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Understanding Language Learners’ (Non)Use of Digital Technology

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English Learning in the Digital Age
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Abstract

This book has uncovered L2 learners’ choices of technology (non)use. It identifies a range of contextual elements that mediate L2 behaviours surrounding digital technology and individual characteristics underlying such a use—justifying the sociocultural approach adopted in this book. Accordingly, L2 learners’ choice of technology (non)use is a complex one. Against this background, this final chapter identifies the main contribution of the present study in two steps. First, the foregoing empirical Chaps. 5, 6 and 7 are summarized. Second, the background and theoretical literature reviewed in Chaps. 1, 2 and 3 are related to and compared with the findings presented in this study. A sociocultural understanding of ‘English learning with Web 2.0’ is proposed, together with a framework that demonstrates the roles of context and agency in out-of-class language learning with online technology. On the basis of these findings and arguments, this chapter then considers how the potential of online technologies can be maximized for university EFL learners in China. After that, this chapter acknowledges the limitations of this study and makes suggestions for further research. Finally, this chapter concludes by highlighting the need to research learner voices in the field of CALL, as well as the importance of context and agency when seeking to understand learners’ behaviours surrounding digital technology.

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Correspondence to Shuang Zeng .

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Zeng, S. (2018). Understanding Language Learners’ (Non)Use of Digital Technology. In: English Learning in the Digital Age. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2499-4_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2499-4_8

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore

  • Print ISBN: 978-981-13-2498-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-981-13-2499-4

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