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Socio-cultural factors influencing access to computers for language learning.
This presentation is concerned with access to computers for language learning in general. I will not refer specifically to Japan, but will refer to both first and other language learning in a variety of situations, including that of language maintenance in languages other than English. Outline: - Access
- Benefits of computers for language learning
- Why focus on socio-cultural factors?
- Socio-cultural factors influencing access
- Culture of computer usage
- Institutional factors
- Metaphor
- Identity
- Ownership
- Appropriateness
- Cultural norms and expectations
- Learner characteristics
Benefits of using computers to support second or foreign language learning|
| Area | Studies | | Writing | e.g. Belisle, 1996; Choi & Nesi, 1999; Cunningham, 2000;
Gonglewski, Meloni & Brant, 2001 | | Listening | e.g. Meskill, 1996; Hoven, 1999 | Speaking | e.g. Kern, 1995 | | Pronunciation | e.g. Eskenazi, 1999 | | Reading & Vocabulary Development | e.g. De Ridder, 1992; Chun & Plas, 1996; Nikolova, 2002; Radi, 2002 | | Grammar | e.g. Collentine, 2000; Sotillo, 2000 | | Authenticity & Voice | e.g. Linder, 2000; Kramsch, A'Ness, & Lam, 2000 | | Development of Intercultural Competence | e.g. Muller--Hartmann, 2000; Shulman, 2001; Belz, 2002; Belz, 2003; Hanna & de Nooy, 2003; Thorne, 2003 | Benefits of computer use reported in the studies cited in the table include:
- increased time on task
- greater number and types of interactions
- increased access to and production of appropriate scaffolding from/for interlocutors
- negotiation of tasks
- learners increasingly making decisions about learning materials and ways to study with the materials
- development of cognitive and metacognitive skills
- production of a greater variety of text types
- greater retention of vocabulary
- better comprehension
- easier contextualisation of grammatical forms vis-a-vis functional approaches
- increased access to authentic materials
- greater ability and tendency towards exploring self through interactions and/or production of artifacts
- more critical and detailed representations of categories and information
- increasingly complex representations of self in interactions, leading to development of "voice"
- greater contact with and awareness of differing discourse styles in English used as a Global Language
- developing awreness of cultural aspects of the target community
Given the value of computer use in language education, as described in the studies cited above, the examination of issues of access becomes critical. Bolt & Crawford (2000, in First & Hart, 2002) note that: Access to this technology, around which much of our educational system is becoming based, is not equally available to all students, is not handled equally well by all educators, and is not equally useful to everyone in education as it is presently structured The first point addresses issues of access caused or exacerbated by no, or limited, access to the technology (hardware and software), about which much has been written. The second point refers to social, economic, and political issues. The final point refers to the cultural constraints which may limit access to technology for education. This paper focussed on the latter in terms of language learning. N.B. This information has been presented at two conferences. I initially reported on the cultural aspects at the JACET 2004 conference held in Nagoya in September, 2004. I then reported on the expansion of my research to encompass socio-cultural aspects via a poster session presentation at JALT 2004, held at Tezukayama University, Nara, in November, 2004.
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