Current Trends and promises in Computer Assisted Language Learning

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Current Trends (and promises) in Computer
Assisted Language Learning
Greg Kessler Department of Linguistics Ohio
University
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Part One

• Where are we now?

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Current Realities

• Hardware
• Software
• People

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Hardware

• Extremely Powerful Desktop Systems
• Wireless and Infrared
• Web Server and Internet Server Systems
• Availability of Digital Recording Equipment
• Prevalence of Personal Computers
• Portable Devices

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Software

• Educational specific
• CALL focused
• Intuitive
• Easy to use
• Platform flexible
• Dynamic
• Teacher Developed
• Open Source

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People

• Tech Savvy Faculty
• High Tech Competent Students
• (More) User Friendly Tech Support
• Extremely Competent CALL Specialists

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Why Bother?

• Prepare students for changing academic community
• Expand your library at no cost
• Address multiple learning styles
• Enhance out of class work (dynamic)
• Provide flexibility for students
• Maximize payoff of prep-time
• Have fun!

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Free Easy Ways to Start

• Course management systems (Moodle)
• Pre-existing online materials
• Digital Audio Exchange
• Easy (wysiwyg) web editors (Mozilla)
• Online exercise generators (Hot Potatoes,
  Exercise Generators)
• Locally networked assignments
• Using what you have know

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Examples

• A Moodle course
• A Hot Potato Exercise
• A Makers Exercise
• Enhanced pre-existing web material

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Excellent Web Resources

• English Trailers
• Randalls listening lab
• Technology, Techniques, and Materials for Web
  Listening
• Interesting Things for ESL Students

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More elaborate technologies (accessible to mere
mortals)

• Digital Audio (Audacity, purevoice)
• Digital Video (iMovie, MovieMaker)
• Dynamic web pages

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Digital Audio

• Not Just MP3s
• Easy and Free
• Compression and Bandwidth

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Digital Video

• Ease of Creation and Editing
• Student Produced
• Teacher Produced
• Growing Resources
• Conferencing

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Dynamic Web Pages

• WYSIWYG
• PHP MySql (Open Source)
• Wikis
• True, real-time, interactivity

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Acknowledging Competing Forces

• Administratively Demanded Development
• Technologically Driven Development
• Technology Support Driven Development
• Pedagogically Driven Development

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Challenges

• Student Expectations
• Technology As a Distracting Force
• Overwhelming Nature of Technology
• Environmental Limitations
• Fear

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Part Two

• Where are we going?

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Changes Underway

• Portable
• Digital
• Virtual
• Flexible
• Intensely collaborative

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What Will We Find?

• Labless Environment
• Increase in Distance Education
• End of the Desktop
• More Participation
• Video Conferencing
• Increased Collaboration

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CMC Tools

• One to One, Conference or Many to Many
• Low Bandwidth Tolerant
• Text
• Voice
• Video
• Virtual

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CMC Tools (Forums)
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CMC Tools (Text Chat)
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CMC Tools (Web Voice Board)
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Collaborative Sharing of Documents and Other
Content

• WIKIs
• Such as Wikipedia and Smaller Group WIKIs
• Google Docs Spreadsheets
• Whiteboards
• Such as Marratech, WorldBridges, Elluminate

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Accessible Authoring Tools

• Hot Potatoes
• Moodle
• WYSIWYG Web Editors
• Audio Recording/Editing Software
• Video Recording/Editing Software

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New Cost Paradigm

• Cost of Hardware
• Cost of Software
• Proficiency of Users

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Open Source Software

• Collaboratively Developed
• Community -driven
• International Expandability
• Free
• Examples
• Moodle
• Audacity
• Others GIMP, SeaMonkey

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Virtual Reality (Such as 2nd Life)
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Part Three

• What do we need?

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What Do We Need?

• More and Better Teacher Preparation
• Improved Access to Resources
• Increased Support
• A Continued Source of Creativity
• Ongoing Research in Integrated Contexts

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Other Resources

• CALL-IS Software Database
• CALL-IS Software Selection Checklist
• Internet TESOL Journal
• Links of Interest for students(internet TESOL
  Journal)
• Technology TIPS (Deborah Healey)

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Questions?