In the last decade, Language MOOCs have attracted a lot of interest for their potential to enhance language learning. However, how learners engage with MOOC environments and realise their benefits, remains unclear. The current study adopts activity theory (Engeström in J Educ Work 14:133-156, 2001) as a lens to comprehend the affordances and…

This study explores the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) in Chinese as a second language (CSL) vocabulary learning from the international students' perspective. A new theoretical framework of VR-based vocabulary learning was designed and verified to serve the investigation. A total of 30 international students learning CSL in a Chinese…

The literature on students' perceptions towards using Social Media (SM) for language learning reports mixed findings: while some studies indicate learners' positive perceptions of their use for academic purposes (e.g., Bani-Hani et al.), others suggest that learners' perceptions might vary due to their proficiency in the language (e.g., Gamble…

In this technology review, we explore the affordances of the generative AI chatbot ChatGPT for language teaching and learning. In addition to this, we also present debates and drawbacks of ChatGPT. Finally, we present the digital competencies teachers and learners require to use this chatbot ethically and effectively to support language learning.

The International Virtual Exchange Project (IVEProject) has been connecting students across multiple countries through asynchronous forums on a large scale since 2015. However, considering the variety of virtual exchange methods and the advantages they bring to the field of foreign language learning, there is an increased need to explore the…

Pre-service teachers (PSTs) of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) need extensive training, preparing them for challenges encountered in real classrooms. Such challenges include presenting the target content knowledge in front of the class and promptly responding to students' questions on the content. High-immersion virtual reality (VR) is…

Numerous empirical studies and syntheses have explored technology-mediated task-based language teaching (TMTBLT) (for example, Chong & Reinders, 2020; Kim & Namkung, 2024; Lai & Li, 2011; Ziegler, 2016), with findings highlighting the affordances of technology for interaction and its associated benefits. However, few studies have…

In this study, an explanatory sequential design was utilized to examine the impact of strategy-based instruction (SBI) on the writing performance and motivation of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in a writing course. A total of 50 Chinese EFL students were selected from two intact classes and were randomly assigned to either the…

Group assignments are widely used in higher education for a range of educational reasons. Although there is a large body of research on the merits of group work and factors that may contribute to successful group work, less is known about students' and teachers' perspectives, particularly when groups are composed of students from diverse…

Corrective feedback (CF) is regarded as a controversial topic, especially in writing skill. Some researchers have found it to be both meaningless and harmful, while others have researched the effects of different types of CF and found it to be good for language development in several ways. This made me interested in conducting a study focusing on…

This phenomenological qualitative study reports the advantages and drawbacks of implementing the Synchronous Online Flipped Learning Approach (SOFLA) in two mixed ability English classes at the Technical University of Cotopaxi-Ecuador, during the COVID-19 pandemic. It attempted to identify the opinions of eleven students, who were pre-service…

Many researchers and educators have studied the use of Machine Translation (MT) in the L2 classroom, yet little data exists on World Language 6-12th grade educators' perceptions of MT. This study inquires into the ways that middle school and high school L2 educators perceive MT and how educators are adapting their assignments in light of its use.…

Many students who study English as a foreign language (EFL) often find it challenging to paraphrase while writing from source texts. Lacking such an ability can lead to different meanings as well as copying another person's ideas, words or work. However, little research has been done to integrate tool consultation to assist students in…

This study investigated the effects of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) mode and interlocutor familiarity on frequency and characteristics of peer feedback in L2 interaction. Fifty dyads of EFL learners were equally assigned into familiar (+/--) groups and performed an interactive task in two SCMC modes (text/video-chats). After…

This study reports on the findings of a questionnaire administered to 93 students studying Japanese as a foreign language (JFL) at British universities, focusing on their views of the role of grammar in their learning of Japanese. Learners' views are important because mismatches with their teachers' views can affect their learning negatively.…