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Network-Based Language Teaching

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Second and Foreign Language Education

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Language and Education ((ELE))

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Abstract

Whereas early studies in network-based language teaching (NBLT) tended to test the technology to see what effects it might have on language use, later studies gradually shifted toward testing theories of second language acquisition within the context of computer-mediated communication. This chapter describes two trends in research on NBLT: one that emphasizes interactionist SLA models and another informed by sociocultural and sociocognitive theories. Most interactionist SLA studies fall into one of three categories: negotiation of meaning studies, transfer studies, or feedback studies. Socioculturally oriented research, on the other hand, has tended to emphasize two main areas: genre differentiation and culture learning in networked classrooms. However, the goals, content, and structure of NBLT are changing rapidly. In contrast to the primarily task- and product-oriented online interactions that characterized early research in NBLT, recent work examines online learning in two new areas: nonclassroom contexts (in which learners’ uses of digital technologies are often more varied and more sophisticated than those they encounter at school) and multimodality (the exploration of semiotic modes beyond text in blogs, wikis, podcasting, mobile phones, bimodal chat rooms, and videoconferencing). As NBLT expands its focus to include cultural, communicative, and social aspects of online teaching and learning, a number of problematic areas arise, such as differences in medium, style, and levels of engagement, technocentrism, and methodological and ethical issues. After describing how researchers are grappling with these issues, the chapter concludes with some thoughts about future directions in NBLT research.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. French Department, UC Berkeley, 4125 Dwinelle Hall, UCB, 94720-2580, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Richard Kern

  2. School of Education, Southern Methodist University, 3101 University Blvd, Suite 345, 75205, Dallas, TX, USA

    Paige Ware

  3. School of Education, University of California, Irvine, 3200 Education, 92697-5500, Irvine, CA, USA

    Mark Warschauer

Authors
  1. Richard Kern
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  2. Paige Ware
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  3. Mark Warschauer
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Richard Kern , Paige Ware or Mark Warschauer .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Language Study, Yale University, New Haven, USA

    Nelleke Van Deusen-Scholl

  2. Faculty of Education, University of Auckland, School of Critic, Auckland, New Zealand

    Stephen May

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Kern, R., Ware, P., Warschauer, M. (2016). Network-Based Language Teaching. In: Van Deusen-Scholl, N., May, S. (eds) Second and Foreign Language Education. Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02323-6_30-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02323-6_30-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-02323-6

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