A Review and Assessment of Technology and Materials For English Language Teaching and Learning

As an increasing number of materials and language learning resources have become available online, English language learners of any level can easily access an unlimited number of websites and applications at the swipe of a finger. For teachers and students concerned with the quality of these online tools, being directed to websites that are trustworthy and truly educational can become a daunting task. This two-part article aims to support teachers in this challenge. In Section One, titled Website Review and Assessment for Listening Instruction , the results of a review and assessment conducted to determine the quality of readily available online resources and study materials intended for English language teaching and learning are presented. In Section Two, titled Online English Language Course Assessment, a review and assessment of an online language course suitable for either self-study or for use within the context of the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom will be presented

Twitter as a formal and informal language learning tool: from potential to evidence

Twitter can be used as a language learning tool and this potential has been identified by a number of scholars. This chapter presents an overview of the identified potential of Twitter as a language learning tool and presents an overview of different studies carried out to provide evidence of language learning using Twitter in different contexts. It concludes that, although there is evidence of language acquisition in formal contexts, more research is needed to inform how Twitter is used in informal settings

Building a new life in Australia: introducing the longitudinal study of humanitarian migrants

Introduces a study aimed to shed light on the settlement pathways and outcomes of newly arrived humanitarian migrants, focusing particularly on the factors that promote or hinder a successful transition. Introduction Building a New Life in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Humanitarian Migrants is a newly initiated study that aims to better understand the factors that aid or hinder the successful settlement of humanitarian migrants in Australia, and to provide an evidence base to inform policy and program development. This ground-breaking longitudinal study will employ annual data collections over five years to trace the settlement journey of humanitarian migrants from their arrival in Australia through to their eligibility for citizenship. All study participants have received a permanent humanitarian visa enabling them to settle in Australia, granted either before their arrival in Australia as part of Australia\u27s refugee program, or since their arrival, through Australia\u27s asylum seeker humanitarian program. Study participants have come from a diverse range of backgrounds and a multitude of migration pathways. Three broad research questions guide the study: What are the settlement outcomes of humanitarian migrants? How are they faring in terms of their English language proficiency, housing circumstances, labour force participation, use of qualifications, income, physical and mental health, community engagement, citizenship and level of satisfaction with life in Australia? How does access to and use of government and non-government services and welfare benefits contribute to humanitarian migrants\u27 successful settlement? Do the settlement experiences and outcomes of humanitarian migrants vary according to the differing migration pathways taken? The Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) has been commissioned by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) (formerly the Department of Immigration and Citizenship [DIAC]) to undertake and manage the project. Colmar Brunton Social Research, in conjunction with Multicultural Marketing and Management, is the fieldwork agency undertaking the data collection for the project. From April 2014, responsibility for the study moved from the DIBP to the Department of Social Services

Our Space: Online Civic Engagement Tools for Youth

Part of the Volume on Civic Life Online: Learning How Digital Media Can Engage YouthThe popularity of Facebook, MySpace, IM, and email with youth in developed countries demonstrates how second nature the online world has become for youth. People behind youth civic engagement initiatives are starting to see that the best way to engage youth is on their own terms and in the way they expect -- that is, online. With this in mind, this chapter examines the emerging world of online civic engagement sites for youth and by youth. Through a close examination of TakingITGlobal, an global online civic engagement site, combined with a landscape survey of sites with a mandate to civically engage youth, we present some initial findings on how youth are civically engaged and what it is they are actually doing on these sites

Effective Teaching and Learning: Using ICT

Mellar, H., Kambouri, M., Logan, K., Betts, S., Nance, B., Moriarty, V. (2007) Effective Teaching and Learning: Using ICT. London: NRDC. Available at: http://www.nrdc.org.uk/uploads/documents/doc_3347.pdfResearch report for NRDCFindings and recommendations on effective teaching practice - with the aim of providing material for improving the quality of teaching and learning and for informing developments in initial teacher education and continuing development. (http://www.nrdc.org.uk/uploads/documents/doc_3347.pdf

Personalization of language learning through mobile technologies

This paper aims to help education stakeholders consider how mobile learning can contribute to improving language teaching and learning by facilitating personalized learning. A high-level overview of mobile learning is presented and the role of personalization in mobile learning is explained. A number of case studies illustrate salient aspects of mobile personalized learning from research and practice. In the final section, considerations for policy and practice are discussed

Designing a 21st Century Assessment in EFL Learning Context

Success in a digital world requires more than the ability to turn on a computer or use a smart phone. It requires creativity, innovation, communication, critical thinking, digital citizenship, information fluency and other important 21st century skills. Even though most students can interact with apps on their mobile device, they are not born with these necessary 21st century skills. The present paper addresses the ways of designing a 21st century assessment in English as a Foreign Language learning context The assessment is aligned to the six strands, namely creativity and innovation, communication and collaboration, research and information fluency, critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making, digital citizenship, and technology operations and concepts. There are several mostly-used types of assessment. They include structured interviews, situational judgment tests, role plays, group exercises, in basket exercises, work samples, and performance standards/appraisal. The purposes of assessments designed to measure 21st century skills, such as to provide information for school accountability, to evaluate individual student progress, to focus public attention on educational concerns, or to change educational practices by influencing curriculum and instruction. In addition, the different purposes require different sources of evidence to evaluate the validity of the assessment. Furthermore, computer-based technology can support the development, administration, and scoring of large-scale assessments of 21st century skills.     Keywords: 21st century assessment, EFL context, EFL learnin

Computer-mediated language learning: Making meaning in multimodal virtual learning spaces

This article argues that when using Internet-based computer-mediated communication technologies for language teaching and learning (e.g., email, internet relay chat, or, more recently, instant messaging and audio-conferencing), it is not sufficient to see the new learning spaces as replicates of conventional face-to-face settings. We suggest that it may be useful to consider how meaning is made using the modes and media available in electronic environments. This approach offers a new framework for the investigation of both the limitations and the possibilities of the new information and communication media and the modes they afford. It incorporates notions of design, authorship and dissemination, and the increasing importance of modes other than writing in virtual language learning spaces and can thus also contribute to an enhanced understanding of the phenomenon of new literacies. In this article we seek to demonstrate how this framework can inform the development of language learning and teaching in Internet-based environments, using an audio-graphic conferencing application as an example. We examine some of the demands made on tutors and learners and consider ways of meeting the arising pedagogical challenges