Language massive open online courses (LMOOCs) represent an exciting prospect for language teachers and instructors around the globe (Bárcena & Martín-Monje, 2014). In this paper, we report on the dynamics of participation and learner behaviour in an ab initio Irish language course. The course, Irish 101, ran during March 2019, and we used a…

Current approaches to assessing digital competence in education may be too broad to support teachers in developing their online learning designs in specific subjects. During the pandemic, studies have identified that the development of teaching practices (and subsequently their learning designs) has taken a leap. However, because digital cultures…

Promoting speaking interaction remains a challenge for language massive open online courses (LMOOCs), both from a pedagogical and technological standpoint. This paper describes the design process of the tandemMOOC, which exploits the massive, open and online features of MOOCs in order to offer language learners online speaking interaction practice…

Commonly, low completion rates in massive open online courses have called into question the quality of their learning materials and instruction. This paper attempts to identify crucial factors of engagement and retention in language massive open online courses (LMOOCs) in the context of the open online program of Icelandic Online, a self-guided…

While blended teaching approaches are becoming more common in some higher educational institutes, their consistency in aligning with higher-level learning objectives varies The current study aims to explore the design and effectiveness of Small Private Online Course (SPOC)-based blended teaching in fostering deep learning among English as a…

Introduction: Assuming responsibility of learning and showing flexibility in case of changes and problems in learning could make this process more conscious and fruitful. This is significant, particularly at a time when traditional universities are increasingly moving into online education. To address the gaps in previous self-regulated learning…

Using a qualitative multiple-case study design, this study explored the strategies employed by five Chinese teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) to design activities that incorporate digital tools and visuals, aiming to enhance parent-involved interactions in online language learning settings. Grounded theory analysis of teachers'…

This paper reflects on the inclusive design features of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and how these might support and encourage language learning. It considers what inclusivity in the context of MOOCs means, and some of the features of MOOCs which might be inherently inclusive and of value in supporting languages. It presents an example of…

As coronavirus disease 2019 swept through mainland China, students were forced to quickly switch to learning online. This study aimed to capture college Chinese English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL) learners' perceptions of rapidly switching to online learning at two colleges in China's southern Guangdong Province. A bilingual…

The purpose of this paper is to present a specific case of CALL task design adopting the patterns-based learning design approach. The approach provides a common framework/vocabulary for educational designers, particularly teachers, to systematically capture, articulate, make explicit, share and reuse expert knowledge of teaching and good design.…

In recent years, research in multimodality has established the benefits of using multiple semiotic modes like image, sound, and text in digital second language (L2) communication. However, researchers have yet to investigate how L2 learners make meaning through embodied modes--or gestures and facial expressions. Grounded in the social semiotic…

Education has undergone numerous radical changes as the digital era has transformed the way we as humans communicate, inform ourselves, purchase goods, and perform other mundane chores at home and at work. Social media is one of those phenomena that has affected not only society at large but has heavily influenced educational processes around the…

Among the barriers facing refugee-background students (RBS) in accessing Higher Education (HE) in the UK is reaching the required academic English standard, and accessing courses to support them with this (Ashlee & Gladwell 2020: 13). In response to these barriers, the Universities of Leicester and Leeds (both in the UK) have developed the…

The purpose of this research is to analyze whether university students would be willing to engage in distance foreign language (FL) course design, and if the knowledge of their preferences could be used to present guidelines for course designers. Student engagement is seen as crucial to graduates' achievement in HE, especially in online courses,…

This design case follows the transformation of a language and culture course for first-year international students from face-to-face to online. It focuses on creating and managing disorienting dilemmas in an online environment as students are given the opportunity to pursue transformative learning. Design decisions about creating community, course…