Sociocultural theory and its application to CALL: A study of the computer and its relevance as a mediational tool in the process of collaborative activity

This study in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) was conducted in a Spanish as a foreign language classroom. The study investigates dyadic face-to-face collaborative dialogue at the computer from a sociocultural perspective. Protocols for analysis were obtained by the transcription of audio recordings of twelve dyads/triads completing three tasks in two mediums of implementation, computer and non-computer-based. By comparing learners? activity in the two mediums through microgenetic analysis (i.e., developmental analysis), we were able to study some specific ways in which the computer influenced the course of interaction. Specifically, the aim of the study was to investigate the value of the tasks as pedagogical instruments to support collaborative activity in the foreign language classroom; the value of collaborative activity as a source for possible restructuring of interlanguage (i.e., microgenesis); and the impact of the computer as a mediational tool in the processes of collaborative activity. Results confirm: (1) the three tasks support high degrees of collaborative activity ? albeit qualitatively different; (2) language can ? sometimes simultaneously ? be deployed by learners both as a means of communication and as a cognitive tool to achieve linguistic development; (3) the presence of the computer seems to change the nature of collaborative activity

Designing and Building immersive education spaces using Project Wonderland: from pedagogy through to practice

This paper presents work on the JISC funded SIMiLLE project to build a culturally sensitive virtual world to support language learning. This builds on the MiRTLE project (funded by Sun Microsystems), which created a mixed-reality space for teaching and learning. The aim of the SIMiLLE project is to investigate the technical feasibility and pedagogical value of using virtual environments to provide a realistic socio-cultural setting and content for language learning interaction. The paper starts by providing some background information on the Wonderland platform and the MiRTLE project, and then outlines the requirements for SIMiLLE, and how these requirements will be supported through the use of a virtual world based on Project Wonderland. We then present our plans for the evaluation of the system, with a particular focus on the importance of incorporating pedagogy into the design of these systems, and how we can support good practice with the ever-growing use of 3D virtual environments in formalised education

Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Development

This chapter provides an overview of the theoretical foundations of Sociocultural Theory and an up-to-date account of current research stemming from this perspective. At the core of this theory is mediation, which refers to the process that enables humans to deploy physical and psychological tools to gain control over social and mental activity. Development is seen as the ability to internalise or make use of culturally created means of mediation, e.g., language, to gain such control. Language development is therefore seen as the ability to increasingly take part in social activity. In turn, this ability is implicated in linguistic change in a recurring and interdependent developmental cycle. The chapter discusses how crucial questions have been addressed by key Sociocultural Theory scholars and explores how future empirical investigation can further contribute to our understanding of second language acquisition (SLA)