What do we know about CALL? Deborah Healey, Ph.D. English Language Institute Oregon State University

Outline Change over time in computers and CALL  PLATO – PCs - Mac/Windows - Internet Consistent findings: What we know  Word processing works  One size does not fit all  The teacher’s role is key  Most learners like feeling special  Some skills practice is helpful  People like games More...

Outline, continued Ongoing and future areas of relevant research  Solid theoretical framework  Word processing  Work in groups  Role of the teacher  Multiple media in learning  Use of simulations and games  Attention and engagement  Autonomy/self-directed learning  More… Your research directions and questions

Why do we care? Claims  Transform education – the key to the future  Motivate students  Make teachers’ lives easier  Help students learn more effectively  Save money  “Just a tool”  The teacher’s role is important Basic question: Does CALL “work?”

Changes over time: Computers and questions PLATO  Novelty  Students like it – they’re engaged  Immediate feedback  Teachers as programmers But...  What do we do with this???  Very expensive  Not available for widespread use

Early personal computers: Sinclair, Apple IIe, DOS-based Novelty Students like it – they’re engaged Teacher-created programs in BASIC Simple software  Immediate feedback on drills (US)  Exploratory software (UK) But...  Expensive workbook  Not available for widespread use  Digital divide begins

Macintosh and Windows: The graphical interface Ready-made software –drills, simulations/games Multimedia: appeal to different learning styles Novelty, immediate feedback, record-keeping Quality time for non-drill activities in the classroom Collaborative work => discussion practice Multimedia But...  Questions about return on investment  Expensive workbook  Digital divide increases

The Internet era More novelty More authentic learning possibilities for students  Real-time news, magazines  Real-time interaction with Chat/Messenger  Student publishing online – web pages, blogs, podcasts More resources for teachers Programming for the Web But...  Information overload  More destructive digital divide

CALL research = moving target Computers from mainframes to hand-helds Local to global partners Blackberry 8830

CALL research = moving target As similar as silent films and high-tech movies

Other limitations Small number of subjects Hawthorne effects Chart new ground rather than replicate

So... What do we know about CALL?

Consistent findings - 1 Word processing works  Replicated with L1 and L2 writers  Revising leads to better writing  Less anxiety

Consistent findings - 3 One size does not fit all  Dunn (1993) “responding to how students learn significantly increases their achievement and attitude test scores…  no learning style characteristic is better or worse than any other learning style characteristic; and …  [children] need to be taught to their individual learning style strengths if they are to master new and difficult academic material

Consistent findings - 3 One size does not fit all  Multiple channels  Inductive vs. deductive learners Data-driven learning

Consistent findings - 4 The teacher’s role is key  Setting tasks  Defining roles

Consistent findings - 5 Learners like to feel special  Individualized instruction  Custom learning experience  Audience outside the classroom But... Hawthorne effect Missing variables in research

Consistent findings - 6 Some skills practice is helpful  Focus on form in context  Decontextualized practice does not build fluency

Consistent findings - 7 People like games  Simulations and games – long history in education  Part of most commercial ESL/EFL software  Competing against time, self, or others  Collaborative games

Consistent findings - 4 Computers and CMC are engaging Engagement works  Fun factor  Consciousness-raising  Language research by students  Authentic tasks – communication, writing, etc.  Authentic contexts for language use

Ongoing and future areas of research Need for a solid theoretical framework  SLA or other basis  Replication Word processing  Spell checkers  Teacher comments  Translation >

Ongoing and future areas of research Work in groups  Local or global  Social networking sites  Class or individual partners  Class structure Role of the teacher  What tasks? What instructions?  Wireless labs  Distance education >

Ongoing and future areas of research Multiple media in learning  How much information is too much?  Can students REALLY multitask well? Use of simulations and games  What is “authentic”?  How much do students learn from different types of games? >

Ongoing and future areas of research Attention and engagement  What learners benefit most from DDL?  How should tasks be structured?  User interface  Does English level make a difference? Autonomy/self-directed learning  What do learners need to be autonomous?  How can students learn from Internet sites? >

Ongoing and future areas of research Search engines  What do students need to know to search well? Podcasts, blogs, ubiquitous computing  What do students learn from creating websites? Podcasts? Blogs?  How much access is too much? Hawthorne effect  Is it a factor in CALL research? >

Your areas of interest?

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