Constructivism+and+CALL

© Olga

**WHAT IS CALL? **
This is the acronym that stands for Computer-Assisted Language Learning - a concept in language education. Beatty (2003) defines CALL as ‘any process in which a learner uses a computer, and as a result, improves his or her language’.



CALL has developed gradually over the last 30 years and it embraces a wide range of ICT applications, tools and approaches to teaching and learning foreign languages.

This form of learning also enables a student of a language for a Web-based distance learning.

Warschauer (1996) categorized the development of this concept in three historical phases: behavioristic, communicative and integrative. On this website I am going to focus on examining the forms of the most recent – **integrative CALL**.

Integrative approaches to CALL are based on two important technological developments - computers and the Internet.

CALL is essentially a tool that helps teachers to facilitate the language learning process.  It can be used to reinforce what has been already learned in the classroom or to help learners who require additional support.

For a further explanation watch the first video of the series about CALL, by Peggy Marcy from The California State University:

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**WHY WOULD WE NEED TO USE CALL IN OUR EFL CLASSROOMS? **
As technology becomes increasingly ubiquitous, it is expected from the teachers to integrate it into the language classes.

This means not only bringing technology into the classroom, but offering learners technology–enhanced options outside the class time.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">For more information watch a video ‘Why teach instructors about CALL’

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">media type="youtube" key="4pKamPWV8Fo" height="315" width="420"


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">HOW IS IT CONNECTED TO CONSTRUCTIVISM? **



====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Constructivist-based instruction often includes providing the learner with skills or support (e.g. modelling, coaching, scaffolding) and ====

====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The teacher’s role is to aid the learner in this construction rather than simply providing that information to her or him (Bowers et al., 2010). ==== ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">(See <span class="wiki_link">Constructivism and language teaching: introduction,  __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Constructivism and language teacher __<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">, Constructivism and language learner for more) ====

**<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">HOW TO START USING CONSTRUCTIVIST CALL IN OUR CLASSROOMS? **
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">

====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|Blended learning] is learning that combines face-to-face (f2f) teaching with online elements (Hockly 2011). ====

====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">The best way is to start small, preferably with one class and offering as little as 10 percent of the work online – possibly simply as an extra task. ====

====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">According to a teacher trainer Hockly (2011), we should start from looking at the syllabus of the course we are going to teach – we need to be aware of which elements to offer online ====

====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Therefore it would be helpful to identify the areas that are most easily delivered online, namely: **reading, writing and listening**. ====

====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"><range type="comment" id="463292">Speaking can also be conducted online, yet we would want to keep as much speaking as possible to our f2f classes. ====

====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">In a proper CALL-aided course we would like to create an online Constructivist Learning Environment (click here for more) ====


 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Group e-mail ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Electronic noticeboards (e.g. [|Wallwisher]) ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|Interactive Whiteboard] ====
 * ====[|Web 2.0 technologies] (e.g. class blogs, wikis, podcasts, social networking)====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|Virtual learning environments] (e.g. Moodle) ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|Virtual world language learning] (e.g. WebQuest ) ====
 * ====[|**Massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG)**]====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Multimedia projects ====

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Constructivist CALL outside the classroom:

 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[|Self-access language learning centres] where the students can individualize their language learning and develop autonomous learning skills (e.g. Self-Access Learning Centre (SALC) at [|Kanda University of International Studies] ) ====

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">WebQuest
====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">In this virtual world the learner explores, collaborates and constructs his surroundings within an environment of his or her choice. ====

====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">For more information on what a WebQuest is, why to make them and how to make them, see the website [] and watch a series of videos: ====

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">media type="youtube" key="o4rel5qOPvU" height="315" width="420"

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">In order to successfully manage projects in the classroom, Henderson suggests to remember the following:

 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Clearly define the task, its aims and benefits ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Get the students to engage in the project by letting them choose the topic of their interest ====
 * ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Have a clear timetable in order to work in conjunction with the main course syllabus ====

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Class blog
====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Through social interactions mediated by language, edublogs offer students the opportunity to surface their ideas and comment on them, which enables the learners to participate in the ====

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[[image:get_blogging.png]]
====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;"> (source: [] ) ====


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Useful websites **

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">EUROCALL (European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning)
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">IATEFL Learning Technologies SIG (//Special Interest Group)//
<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">[]
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Autonomous Technology-Assisted Language Learning (ATALL) **


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">References **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">1. Beatty, K. (2003) //Teaching and Researching Computer-Assisted Language Learning//, London: Pearson Education.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">2. Bowers C., Carper T.M., Gebrim J.B., Nicholson D.,Vogel-Walcutt J.J. (2010) Cognitive load theory vs. constructivist approaches: which best leads to efficient, deep learning? In //Journal of Computer Assisted Learning//. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 27, 133-145.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">3. Henderson M. (2011)Meaningful English through multimedia projects. In //Modern English Teacher//. Brighton: Pavilion Publishing Ltd. 20 (4), 42-45.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">4. Hockly N. (2011) Five things you always wanted to know about blended learning (and were afraid to ask). In //English Teaching Professional//. 75 (6), 58.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">5. Seitzinger, J. (2006) Be Constructive: Blogs, Podcasts, and Wikis as Constructivist Learning Tools. In //Learning Solutions Magazine//. Retrieved 11.05.2012 from [].

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">6. Warschauer M. (1996) Computer Assisted Language Learning: an Introduction. In Fotos S. (ed.) //Multimedia language teaching//, Tokyo: Logos International, 3-20. = =