Schedule: 2009-09-11 (15:45 - 16:30)
Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)

Title: ICT-Integrated Language Learning: Developing a framework for implementation
Authors: Sake Jager
Abstract: In a recent survey which attracted responses from language teachers in Higher Education across the world, the author investigated three main questions relevant for sustainable implementation of ICT for language learning and teaching:
1. What kinds of ICT are language teachers in Higher Education using to support language teaching and language learning?
2. What is the educational setting in which the use takes place?
3. Which (perceived) benefits of technology, views on pedagogy, personal or environmental factors may have contributed to this use?
The survey, similar to other surveys conducted in the field (e.g. Arnold, 2007; Toner et al., 2008), revealed that there continues to be a wide gap between the attested potential of CALL and the actual use. Online dictionaries and other reference works are among the most frequently used applications, followed at a close distance by tutorial software for grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation. Internet resources (online media sites, other web sites on life and culture of the target language) and email are also relatively popular, but applications typically associated with communicative, task-based language learning pedagogy (CMC and more recent social software applications) appear to be far less used in daily practice. Stronger relationships were observed with the perceived benefits of the technology than with specific views on language pedagogy. In addition, the need for developing an institutional vision on the use of technology and providing didactic support appeared to be stronger than requirements for improving technical infrastructure and technical assistance. The implications of these results for setting up an implementation framework for integrating ICT into the curriculum will be explored in depth. Since the implementation framework is based on principles of task-based language teaching (TBLT), particular attention will be paid to establishing points of contact between the use of ICT and TBLT frameworks (Nunan, 2004; Willis & Willis, 2007; Willis, 1996), which have a strong classroom focus and often do not (explicitly) consider ICT as one of the options for language learning. Since TBLT is by no means accepted as a general methodology in language pedagogy (Samuda & Bygate, 2008), it will be argued that establishing truly innovative language learning practices poses a dual challenge of introducing TBLT and ICT at the same time. It will also be argued that using ICT to maximum effect in the TBLT context requires shedding some of our prejudices about the role of tutorial software.

Reference List

Arnold, N. (2007). Technology-mediated learning 10 years later: Emphasizing pedagogical or utilitarian applications? Foreign Language Annals, 40, 161-181.
Nunan, D. (2004). Task-Based Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Samuda, V. & Bygate, M. (2008). Tasks in Second Language Learning. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
Toner, G., Barr, D., & Carvalho Martins, S. W. V. (2008). Multimedia Language Learning in Higher Education in the UK. Accessed from http://cemll.ulster.ac.uk/site/centre%20research/evaluation on 10/2/2009.
Willis, D. & Willis, J. (2007). Doing Task-based Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Harlow: Longman.
Keywords: ICT integration; usage survey; implementation framework; task-based language teaching

Main topic: Curriculum development for CALL.

Biodata: Sake Jager is Head of the Centre for ICT and Learning at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. He is project manager in several projects seeking to integrate computers into language teaching and learning. His professional and research interests are in achieving successful implementation of technology for language learning.
Type of presentation Paper presentation

Paper category Research

Target educational sector Higher education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project No

Schedule:	2009-09-11 (15:45 - 16:30) Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)
Title:	ICT-Integrated Language Learning: Developing a framework for implementation
Authors:	Sake Jager
Abstract:	In a recent survey which attracted responses from language teachers in Higher Education across the world, the author investigated three main questions relevant for sustainable implementation of ICT for language learning and teaching: 1. What kinds of ICT are language teachers in Higher Education using to support language teaching and language learning? 2. What is the educational setting in which the use takes place? 3. Which (perceived) benefits of technology, views on pedagogy, personal or environmental factors may have contributed to this use? The survey, similar to other surveys conducted in the field (e.g. Arnold, 2007; Toner et al., 2008), revealed that there continues to be a wide gap between the attested potential of CALL and the actual use. Online dictionaries and other reference works are among the most frequently used applications, followed at a close distance by tutorial software for grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation. Internet resources (online media sites, other web sites on life and culture of the target language) and email are also relatively popular, but applications typically associated with communicative, task-based language learning pedagogy (CMC and more recent social software applications) appear to be far less used in daily practice. Stronger relationships were observed with the perceived benefits of the technology than with specific views on language pedagogy. In addition, the need for developing an institutional vision on the use of technology and providing didactic support appeared to be stronger than requirements for improving technical infrastructure and technical assistance. The implications of these results for setting up an implementation framework for integrating ICT into the curriculum will be explored in depth. Since the implementation framework is based on principles of task-based language teaching (TBLT), particular attention will be paid to establishing points of contact between the use of ICT and TBLT frameworks (Nunan, 2004; Willis & Willis, 2007; Willis, 1996), which have a strong classroom focus and often do not (explicitly) consider ICT as one of the options for language learning. Since TBLT is by no means accepted as a general methodology in language pedagogy (Samuda & Bygate, 2008), it will be argued that establishing truly innovative language learning practices poses a dual challenge of introducing TBLT and ICT at the same time. It will also be argued that using ICT to maximum effect in the TBLT context requires shedding some of our prejudices about the role of tutorial software. Reference List Arnold, N. (2007). Technology-mediated learning 10 years later: Emphasizing pedagogical or utilitarian applications? Foreign Language Annals, 40, 161-181. Nunan, D. (2004). Task-Based Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Samuda, V. & Bygate, M. (2008). Tasks in Second Language Learning. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan. Toner, G., Barr, D., & Carvalho Martins, S. W. V. (2008). Multimedia Language Learning in Higher Education in the UK. Accessed from http://cemll.ulster.ac.uk/site/centre%20research/evaluation on 10/2/2009. Willis, D. & Willis, J. (2007). Doing Task-based Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Harlow: Longman.
Keywords:	ICT integration; usage survey; implementation framework; task-based language teaching
Main topic:	Curriculum development for CALL.
Biodata:	Sake Jager is Head of the Centre for ICT and Learning at the Faculty of Arts at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands. He is project manager in several projects seeking to integrate computers into language teaching and learning. His professional and research interests are in achieving successful implementation of technology for language learning.
Type of presentation	Paper presentation
Paper category	Research
Target educational sector	Higher education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	No