Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL)

The main focus of this paper is on the advancement of technologies in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) from a historical perspective. The review starts by defining CALL and its related terminology, highlighting the first CALL attempts in 1950s and 1960s, and then moving to other decades of mainframes and microcomputers.
At the final step, emerging technologies in 21st century will be reviewed

Intelligent computer-assisted language learning (ICALL) is  a multidisciplinary area of research that combines natural language processing (NLP), intelligent tutoring system (ITS), second language acquisition (SLA), and foreign language teaching and learning (FLTL). Intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) are able to provide a personalized approach to learning by assuming the role of a real teacher/expert who adapts and steers the learning process according to the specific needs of each learner. This article reviews and discusses the issues surrounding the development and use of ITSs for language learning and teaching. First, the authors look at ICALL history: its evolution from CALL. Second, issues in ICALL research and integration will be discussed. Third, they will explain how artificial intelligence (AI) techniques are being implemented in language education as ITS and intelligent language tutoring systems (ITLS). Finally, the successful integration and development of ITLS will be explained in detail.

This study investigated learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) who engaged in a group discussion and saw how their discussion was affected by a preceding conversation with a chatbot. The chatbot was designed to reflect the Socratic inquiry
method based on Eliza, a computer program developed for psychotherapy. Two case studies were conducted, and 130 university students (Case 1: n=63; Case 2: n=67) were divided into experimental and control groups and observed. Case 1 served as the pilot study and focused on the effects of a chatbot conversation on the discussion; the critical thinking, satisfaction, and number of conversations in experimental and control groups were analyzed. Case 2 examined the difference in critical thinking pre- and post-discussion in both groups. Case 1 showed that a preceding conversation with a chatbot might lead to an increase in the number of contributions that students made to conversations and could increase the number of conversations in which the students participated.
Case 2 results showed that pre-discussion with a chatbot could increase the students’ awareness of critical thinking and enable them to form inquiring mindsets.

This paper presents a comparative analysis of five years of teaching-interns' reflections on the same ESL lesson that uses two modalities: a traditionally simulated environment and a 3D virtual world.  Our analysis shows that both modalities have inherent limitations, though these can be overcome to different degrees.  The analysis of interns' reflections also allows us to identify the necessary conditions for reality of function (Jones, 1982) in both lesson modalities.  In the end, we find that the criterion of reality of function is the overriding factor in choosing the modality.

This study intended to develop an android-based application for English vocabulary learning for primary school students. By implementing Design and Development design model, the researcher underwent three main stages namely; 1) Design, 2) Development, and 3) Evaluation. Through the use of questionnaires and interview guide, the needs were assessed. The results showed that the primary school students need more time to learn English and emphasize more on vocabulary learning. The primary school students need a smartphone application which provides vocabulary practice, test and entertainment about the topics learnt in the class. The smartphone application was developed in Android Package Kit (APK) format designed by using Microsoft Power Point. Contrasted to others, this smartphone application provides vocabulary practices, quizzes, and games for all topics that 4, 5, and 6 graders need to learn. The smartphone application was tested and evaluated by 5 English teachers and 2 technology ...

In this chapter, we discuss our experiences designing and implementing an online Tandem Language Learning (TLL) program for university undergraduate-level learners of Chinese and English. Our TLL program, called the Chinese Corner/ English Corner, involved native English-speaker learners of Chinese in Australia and native Chinese-speaker learners of English in China interacting via the social media app QQ to learn each other's languages. We first explain the rationale for establishing a TLL program for these two groups of language learners, then describe the learning activities we designed and the principles which informed them. Following this, we discuss the benefits for students of the Chinese Corner/ English Corner; namely, active engagement, substantial use of the target language, sustained participation, increased knowledge and understanding of the target language culture, and flexibility of access. We offer our experience in the hope it will benefit language teachers who need to shift their teaching activities online in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, where learning cannot take place in physical space. Our experience is relevant here

In recent years, collaborative filtering, a recommendation algorithm that incorporates a user’s data such as interest, has received worldwide attention as an advanced learning support system. However, accurate recommendations along with a user’s interest cannot be ideal as an effective learning environment. This study aims to develop and evaluate an online English vocabulary learning system using collaborative filtering that allows learners to learn English vocabulary while expanding their interests. The online learning environment recommends English news articles using information obtained from other users with similar interests. The learner then studies these recommended articles as a method of learning English. The results of a two-month experiment that compared this system to an earlier collaborative filtering system called ‘‘GroupLens’’ reveal that learners who used the collaborative filtering system developed in this study read various news articles and had significantly higher scores on topic-specific vocabulary tests than did those who used the previous system.

Peer assessment has long been used as an alternative to instructor assessment of students’ learning. Yet, its receivers are often skeptical about the effectiveness and validity of the evaluation (e.g. Strijbos, Narciss & Dünnebier, 2010; Kolowich, 2013; Formanek et al., 2017; Meek, Blakemore & Marks, 2017). Still, other studies (e.g. Cho & Schunn, 2007; Gielen et al., 2010; Ashton & Davies, 2015) have found peer grading to be reliable and valid when accompanied by proper guidance, and that when used appropriately, it may benefit both the learners who receive the feedback and those who provide it (Dochy, Segers & Sluijsmans, 1999; Barak & Rafaeli, 2004).
Nowadays peer assessment remains an element vital to the existence of massive open online courses (MOOCs), and is widely recognized by the research community as a topic which needs to be investigated in detail and improved in the future. Massive open online courses whose primary focus is second language learning (LMOOCs) are organized by various institutions around the world. Nevertheless, publications addressing issues related to this type of course are fairly scarce (cf. Bárcena & Martín-Monje, 2015).
Pronunciation routinely accounts for a major share of communication breakdowns in non-native speaker interactions as well as communication between native and non-native speakers (cf, e,g, Paradowski, 2013; Pawlas & Paradowski, under review). Yet, in many language classrooms its teaching is brushed off in favor of imparting other skills. Luckily this shortage is increasingly being addressed with the ready availability of CALL. We present a small case study of peer assessment reliability in the context of a Japanese pronunciation MOOC offered by one of the popular online providers.
A phonetic analysis of the first author’s speech recordings has been carried out using Praat software (Boersma & Weenink, 2017) in order to assess the accuracy of feedback obtained from course participants. On its basis, an evaluation of the pronunciation has been made and then compared with assessment provided by peers, a TA involved in the course, and an independent Japanese native speaker teacher.
Although the peers’ comments conveyed a general idea about progress, their feedback was not sufficiently detailed. More reliable was the assessment by the TA. Still, an evaluation completed by an independent Japanese native speaker showed that a person not involved in any way in the MOOC was easily able to make even more observations. Thus, assessment appeared objective and reliable only after triangulating all the sources of feedback.
The study revealed that peer assessment may not produce reliable results if the process of evaluation is not sufficiently facilitated; namely, when there are no explicit guidelines and preparatory training exercises provided for the participants. The peer evaluation was difficult to perform in a helpful manner since the assignments lacked clearly constructed rubrics. Thus, future language courses, particularly those that concentrate on productive skills such as speaking, ought to implement clear rubrics together with a grading tutorial.