28.3790, Review: Applied Linguistics; Language Acquisition; Sociolinguistics: Hamel, Caws (2016)

[The LINGUIST List]

LINGUIST List: Vol-28-3790. Thu Sep 14 2017. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 28.3790, Review: Applied Linguistics; Language Acquisition; Sociolinguistics: Hamel, Caws (2016)

Moderators: linguist at linguistlist.org (Damir Cavar, Malgorzata E. Cavar)
Reviews: reviews at linguistlist.org (Helen Aristar-Dry, Robert Coté,
                                   Michael Czerniakowski)
Homepage: http://linguistlist.org

Please support the LL editors and operation with a donation at:
           http://funddrive.linguistlist.org/donate/

Editor for this issue: Clare Harshey <clare at linguistlist.org>
================================================================


Date: Thu, 14 Sep 2017 13:55:59
From: Pejman Habibie [phabibie at uwo.ca, habibiepezhman at gmail.com]
Subject: Language-Learner Computer Interactions

 
Discuss this message:
http://linguistlist.org/pubs/reviews/get-review.cfm?subid=36291977


Book announced at http://linguistlist.org/issues/27/27-2872.html

EDITOR: Catherine  Caws
EDITOR: Marie-Josée  Hamel
TITLE: Language-Learner Computer Interactions
SUBTITLE: Theory, methodology and CALL applications
SERIES TITLE: Language Studies, Science and Engineering 2
PUBLISHER: John Benjamins
YEAR: 2016

REVIEWER: Pejman Habibie, University of Western Ontario

REVIEWS EDITOR: Helen Aristar-Dry 

SUMMARY 

“Language-learner Computer Interactions: Theory, methodology and CALL
applications” is an edited volume which brings together scholarship from
experts in different areas of CALL. The volume consists of an introductory
chapter by the editors, nine chapters that are grouped into two thematic
sections: “Frameworks guiding the research” and “Data and elicitation
technologies and techniques” and an afterword. With interdisciplinarity as the
underlying concept and the focal point, the book is an attempt to draw
attention to common areas of interest and research methodologies between
applied linguists and STEM professionals.

In Chapter One, the editors give an introduction to the field of
learner-computer interaction (LCI) and argue the exigencies for further
scholarship regarding online language learning processes. They highlight that
the book aims to (a) explain how cutting-edge theories and research
methodologies grounded in science and engineering can inform dynamic and
multimodal research into language learners’ interactions in
technology-mediated task-based language learning, and (b) elaborate on the
objectives of those theories, methodologies, and their context of application.
At the end of the chapter, they identify the target audience of the volume,
present an overview of the main features of the constituent sections and
chapters, and explain how it can be used.

Part One, “Frameworks guiding the research”, consists of four chapters. In
Chapter Two, “CALL ergonomics revisited,” the editors present an overview of
the key concepts of the field of ergonomics from educational and web design
perspectives. They look at principal theories underlying ergonomics and
examine the evidences and motives that play a role in the development of the
field of CALL ergonomics. Finally, they talk about some engineering methods
commonly used in human-computer interaction (HCI), software design, and
human-centred design and discuss how these methods can provide researchers and
practitioners with the opportunity to apply the principles of CALL ergonomics
in practice. 

In Chapter Three, “The theory of affordances,” Francoise Blin draws on
Gibson’s theory of affordance in order to explain and clarify the concept of
affordances. Focusing on LCIs, the author gives a summary of key HCI
interpretations and analyzes selected cognitivist and post-cognitivist
perspectives of affordances within HCI and interaction design domains. Then
she investigates educational and linguistic affordances and their status
within CALL research agenda.

In Chapter Four, “CALL theory: Complex adaptive systems,” Mathias Schulze and
Kyle Scholz 
argue that research into complex adaptive system (CAS) can offer an
integrative and contextualized view on LCIs and language learning process. The
authors outline the principal tenets of a CAS research paradigm wherein
language use, second language development, and LCI can be examined. They
sketch the characteristics of CAS, provide an overview of earlier CAS research
in CALL, and put forward mixed-method methodologies that afford researchers to
capture the complexity of the non-linear processes of LCI from a CAS
perspective.

In Chapter Five, “CALL design and research: Taking a micro and macro view,”
Mike Levy and Catherine Caws examine two problematic areas of CALL called the
macro and micro views. These areas concern an understanding of broader
external and internal contextual factors influencing CALL activity and the
nature of technology-mediated interactions. Highlighting the principal
characteristics  of macro and micro views, the authors explain how these
perspectives on CALL research and practice can enrich our approach to framing,
articulating, and designing technology-mediated learning contexts.
 
Part Two “Data and elicitation technologies and techniques”, consists of five
chapters. In Chapter Six, “Learner personas and the effects of instructional
scaffolding on working behaviour and linguistic performance,” Trude Heift
investigates data-driven learner personas and instructional scaffolding in the
form of preemptive lexical and grammatical feedback in a web-based intelligent
CALL environment. The participants were ninety three beginner learners of L2
German. They did a sentence completion task as a component of their course
assignment during a semester. They were categorized into three learners
persona groups: No Help, Sporadic Help, and Frequent Help. The next stage of
the study examines the effects of access to different amounts of help on the
learner’s working knowledge and linguistic performance. The results indicate
significant improvement in working behaviour and linguistic performance of the
Frequent Help group compared to the other groups.

In Chapter Seven, “Video screen capture to document and scaffold the L2
writing process,” Marie-Josee Hamel and Jeremie Seror explore the potential of
video screen capture (VSC) technology for second language writing pedagogy and
investigating LCIs in CALL research. Drawing on three sample studies, they
talk about the affordances of this accessible and flexible technology in the
design of CALL research and pedagogy for CALL researchers and language
instructors. The first study examines L2 learners’ dictionary search processes
in designing an online dictionary prototype. The second one looks at the
composition processes and L2 writers’ strategies. The third one investigates
the integration of VSC technology in L2 writing class. 

In Chapter Eight, “Using eye-tracking technology to explore online learner
interactions,” Ursula Stickler, Bryan Smith, and Lijing Shi talk about the
application of eye-tracking technology in investigating LCI and examining the
learner’s cognitive processes. Following an overview of the history and
different areas within eye-tracking research, the authors report their own two
recent cases of eye-tracking studies in synchronous computer-mediated
communication. Then they discuss the benefits, challenges, and methodological
options  of quantitative and mixed methods studies for investigating language
learning.

In Chapter Nine, “Analyzing multimodal resources in pedagogical online
exchanges,” Cathy Cohen and Nicolas Guichon look at the contribution of
meaning-making multimodal resources to web conferencing-based pedagogical
synchronous interactions. First, the chapter examines different methodological
approaches to the analysis of multimodal semiotic resources in online
pedagogical interactions. The authors provide an outline of the implications
of research into synchronous web-mediated online interactions for CALL and
discuss the significance of stipulating a unit of analysis in order to inform
future analyses. Drawing on three of their studies, they explore different
methods for investigating multimodal online exchanges. In order to sketch
various ethical, epistemological, and methodological considerations involved
in the qualitative studies of multimodal corpora, the second part of the
chapter deals with a case study that indicates different stages in researching
online pedagogical exchanges.

In Chapter Ten, “A scientific methodology for researching CALL interaction
data,” Thierry Chanier and Ciara Wigham draw on a new scientific object,
LEarning and TEaching Corpora to provide an overview of  a staged methodology
for structuring HCI data. First, the authors explain the concept of corpora
and highlight how corpora differ from raw language data. Second, they
demonstrate a methodology that is used to collect, transform, and organize
data from online learning situations which are sharable through open-access
repositories. Third, they explain the ways in which to make the transcription
of interactions more systematic and elaborate on the expected advantages of
analysis tools.

In afterword , “Engineering conditions of possibility in technology-enhanced
language learning,” Steven Thorne provides a brief analysis of the whole book
presenting implications and benefits of constituent chapters and reported
studies for research and pedagogy in the field of CALL.

EVALUATION 

“Language-learner Computer Interactions” presupposes knowledge base and
expertise in CALL research and language education. It is addressed to novice
and established members of the CALL discourse community who want to
professionally develop themselves regarding the state of the art research,
discussions, and future avenues of inquiry in the area of LCI. The volume is
an invaluable resource for those practitioners in a number of respects. It is
the result of the collaborative work of high-caliber CALL editors and
researchers such as Catherine Caws, Marie-Josee Hamel, Mathias Schulze, and
Mike Levy to name a few whose pioneering perspectives and invaluable
contributions have always furthered and enriched CALL scholarship. The focus
on key disciplinary discussions including CALL ergonomics, CALL normalization
(Bax, 2003), sustainability, and affordances, the selection of cutting-edge
theories and methodologies, as well as thematic organization of the volume are
all indicative of the comprehensive knowledge of the editors of the current
conversations and concerns in this domain. These informed decisions and
quality editing are the factors that distinguishes this volume from similar
publications. Moreover, this interesting volume projects a multi-faceted
picture of LCI research and pedagogy drawing on a nice patchwork of
theoretical and methodological scholarship from various disciplines and areas
including computer studies, engineering, TESOL, and applied linguistics.
Furthermore, the research reported in this volume enjoys a wide and colourful
array of conceptual frameworks, innovative methodological designs and
approaches, and contextual diversities and variations which make the book a
must-read for target practitioners globally. It also provides invaluable
implications and suggestions for further inquiry in the area of LCI. Overall,
the book is a very  timely and welcome contribution and  has done excellent
justice to current discussions in this domain.

REFERENCES 
Bax, S. (2003). CALL - Past, Present and Future. System 31(1), 13-28.


ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Pejman Habibie is assistant professor of TESOL at The University of Western
Ontario. He has university teaching experience in undergraduate & graduate
levels in Canada, Mexico, and Iran. He has published in refereed international
journals and presented at inter/national conferences. His research interests
include technology-enhanced language teaching & learning, English for academic
purposes, academic writing, and academic genres analysis.





------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*****************    LINGUIST List Support    *****************
Please support the LL editors and operation with a donation at:
            http://funddrive.linguistlist.org/donate/
 


----------------------------------------------------------
LINGUIST List: Vol-28-3790	
----------------------------------------------------------