Web 2.0 holds enormous potential for informing novel approaches to language acquisition. The rise of a social network, which enables L2 learners to take an active role in a learner community, creates new opportunities and problems for language instruction.
Technology has played a part in language acquisition since the early twentieth century. The capacity to expose language learners to the real world through recorded media (radio, cinema, tape) was considered innovative at the time, but it was also a challenge to those teachers who regarded their position as information suppliers (Cuban, 1986). In addition to expanding the number of resources available to language learners today, podcasts and video-sharing services have the potential to alter teaching procedures. Students may now access these resources on their own, whereas in the past they were dependent on their lecturers to provide them with educational materials. By watching their own L2 videos on a video-sharing website, reading and commenting on a blog of their choosing, or listening to their favorite podcast, L2 learners can fully immerse themselves in the target language (Alm, 2007b, 2007c). In theory, L2 learners are able to contribute to and join a learning community that they themselves help to create thanks to the Web 2.0 defining "architecture of participation" (O'Reilly, 2005, Akamai vs. BitTorrent, para. 3). Web 2.0 has the ability to modify traditional teaching methods, the relationship between teachers and students, and the level of participation of language learners in the learning process. This chapter explores how these changes in the L2 language classroom can result from the use of Web 2.0.
A chance to reexamine current educational procedures is always presented by new technologies. The technology itself may inspire new teaching strategies and create new learning avenues, which will likely result in new research topics. Warschauer (2000) demonstrated that the concurrent growth of the three primary educational theories—behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism—and computer development could also be applied to the setting of language learning. Computer programs have helped language learning methodologies more and more during the past 30 years. However, the introduction of the Internet has altered the place of technology in education. The widespread usage of the Internet by the general public and its suitability for communication have an impact on educational needs and shape educational practices. According to Warschauer (2000), "It is no longer only a matter of using e-mail and the Internet to assist teach English, as I described in my first book five years ago, but also of teaching English to help people learn to write and use the Internet" (New Contexts, para. 3).
George Siemens may be its most ardent supporter as the effect of technology on education becomes more widely acknowledged. According to Siemens (2004), technology has an unparalleled impact on how people live, interact with others, and learn. Siemens asserts that conventional learning theories are no longer relevant since "technology is modifying (rewiring) our brains" (Introduction, para. 4). His own theory of connectivism incorporates "principles investigated by chaos, network, complexity, and self-organization theories" (Connectivism, para. 24).
Levy (2007) pleads for continuity while Siemens urges a shift from traditional learning strategies. When researching emergent CALL, he contends that existing theoretical, pedagogical, and curriculum frameworks should be taken into account: "It is crucial to make links with existing CALL practice using prior research studies associated with the language skills or areas, and relevant theories of learning and acquisition" (p. 188).
Successful L2 learning depends heavily on learner autonomy, and Web 2.0 encourages the development of venues that promote this type of learning. Research in this field can build on well-established theoretical frameworks in second language acquisition (Holec, 1981; Benson, 2001) or be influenced by related fields, such as activity theory (Blin, 2004) or self-determination theory (Alm, 2007a), and provide fresh perspectives on L2 teaching and learning.
Technology has played a part in language acquisition since the early twentieth century. The capacity to expose language learners to the real world through recorded media (radio, cinema, tape) was considered innovative at the time, but it was also a challenge to those teachers who regarded their position as information suppliers (Cuban, 1986). In addition to expanding the number of resources available to language learners today, podcasts and video-sharing services have the potential to alter teaching procedures. Students may now access these resources on their own, whereas in the past they were dependent on their lecturers to provide them with educational materials. By watching their own L2 videos on a video-sharing website, reading and commenting on a blog of their choosing, or listening to their favorite podcast, L2 learners can fully immerse themselves in the target language (Alm, 2007b, 2007c). In theory, L2 learners are able to contribute to and join a learning community that they themselves help to create thanks to the Web 2.0 defining "architecture of participation" (O'Reilly, 2005, Akamai vs. BitTorrent, para. 3). Web 2.0 has the ability to modify traditional teaching methods, the relationship between teachers and students, and the level of participation of language learners in the learning process. This chapter explores how these changes in the L2 language classroom can result from the use of Web 2.0.
A chance to reexamine current educational procedures is always presented by new technologies. The technology itself may inspire new teaching strategies and create new learning avenues, which will likely result in new research topics. Warschauer (2000) demonstrated that the concurrent growth of the three primary educational theories—behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism—and computer development could also be applied to the setting of language learning. Computer programs have helped language learning methodologies more and more during the past 30 years. However, the introduction of the Internet has altered the place of technology in education. The widespread usage of the Internet by the general public and its suitability for communication have an impact on educational needs and shape educational practices. According to Warschauer (2000), "It is no longer only a matter of using e-mail and the Internet to assist teach English, as I described in my first book five years ago, but also of teaching English to help people learn to write and use the Internet" (New Contexts, para. 3).
George Siemens may be its most ardent supporter as the effect of technology on education becomes more widely acknowledged. According to Siemens (2004), technology has an unparalleled impact on how people live, interact with others, and learn. Siemens asserts that conventional learning theories are no longer relevant since "technology is modifying (rewiring) our brains" (Introduction, para. 4). His own theory of connectivism incorporates "principles investigated by chaos, network, complexity, and self-organization theories" (Connectivism, para. 24).
Levy (2007) pleads for continuity while Siemens urges a shift from traditional learning strategies. When researching emergent CALL, he contends that existing theoretical, pedagogical, and curriculum frameworks should be taken into account: "It is crucial to make links with existing CALL practice using prior research studies associated with the language skills or areas, and relevant theories of learning and acquisition" (p. 188).
Successful L2 learning depends heavily on learner autonomy, and Web 2.0 encourages the development of venues that promote this type of learning. Research in this field can build on well-established theoretical frameworks in second language acquisition (Holec, 1981; Benson, 2001) or be influenced by related fields, such as activity theory (Blin, 2004) or self-determination theory (Alm, 2007a), and provide fresh perspectives on L2 teaching and learning.
