The present investigation aimed to assess the use of scaffolding strategies by young English as a second language learners who carried out communicative tasks in the context of high-immersive virtual reality (HVR) (Kaplan-Rakowski & Gruber, 2019). More specifically, 24 students enrolled in an intensive program in the province of Quebec,…

This paper proposes to explore the theory of affordances in the light of cultural historical activity theory (CHAT) to study affordances in complex Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) environments. The term 'affordance' designates an action possibility that is offered by an environment or an object to an actor in the environment either…

The article reviews Digital Language Learning (DLL) research that has used principles and concepts of Sociocultural Theory (SCT) to support the research. We explain several key principles of the theory and shows how they have been misused or used in a superficial way in the DLL research. These include the assumption that SCT is a social rather…

This study focuses on university students' experience of peer tutoring supported by a mobile application called MENTOR (Mobile Education Networked Tutoring On Request) that was developed by the research team. The development of the mobile application was underpinned by theories related to self-directed learning, self-regulated learning, students'…

Focusing on how a world of possibilities is opened up by language learners themselves, imagination has been regarded as an elusive but indispensable element in second language (L2) education. Drawing on notions of international posture (Yashima 2002), Ideal L2 Self (Dörnyei 2009), and imagined communities (Norton 2001), we theorised imagination…

Even though the importance of corrective feedback (CF) is widely recognized, there is no agreement on the most effective type of CF for promoting self-regulation. Thus, this study adopts a sociocultural perspective on learning and employs dynamic assessment (DA) as a CF form. DA is considered a theoretically promising approach to CF as it focuses…

This study contributes to our understanding of meaning making in CSCL environments by examining a specific aspect of collaborative problem solving in which students improvise, introduce, and make meaning with representations in disciplinary domains. These situations include the embodied and imaginative processes of discovering new representational…

We know little currently about how new digital tools have effected changes in Jewish studies learning environments and processes -- although technologies play a central role in contemporary discussions of learning. This study aims to understand how learners collaboratively interpret Jewish sacred texts using informal online collaborative learning…

This paper is an initial report of the data analysis phase of a larger study that traces the evolution of Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). All published Research Articles (RAs) from four major CALL journals -- "ReCALL," "CALL," "Language Learning & Technology" ("LL&T") and "CALICO…

Mobile phones are turning into a growingly widespread educational tool across various contexts. However, the scope of research on teachers' role in mobile-oriented instruction is limited, much less examining how professional development influences their associated beliefs and practices. Grounded in sociocultural theory, this study aimed to fill…

This paper analyses students' conceptual sense-making of two representations of protein synthesis: animations and static visualizations. Even though several studies have focused on the effect of animations versus static visualizations or support aspects that enable students to effectively benefit from animations, existing research has not yet…

Content-language integration has been perceived to be an effective approach in second and foreign language learning. However, it can be challenging to implement in content classes, especially in science classrooms. Researchers have suggested using tasks and games to help design diverse opportunities for language and content learning; in…

Telecollaboration in the language classroom promotes both second-language development and Intercultural Communicative Competence (ICC). However, previous research identified its potential limitations, including instances of failure, misunderstanding, tension, and a reluctance to participate. The current study contributes to emerging literature…

This paper reports a case study of 20 university peer tutor-tutee dyads which engaged in online synchronous peer tutoring using MENTOR, a mobile application developed to support peer tutoring. Despite years of research, peer tutoring still attracts significant attention and an emerging area of research is online peer tutoring. This study aimed to…

Academic literacies research emphasizes the importance of social context for understanding student writing development in higher education. In particular, students' choices of textual practices are shaped by perceptions of disciplinary norms and institutional expectations. In contemporary online learning environments, however, student writing is…