How Does Technology Impact Learning a New Language Peer Review

Abstract

We reviewed literature from 2014 to 2018 on foreign/second language learning supported by technologies. We aimed to select empirical studies that show upshot of technologies on language learning. In this review study, we describe types of technologies, their potential usage for language learning, advantage and disadvantages, and we also give some examples to understand our findings amend. Besides, nosotros compare our results with those obtained from earlier review studies, eastward.g. nosotros identified several new technologies used in studies betwixt 2014 and 2018 merely never used before. We too make several suggestions for future studies in this field. Our results can be useful for education and inquiry communities that programme to pattern engineering science-enhanced strange/2nd language learning and teaching.

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Yang, M. and Shadiev, R. (2019) Review of Research on Technologies for Linguistic communication Learning and Teaching. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 7, 171-181. doi: 10.4236/jss.2019.73014.

1. Introduction

Engineering has long been seen every bit a means of enhancing language learning in many industrial countries. It frees instructors and students from repetitive and slow activities and allows them to focus on the core of language learning. The use of engineering science, either solitary or integrated in the classroom context, was at least every bit effective as traditional classroom-based learning [1].

The rapid advancement of technologies in the last years has created advantages and opportunities for pedagogy [2] that the utilise of technologies has become nearly ubiquitous for strange/second linguistic communication (FL/SL) learning. Some new technologies, such as virtual reality, smart watch and other vesture devices are detected and increasingly available [3]. In addition, some emerging technologies, such every bit Google glasses and computational thinking, are also maturing and very promising to be used in FL/SL learning classrooms. Many studies take shown that technological innovations can promote FL/SL learners' performances, increase their motivation and provide more efficient means for target language input [four] [five].

This written report investigated SSCI papers related to technologies used for FL/SL learning from 2014 to 2018. We focused on empirical studies that showing event of the engineering and so equally its descriptions of technologies or potential uses. Because of time retrieval conditions, we only focused on relatively new technology. Some technologies such as personal computer and interactive whiteboard are excluded. Considering that they are nigh totally used by language learners or merely out of fashion.

The goal of this study is to give a guide to FL/SL learners, teachers and researchers. For instance, when a teacher wants to use a new applied science to assist his teaching, then he can read this newspaper and see which kind of technology is suitable for his class, what advantages and disadvantages the technology has. Then, we brand a comparison betwixt technologies used from 2014 to 2018 and technologies used before 2014. Some new technologies are being used in FL/SL language learning and pedagogy whereas some old are disappearing.

2. Method

This review summarizes researches of technology use in FL learning. Our method followed general recommendations from earlier research [six] [vii]. Research manufactures were searched from Social Sciences Citation Index databases using search terms such equally foreign, linguistic communication, learning, technology and specific proper noun of the technology only similar robot, internet of things, wear devices, and smart spotter, etc. This review focuses on empirical researches that showing effectiveness of the technology betwixt 2014 and 2018. Then we prepare criteria and narrowed down the option of research articles for inclusion. The screening criteria are as follows: first, studies focus on foreign linguistic communication learning supported by technologies; second, studies that were published between 2014 and 2018; third, studies were written in English; fourth, studies that were published in Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) which are related to educational technology. In order to discover the use of unknown technologies in foreign linguistic communication learning, we likewise use the retrospective method to collect papers, that is, to further search and verify when the technology that may run into the requirements is constitute in the selected papers.

In the finish, over 50 potentially relevant studies were selected. Considering this is work-in-progress, our review work is even so ongoing, and only results related to one part of reviewed studies (northward = 12) was included in this review written report.

3. Result

We innovate the technologies that applied to FL learning between 2014 and 2018 and carve up them into two categories. One is for individual FL/SL learning and the other for collaborative ane. There are twelve kinds of technologies that we nowadays in this piece of work-in-progress study. We show advantages and disadvantages of the technology then give a few examples to show how researcher can design their studied and what skills can be improved using these technologies.

3.i. Technologies That Were Used for Individual Study

1) Teaching assistant robot

Education assistant robot is a kind of robot peculiarly designed for teaching. Wu, Wang and Chen (2015) [eight] designed an experiment to explore the potential for using teaching banana robots in elementary school. Nether the guidance of CLT (chatty language instruction), TPR (Total physical response) and teaching storytelling, they designed a didactics assistant robot on their own to support their education content such as 26 English letters, cocky-introduction and trunk parts, conversation, and storytelling. The principal skill is advice. So the instruction banana robot had the capability to exhibit diverse forms of advice and interaction with the student learners, such as facial expression, gestures, and motions on wheels.

In their study, they institute that teaching assistant robots did yield a improve learning effect. As a novel technology, teaching assistant robots fabricated students fascinated and remained closely focused and engaged. It captured students' attention quickly and held their attending during the whole sessions and also motivated them to report English. Besides, the concrete advent was establish to be an important factor. Man-like or cartoon-like external appearances are more acceptable. A familiar, interesting look will be effective to those who were often afraid to speak up or answer questions in English in front of their classmates. Nevertheless, there is still something incorrect of vocalization recognition in a noisy environs.

2) Corpus

Claims about corpus have been going on for years. But the evidence regarding the effectiveness of corpus in FL learning comes from qualitative studies or case studies before 2014. Daskalovska (2015) [9] designed an experiment to investigate the effectiveness of corpus-based activities for learning verb-adverb collocations compared to traditional activities usually found in course books. The exam results show that the participants who learned with the aid of corpus gained more knowledge of verb-adverb collocations than the command grouping. Corpus was proofed to exist a powerful tool in the easily of English every bit a strange language (EFL) student.

With the assist of corpus, students can go more varied and detailed data about the words and collocations. When students search for words, information technology will show a large number of authentic examples of the utilize of these words in various contexts so that students tin can see how they are used, in what contexts they are used, and also see the surrounding words or structures. In this manner, students will spend some fourth dimension analyzing and interpreting the information, which means there is depth of information processing takes place. Then they tin learn better and remember new noesis longer.

three) 3D virtual worlds (Chabot and time machine)

3D virtual worlds are used to construct learning situations that simulate realistic scenarios. Information technology is distinguished from other types of media through immersion and presence. FL learners can take advantage of hypothetically existent simulations in graphically rich and dynamic environments (Dalgarno & Lee, 2010) [ten] and immerse themselves to practice their target language skills in contexts.

Wang, Petrina and Feng (2015) [11] developed an immersive English learning environment with two key learning artifacts, Chabot and fourth dimension machine. These two learning artifacts mainly aimed at facilitating learning verbs. Linguistic communication learners were expected to learn how to distinguish linking verbs, action verbs and participles. Also, they are besides expected to construct sentences using present, past and future tenses besides as active and passive voices. The experimental results indicate that the Chabot and fourth dimension auto increment the learners' sense of immersion and presence which ways 3D virtual worlds performed well in immersion likewise as in FL learning.

4) Automated written corrective feedback

To some extent, automated written corrective feedback (AWCF) is a substitute of teacher-provided written cosmetic feedback (WCF). Li, Link, and Hegelheimer (2015) [12] said that AWCF is useful to lighten teachers' feedback burden. For case, AWCF can deal with problems in sentence-level grammar so that teachers can focus more on higher-level concerns such as content and discourse. It is useful for students likewise considering they tin apply AWCF freely. Then, revise and proofread their own work on time.

Ranalli (2018) [13] used an AWCF-based error-correction task in his research which related to EFL writing. In his report, the explicitness and accuracy of the feedback was controlled and so as students' response blazon. Students could only change the words according to AWCF, not delete direct. Results showed that explicitness is an important determining factor for L2 students to right written errors. For example, generic feedback required more mental-effort expenditure than specific feedback but less clear and helpful. But the need to evaluate accuracy didn't call for unique mental effort.

Of course, AWCF is a valuable engineering science. For teachers, it tin can lighten their feedback burden. And for students, it can improve the quality of writing beyond drafts of text. But there are nevertheless some limitations of AWCF such equally its ane-size-fits-all nature. AWCF takes little account of individual differences because its fault types are determined more by technological capacities than pedagogical considerations.

5) Online game-based platform

Online game-based platform is implemented like a game-based learning management system (LMS) platform that provides the functionality for game, communication, storage, and receiving data online. Game makes this kind of technology more fascinating and engaging.

Usai, Neil and Newman (2017) [14] describe an online game-based platform named LANGA for L2 learning and research. And nowadays a demonstrative proof-of-concept report using the platform. The consequence of their study showed that with the help of platform, participants were able to acquire a big proportion of the new words, and retained the novel words longer. They also claimed that the online game-based platform is effective and engaging for the consumer.

half dozen) Cyberspace of things and wearable technologies

The Internet of things (IoT) is a engineering based on the Internet that extends its concluding to any objects and then as to bear out data exchange and communication. Wearable devices are portable devices worn directly on the torso such every bit spectacles. It can accomplish powerful functions through software support, data interaction and cloud interaction.

Present, more and more educators believe that situating foreign linguistic communication learners in authentic surroundings has become an important issue especially for young children who need to learn a new language past concrete vocabulary [fifteen]. IoT and clothing technologies provide instructors with tools to create and manage scenarios including everyday objects and friendly interfaces and then that young learners tin handle and run into them directly.

In a research related to job-based foreign language learning for young children, Elena and other colleagues [16] used Cyberspace of things (IoT) and wearable technologies to create realistic task-based language learning scenarios. As they found, the apply of these technologies is beneficial. In class, Internet of things and wearable technologies can free instructors of keeping records performed by each student during the tasks. Instead, these technologies allow instructors focus their efforts on creating a friendly environment and encouraging students to participate in learning procedure more than actively.

7) Virtual reality

Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated interactive experience which takes identify inside a fake environment. That commonly simulates parts of our world or completely an imaginary world using high-performance computers and sensory equipment. These wearable devices visually isolate users from the physical existent-globe environs.

The emergence of VR technology enables FL learners to have cultural or linguistic communication immersion without putting their physical bodies in the target language surroundings, thus creating a feeling of being there. Virtual environments create an avatar for each learner, and then let it walk through diverse locations and interact with other avatars in the target language from different cultures. Learning cultural knowledge in the target language from people representing information technology (host of the target civilization/language) is critical to FL learners. Cultural immersion allows FL learners to larn target language meaningful and effective by observing, participating, and engaging with language and culture.

Shih (2015) [17] did a research that combined a qualitative case study with a time-series design to investigate the touch of virtual context on culture learning. The results testify that all of the participants involved in the study benefitted from their cultural immersion in the virtual environment. That means VR could help enhance learner cultural cognition and language learning. Besides, VR allowed widely access (even over distance) learning resources, highly engage in learning experiences so that it could motivate learners to attempt just-in-time and trial-and-fault FL/SL learning without gamble.

8) Augmented reality

Augmented reality (AR) is a kind of engineering that enhances the sense of reality by integrating digital information and existent environments. Many people confuse VR with AR. The difference of these two technologies is that VR completely replaces real earth environment with simulated environment, while AR combines or supplements real earth objects with virtual objects or digital information. In an AR supported surroundings, the objects be in real-world are "augmented" past computer-generated perceptual information. This process involves multiple sensory organs such as visual, auditory, haptic, somatosensory, and olfactory like VR supported activities.

Hsu (2017) [xviii] has developed 2 AR educational game systems for tertiary graders (no-English language native speaker) to larn English vocabulary in complimentary and situated environs. They found that AR tin can provide such equally ubiquitous and situated learning and learners' senses of presence and immediacy. Besides, some skills such as information management, problem solving or reflection tin besides be potentially motivate and strengthen. Ho, Hsieh, Sun and Chen (2017) [xix] used AR features to develop a ubiquitous learning teaching system in order to improve the functioning of EFL learning with accurate situations. Results of their study showed that using AR tin can positively amend FL learners' learning performance.

9) Smart watch

A smartwatch is a full general-purpose, internet-continued computer worn on wrist with multiple sensors that continuously mensurate and brandish different information for the user [xx].

The most prominent office of the smartwatch is to monitor the user'south movement condition in real fourth dimension, such equally recording the number of steps taken every day. Therefore, smart watches are very suitable for supporting language learning in sports. In this way, learners can non only learn language knowledge but also exercise their bodies.

Shadiev, Hwang and Liu (2018) [21] carried out a single field of study experiment to research the affordances of smart watches for EFL learning and healthy and enjoyable living. In their study, they designed an EFL learning activity using smart watches to combine EFL learning with physical do. The learners participated in learning activity using smart watches during the showtime week, and without smart lookout support during the second week. The outcome showed that the when learners used smart watches, they performed better. The questionnaire and interview results showed that the smart watches were easy to employ and useful for EFL learning, health and positive emotions. Their written report also suggested the advantages of smart spotter. The first one is wireless connectivity. It allows students seamlessly access to learning information and interact with teachers and peers. The second is creating content using the multimedia tools. The third is receiving feedback or notifications timely. But the screen size of smart sentry is too small and, therefore, may be too inconvenient when inputting learning content into smartwatch, e.one thousand. typing.

iii.two. Technologies That Call for Collaboration

1) Mobile immersion

Immersion is known every bit an acclaimed learning approach for second language (L2) acquisition. Simply putting learners into a real surround such every bit a foreign country or international school is too costly and not available for most learners. And at present people tin can employ their mobile devices to create a mobile immersion that hope to replace essence of immersion.

Lai (2016) [22] created a mobile immersion environs on a smartphone using a mobile instant messenger, "WhatsApp™. The participants (non-native English speaker) of experimental grouping were put into a chat group and asked to apply English in their daily lives to chat with their teammates using written text. The aim of their study was to explore whether mobile immersion significantly ameliorate the learning of loftier-frequency English language verbs. Their results did not evidence a pregnant divergence between vocabulary gains of experimental group and control group but showed pregnant correlation between individual vocabulary gain and conversation frequency. That means, although mobile immersion is cheaper and more user-friendly than traditional immersion but its upshot is greatly influenced by the user's mentality.

two) Wikis

As a web-based social networking platform, wikis tin can be adopted into an instrumental tool for teachers to help students acquire writing skills [23]. Because of its complimentary editing and review construction [24], wikis tin provide multiple functions to teachers and students, such every bit communication, sharing materials, editing files and collaborating on documents inside a shared space [25]. But some learners are too worried nigh the uneven distribution of work among participants [26].

Wang (2015) [27] examined the production and interaction of English for specific purposes learners in a wiki learning surround. Students of experimental grouping were asked to typhoon, peer-edit, and revise two written assignments through the wiki while students of control group were asked to work in groups to perform the same tasks in a non-wiki environment. According to the pre-test and mail-examination, both groups accept significant improvements in business organisation writing just the experimental group performed better. Result of questionnaire also suggested that wikis promote students' interest in linguistic communication learning and boost the development of their writing competencies.

three) WeChat

WeChat is one of the nearly popular Social networking platforms in Chinese-speaking communities. For non-Chinese native speakers, WeChat can be a powerful tool for Chinese as FL/SL learning. Information technology provides variety of functions such as instant and direct communication with WeChat friends, edifice their own "Moments" and payment. Too, people can also use it to back up online shopping, bank transactions, and arranging hospital appointments. These kinds of functions are commonly implemented past programs embedded in WeChat.

WeChat has existed for a long fourth dimension, and it has been constantly improving and its functions are more arable than before, allowing many types of information such as text, emoji, pictures, audio and video. Although WeChat has rich functions, it is not the mainstream way for social advice in other languages. Even so, since WeCHat is popular among Chinese speaking population, it can be used for Chinese as FL/SL learning.

Jin (2018) [4] used a qualitative research method to investigate what affordances of WeChat for language development are. Jin (2018) identified four affordances. He establish that WeChat is a casual infinite with easy access to native speakers of Chinese. It provided authentic meaning-focused communication with native speakers of Chinese, linguistic resource, multi-literacies and infinite for new identity creation. The results prove that due to unique communication proficiency, personal preference and norms on WeChat, each affordance was verified differently for different Chinese language learners.

four. Discussion and Conclusion

In our review, nosotros focused on the usage and effectiveness of technologies for FL/SL learning. We gave research examples, showed how to use it and discussed advantages and disadvantages of technologies one past one. All of the twelve kinds of technologies we discussed in this review were showed that they are useful for FL/SL learning. When teachers want to utilize tools to enhance FL/SL learning performance, our results tin be useful to guide their learning action design. And from the research case, they as well can have an thought of taking advantage of the technology and avoiding its disadvantages.

There is a limitation of this review study that needs to be acknowledged and addressed in the future. That is, our review was limited by the search terms. We used various search terms in order to present more than kinds of new technologies on reviewed studies. Perhaps, involving some experts on educational technologies for language learning can be useful to extend our search range.

4.i. Comparison of New and Old Technologies

We make a comparison between technologies in this review and technologies used before 2014. Table one shows what new technologies have emerged in foreign language learning, what are sometime and disappearing and what are however in use. Nosotros should know that the technologies which are still in use is not same equally the quondam one just become more than powerful and have more digital affordances.

Table 1. Comparison with new technologies, old technologies and technologies that are still in use.

4.2. The Promising Technology for Language Learning and Enquiry

In add-on to all the new technologies mentioned in this article that have been applied to foreign language learning and the widely used technologies that we are already familiar with, such as computers, tape recorders and televisions, in that location are yet some very novel technologies that accept not been applied to foreign language learning. Some of such new technologies are Google glass, computational thinking, air iii-dimensional imaging technology, border computing, natural language processing, etc.

We suggest that these technologies are still in the process of maturation and not many scholars have practical them to FL/SL learning withal. However, information technology cannot be denied that these technologies are probable to become an important force in promoting FL/SL learning in the hereafter [7].

Annotation

The literature with * belongs to the telescopic of papers which are reviewed.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

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