Computer-Assisted Foreign Language Teaching and Learning: Technological Advances: Technological Advances

Zou, Bin · Xing, Minjie · Wang, Yuping · Sun, Mingyu · Xiang, Catherine H.

Jan 2013 · IGI Global

About this ebook

Educational technologies continue to advance the ways in which we teach and learn. As these technologies continue to improve our communication with one another, computer-assisted foreign language learning has provided a more efficient way of communication between different languages.

Computer-Assisted Foreign Language Teaching and Learning: Technological Advances highlights new research and an original framework that brings together foreign language teaching, experiments and testing practices that utilize the most recent and widely used e-learning resources. This comprehensive collection of research will offer linguistic scholars, language teachers, students, and policymakers a better understanding of the importance and influence of e-learning in second language acquisition.

About the author

Bin Zou received his PhD in TESOL and computer technology from the University of Bristol (UK) and MA degree from the University of York (UK). He is a senior tutor/associate professor and a team leader at the English Language Centre, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (China) and currently teaches EAP and EF courses. Dr. Zou’s research interests include Applied Linguistics, ELT, EAP, CALL, Corpus, and ICT. He has given presentations at international conferences including AILA, EUROCALL, IALLT, BAAL, IATEFL, etc., published papers in international journals, such as Computer-Assisted Language Learning, the International Journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning and Teaching, the International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning, and edited books, including Monitoring and Assessment in Online Collaborative Environments: Emergent Computational Technologies for E-learning Support (IGI Global, USA). He is the editor of two books: Computer-Assisted Foreign Language Teaching and Learning: Technological Advances and Explorations of Language Teaching and Learning with Computational Assistance both to be published by IGI Global in 2013. Also, he has been involved in reviewing papers for the journal of Computer-Assisted Language Learning, the journal of Mixed Methods Research, and IGI Global books.

Minjie Xing is a senior language teacher at Manchester University, UK. Since she obtained her PhD in Language and Culture between Chinese and English at Salford University, she has been teaching Chinese in higher education in the UK for all levels of students. Her expertise and research interests are e-learning, autonomous learning, interactive/cooperative learning, and intercultural communication. Her research has been widely published in renowned journals and books. She is currently an active member on the editorial board for the International Journal of Computer-assisted Language Learning and Teaching.

Yuping Wang is an associate professor in the School of Languages and Linguistics at Griffith University, Australia. Her research focuses on the use of Synchronous Computer Mediated Communication (SCMC) and Synchronous Learning Management Systems (SLMS) in second language learning and teacher training. She has published on the use of SLMS and Internet-based videoconferencing tools in online/distance language learning and online teacher training.

Mingyu Sun earned her Ph.D. in Computational Linguistics and Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Michigan State University. She is currently the director of the Language Resource Center at University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee in the United States. She oversees language testing and evaluation, web-based instructional innovations, and the development of instructional technology for over twenty languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Hmong, Lao, Thai, Hebrew, as well as a full array of more commonly taught languages, and also the translation program at UWM.

Catherine Hua Xiang is the Language Coordinator for Mandarin and Japanese at the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK. Her research focuses on teaching Chinese as a foreign language, e-learning and distance language education, and cross-cultural communication. She is the author of Mastering Chinese – A Complete Coursebook for Beginners. She is currently involved in a major European project called ‘Visual-audio Media in L2 Teaching and Learning’, which is exploring the impact of using media technology in language education. [Editor]