital tools and multimodal media have been exploited to devise and produce CALL materials on defining skills. After three weeks of blended learning, students' learning outcomes and satisfaction with the courseware and its integration were significantly positive. Supplemental data for this article is available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2021.1895226. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on mode in computer-mediated communication and language learning has primarily focused on mode-as-channel of communication such as audio- or videoconferencing. However, increasingly sophisticated technological tools now facilitate communication in multiple ways so that learners can convey and respond to peers and screen-based resources, both orally, visually and/or through touch with the screen. By highlighting learner-to-learner turns as well as screen related turns, this paper looks at how learners' oral meaning making is shaped through both verbal and non-verbal resources. This can provide a better understanding of how the interplay between modes and resources on interfaces might be harnessed to increase learners' oral turns and identify potential interface-related difficulties learners might face. Audio recordings of six dyads are analysed using discourse analysis, with notions from conversational analysis, alongside interface screenshots. Results reveal that screen-based resources become: 1) embedded or modified in oral turns; 2) resources to initiate and support oral turns; 3) diverse topics of talk. It was also found that learners orientate towards some resources as 4) agentive turn-takers (e.g. pop-ups, to initiate an action). Such multimodal experience reveal how peer-to-peer talk can occasionally resemble a multi-party encounter whereby some resources can act as participants in the interaction. It is proposed that a fuller understanding of this interplay can help teachers and designers optimize computer-mediating communicative language learning tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a systematic review of the literature on flipped language classrooms from the perspectives of theoretical foundations, learning activities, tools, research topics and findings based on an analysis of 34 published articles. The results indicate that various research methods (e.g., tests, surveys, and interviews) were applied in the selected studies and different types of e-tools (e.g., video-watching tools, online learning platforms, online discussion tools, and video-making tools) were used in the flipped language classrooms. The findings also reveal that the flipped language classroom not only improved students' academic performance and cultivated their learning motivation but also developed their self-regulation, confidence, and higher-order thinking skills. Other research topics in the reviewed articles included the effects of external and learner factors on the flipped learning approach, students' readiness and technology acceptance, the flipped learning process, students' interactions, and teacher perceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the emotions of 15 learners of Japanese across seven weekly online text chats in Japanese with native Japanese speakers, and the factors that caused their emotions. The data came from questionnaires about the learners' biodata and previous experiences of text chats, weekly reports about their chats, transcripts of the chats, and occasional questions in e-mail exchanges between the researcher and the learners to clarify certain statements in the weekly reports. The learners' positive and negative emotions and the causes of those emotions were coded and counted for descriptive quantitative analysis. The learners reported both positive and negative emotions within each individual chat as well as across the seven weeks. Enjoyment was the most frequently occurring of the positive emotions, while a sense of difficulty was most often reported among the negative emotions. Both positive and negative emotions changed over the seven weeks. The chat process and issues with the Japanese language tended to be triggers for negative emotions, with positive emotions likely to be triggered by the chat partners, and also by discussions of hobbies, similar interests and culture. It would appear to be important for learners to develop a rapport with their partner through chat communications and to avoid focusing too much on their own limited foreign language proficiency in order to increase their positive emotions in online text chats, thus improving the experience and leading to greater learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of "Micro-Learning" (ML) has been repeatedly accented as a successful learning approach in different learning phenomena. Despite these optimistic emphases, several studies lack a theoretical grounding in adoption of ML, thus missing a shared perspective of the education community. The scarce theoretical justification for understanding the nuanced dynamics of ML restricts the practical use of this pedagogical approach in "Second Language" (L2) instruction. Therefore, this paper seeks to fill the gap by proposing a theoretical model of ML for L2 instruction. First, a brief background on ML is provided evaluating its benefits and pitfalls in general teaching and learning enterprise. Second, three established theories are explicitly discussed based on a careful examination of the conceptual characteristics and empirical observations of ML. A theoretical model of ML is then devised based on relations postulated among proposed theories and application of the model to existing L2 MLs is made explicit. Finally, implications for research and practice are discussed to offer a more robust and descriptive picture of how ML can promote L2 teaching and learning across different contexts. Drawing from these theoretical insights, a principled way to integrating ML into L2 instruction can be made available for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although it remains controversial, machine translation (MT) has gained popularity both inside and outside of the classroom. Despite the growing number of students using MT, little is known about its use as a pedagogical tool in the EFL classroom. The present study investigated the role of MT as a CALL tool in EFL writing. Most studies on MT as a tool for L2 learning have focused on student postediting of the translation that MT provides; however, the present study employed a different design with students translating their L1 writing into L2 without the help of MT and then correcting their L2 writing using the MT translation for comparison. Text analysis of students' writing outcomes revealed that MT helped to decrease lexico-grammatical errors and improve student revisions. Using MT for revisions also positively affected student writing strategies and helped them think of writing as a process. The interviews and reflection papers demonstrated that students viewed the use of MT during writing positively. This study found that MT can be a useful aid to language learning, but for it to benefit student learning, teachers must be aware of its limitations and provide adequate guidance to students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of three independent qualitative case studies that examined interactions with feedback as L2 listeners worked in self-regulated environments. Data on high-intermediate learners of English were collected from case studies conducted in Australia, Colombia and Chile. Results show that L2 listeners across case studies used feedback to assess performance, to ease task completion, and to regulate listening comprehension processes. We discuss reasons along with integrated data and propose a three-level preliminary framework for conceptualizing feedback in computer-based L2 listening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]