2025-10-10
This paper applies Paul Nation’s “Four Strands Model” to online teaching. It looks at the three strands that comprise “practice”, as opposed to the one strand termed “language-focused learning” and discusses a variety of activities for each skill that are workable for online classes but nevertheless, allow the instructor to track whether the students have actually done their assigned work. Suggestions are made for how teachers can keep a record of, and assess, the students’ work.
Feedback is central to successful learning, but digital feedback still appears to be underutilized by teachers. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, its relevance for teacher education has increased, though. This paper reports on a three-year study that aimed to foster pre-service teachers’ (PTs’) digital feedback literacy as part of their TESOL studies. Two cohorts participated in the years before (N=29) and two at start of the Covid-19 pandemic (N=28). This way, it was possible to compare the PTs’ perceptions of their digital feedback literacy development before and during the pandemic. Data were collected at various stages of the intervention through pre-, while- and post-surveys as well as the feedback videos that were created by the PTs. The different data sources were analyzed in a mixed-methods manner by means of statistical procedures and qualitative content analysis (Kuckartz & Rädiker, 2019). Through the intervention, the PTs perceived an increase in their digital feedback literacy. This was demonstrated by their heightened knowledge, positive attitudes and technological-pedagogical skills in the production of feedback videos, especially in the pandemic courses. The contribution will close with recommendations for developing dynamic digital feedback literacies among (pre-service) teachers in the future.
The purpose of this research was to understand the current effects on professional identity during the move to online learning from traditional class-based learning among higher education English lecturers in Hanoi, Vietnam, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst multiple studies have focused on the storied experiences of teachers in multiple contexts during this period, few have utilized the lens of teacher professional identity as a tool to understanding reported successes and challenges at the classroom and institution level. Semi-structured interviews took place with six higher education lecturers of English across two universities in Hanoi, Vietnam. Data was analyzed in NVivo using deductive thematic analysis, based on a conceptual framework of identity congruence and incongruence. The study found that sites of identity congruence during the move to online learning in this context included values of efficacy, professionalism, and innovation, while sites of incongruence included student motivation, social connection, and control. The study highlights the potential of using the lens of professional identity as a tool for greater insight into rationale and potential remedying of challenges within educational settings, particularly when observing the notion of change in teaching delivery.
There is relatively little research on how teachers can prepare to teach languages using Virtual Reality (VR) applications. There is also little longitudinal research on student self-directed learning using VR. In response to this lack of reported research, this study explores the educational affordances of VR with a small group of four university students and one high school student in Japan who met online weekly for an academic year starting in April 2021. In the first stage of research, the seven participants used Oculus Quest 2 Head Mounted Displays (HMDs) in the Engage collaborative VR space. The five students were asked to investigate and review VR apps that were connected to their academic disciplines. Initial results showed a large number of positive effects of working in VR but almost all participants suffered some kind of cybersickness. For this reason, in the second stage of research, it was decided to move from HMDs to a web-based browser (Mozilla Hubs) in which participants created their own VR rooms to teach each other about one aspect of their own academic field. Finally, in the third phase of the project, the students created their own 360-degree virtual tours using ThingLink. This paper shows how university students can learn in a self-directed VR environment. It also describes the challenges facing teachers who wish to use VR in their teaching, including technical issues of wifi and computer processing power, training in the VR environment, ethical and health concerns, and, most importantly, the pedagogical knowledge needed to best support students.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many educators and students around the world to shift abruptly from a face-to-face environment to an online learning management system (LMS). This change of environment proved especially difficult for English language learners (ELLs) in the United States. Some of the challenges for ELLs include technology issues, lack of facility with the LMS, limited comprehension of written instructions, time management difficulties, social isolation, and low motivation. This paper discusses those challenges and examines the benefits and shortcomings of using an LMS for lessons, assessments, and communication among ELLs. This qualitative study investigates the experiences of ELL students enrolled in a Dallas, Texas area high school during the COVID-19 pandemic and their attitudes towards completing coursework through an LMS platform.
Clandinin and Connelly (2000) introduces the metaphorical three-dimensional narrative inquiry space, which espouses the commonplaces of temporality, sociality, and place as a framework to understand teachers’ personal practical knowledge. This paper aims to explore how this framework’s potential can be enhanced beyond its role as an inquiry tool by integrating it with a self-reflective teacher professional development that utilises a community blog as a platform. To explore this, Malaysian ESL practitioners from various backgrounds were invited to contribute narratives of their technology-enhanced language teaching experiences in the classroom (see https://www.goingdigital-elt.com/blog). Three blog entries had been selected as they represented three diverse contexts and multiplicity of perspectives. The first part provides a review of literature on narrative inquiry and the use of narrative accounts and blogging as tools for language teachers’ professional development. The second part outlines an overview of the Going Digital ELT blog project, followed by the unpacking of the three selected blog posts using the three-dimensional narrative inquiry space framework. The final part presents resonances identified both in the narrative threads as well as from feedback gathered from the participants involved. This is followed by a discussion on the insights, limitations, and directions for future research. The paper concludes with suggestions on how the insights presented in this paper can be used to inform follow-up initiatives on the Going Digital ELT blog, and how the experiences of teachers can be enhanced to assist more meaningful professional development.
This paper reports on evidence-based teaching practice carried out in teacher training within the International Virtual Exchange Project (IVEProject). The IVEProject has involved more than 30,000 students and 600 teachers from 25 countries in Virtual Exchange (VE) since 2015. In the two 2021 exchanges, we conducted research to identify issues teachers face when they participate in this VE, and to identify possible tools and practical help to solve problems teachers have. A further goal was to identify teachers’ cognition and practices associated with students’ successful participation in the exchange. First-time teachers were asked to complete questionnaires which produced both quantitative and qualitative data. Other data came from two participating teachers who wrote a weekly journal as they progressed through the exchange. Finally, we used logs from the website to analyse teachers’ use of the site. Unsurprisingly, the study found that teachers require focused training to facilitate their participation, but the type, amount and style of training varied depending on a number of teacher traits and the environments in which they worked. Many teachers want their students to interact with others around the world but are still not confident in bringing themselves and their students into an international setting. The study identified the issues that the participating teachers had. The paper concludes with a discussion, based on participants’ data, of ways in which organisers can help teachers in future VE to address these issues to improve their own and students’ participation and outcomes.
This paper seeks to guide teachers on how to integrate technology into their teaching in ways which allow them to tailor instruction to individual learners’ needs. It considers the importance of awareness of individual learner differences and how can teachers respond to these differences through the considered and flexible use of technology in their teaching. It is based on a study of teachers and learners studying English in a University setting in Algeria, with data collected through interviews and from learners’ diaries. The findings indicate that greater teacher awareness of and responsiveness to individual learner differences can help with learner engagement in classes involving technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) and therefore potentially improve outcomes. They also suggest that the wide range of technological tools now available can accommodate individual learner differences by allowing variation in terms of the content of classes, tasks, learning modes, teaching and learning strategies, assessment strategies, and complexity level. The findings could therefore help teachers to better understand the educational needs of individual learners and the role of technology in meeting these needs.
Critical digital literacy (CDL) skills, and the ability to convey them to foreign language (FL) students have become increasingly relevant competencies of language teachers. Hence, concepts in teacher education need to be developed and explored in order to foster these skills. In our exploratory research, we examined a COIL project including pre-service FL teachers. Students worked in small international teams to discuss the distinction between credible and non-credible online sources in the discourse of the Covid-19 pandemic. The results indicate the development of awareness about the complexity, functions and mechanisms of online media as well as the strategies on how to judge the credibility of online sources. Additionally, participants reflected on the importance of fostering information and CDL of their (future) students. The data suggests that the development of these professional, digital competencies was due to the current, socially relevant topic (Covid-19) and the communicative exchange in small international groups.
Ever since the switch from face-to-face to online classes in 2020, the greatest initial challenge for teachers and students has been to adjust and adapt to the technology necessary for this change to happen. Some concerns included whether students had adequate connectivity to the internet, and if they had the necessary skills and technological know-how to participate actively in online classes. In this case study we address these concerns as well as identify additional pedagogical issues and examine how teaching of particular content may be better in an online context. One of the biggest challenges was how to transform a face-to-face Independent Study Course into one delivered online. Learners were encouraged to take charge of their learning as they were guided through the processes of setting goals, selecting materials, planning learning activities, monitoring progress, and assessing outcomes. As we worked to convert the course, we faced a number of issues. For example, how could we monitor student activities? How could we make sure they were getting enough opportunities to use what they learned? To explore these questions, we adopt a narrative style and describe how we modified and transformed the mode of delivery from face-to-face to online. We begin with a description of the original classroom-based course. Next, we discuss the challenges we faced moving online. We conclude by offering pedagogical recommendations in the hope that the lessons we learned will be of help to other educators interested in delivering similar courses.
Dr. Mimi Li shares her experiences of research on CALL as well as teacher training focused on digital pedagogy. She also discusses historical developments and existing challenges in teacher education in CALL, and future trends in CALL. Moreover, Dr. Li offers suggestions to teacher educators on program/course developments. In addition, this interview draws readers’ attention to the new forum section of LLT “Language Teacher Education and Technology”.
This wide-ranging interview explores current topics of discussion in TELL, including digital literacies, mobile and emerging technologies, and the forms of digital learning in diverse contexts in the Global North and South. Lessons to emerge from the shift to emergency remote teaching during Covid-19 are mentioned, followed by a broader discussion of digital design frameworks that educators can use to support their learning designs. Alongside commentary on the limitations of contemporary academic publication processes, there is a focus on major research needs, and specifically on the value of educators carrying out design-based research.
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