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EMBRACING WEB-TECHNOLOGIES IN LANGUAGE EDUCATION
Kadirova Feruza Xikmatullayevna
Khudoynazarova.Sh.
student
Tashkent university of Information
technologies named after
Muhammad al-Khwarizmiy
English language department
senior teacher
https://doi.org/ 0.5281/zenodo.14223496
Annotation:
This article explores how web technologies, such as online
platforms, multimedia, social media, and AI tools, are used to enhance foreign
language learning. It highlights the benefits of interactive and immersive tools
like VR and AR while addressing challenges such as access and quality control.
The article shows how these technologies are transforming language education
and outlines future trends.
Key words:
Web-technologies, foreign language learning, digital tools in
education, language learning platforms.
1. Computer Assisted Language Learning: an overview
Continuous developments in ICT over the last 60 years have had strong
implications in foreign language teaching and learning. The emergence and
dissemination of the concept of CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) is
an example of the growing interest of teachers and researchers for this area of
knowledge. The evolution of the concept is closely related to the findings in the
area of ICT. The work of Warschauer (2000) should also be highlighted, since the
author has developed an ongoing research work related to this theme, namely
trying to systematise different stages of CALL.
The first phase, associated with behaviorist learning theories is characterized by
activities of stimulus-response and repetitive exercises. Next we have the
communicative phase, which is based on a communicative approach to teaching
and learning and the focus lies now on the effective use of language. Originality
is encouraged and textual reconstruction activities and role-play are promoted.
The integrative phase coincides with the development of multimedia technology
and the emergence of new theories which argue that language learning is a
social construction. According to this perspective, students should be confronted
with rich and authentic learning environments.
Although Warschauer had not developed a fourth phase, he already pointed
out some directions for the evolution of computer-mediated language learning
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and he named this new stage as intelligent. The main goal of intelligent CALL is
to prepare students for active citizenship in a global and networked society. The
author highlights the fact that it is essential to be able to find, evaluate and
critically interpret information available on the Web, stating that “students
themselves create their ‘texts’ from their own selection of materials from a
variety of sources. In teaching, reading, we will have to go behind how to decode
texts, or understand them and pay increasing attention to how to explore and
interpret the vast range of online texts” (Warschauer & Healey, 1998).
The second aspect to be considered relates to an effective online writing, since
that is ubiquitous in the knowledge society and was reinforced by the advent of
Web 2.0. The authors stress that the development of a digital literacy is also one
of the goals of teaching and learning foreign languages, and the ultimate purpose
is that the learner becomes active, autonomous, independent and able to plan
her/his "active, conscious , and purposeful self-regulation of learning” (Oxford,
2003). This intelligent phase, features the concept of multimodality, which refers
not only to the variety of media available today and the different ways of
constructing meaning, but also the possibility of combining these modes more
easily in an orchestration of meanings (Kress, Jewitt, Ogborne, &Tsatsarelis,
2001).
Web 2.0 open, participatory and social nature has given dialogue a prominent
place in the knowledge building process. The construction of meaningful
learning will greatly depend on learners’ capacity to engage in the creation and
maintenance of dialogical processes. However, the primacy of dialogue in
learning does not directly emerge from the spread of Web 2.0. Dialogue,
according to Ravenscroft (2011), “is coevolving with these technologies, which
arguably provide social opportunities that are more open, and are used more
often than was previously possible with the traditional methods of
communication, dialogue and discourse” (Ravenscroft, 2011),. Associated with
dialogue, we have the concepts of dialectics and dialogic, which have been
suggested as a structural pedagogy for the twenty-first century (Dalsgaard,
2008); (Ravenscroft, Wegerif& Hartley, 2007). Hence, we consider dialectics and
dialogic as two relevant dimensions that focus on complementary aspects of the
role of dialogue in the learning process. While dialectics emphasizes cognitive
and epistemic dimensions, dialogic gives primacy to emotional and
interpersonal dimensions. The interrelation of the two dimensions in the
learning process is emphasised by Ravenscroft, Wegerif& Hartley (2007). “the
desire to reason to progress towards a rational synthesis does not have to
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override the need to understand others, and likewise, the desire to understand
others does not have to override the often pragmatic need to reach a rational
consensus that links to purposeful action in a context” (Ravenscroft, Wegerif &
Hartley, 2007).
The integration of these principles in the structuring, planning and execution of
communicative tasks is both complex and challenging. First of all, the process
begins with a multiplicity of definitions and views of ‘task’. Regarding this,
Ollivier & Puren (2011) as a result of a critical analysis of different perspectives
listed and summarised the most relevant characteristics of a task:
• Focus should be on meaning and the mobilisation of language skills should
come naturally when attempting to solve the task;
• The completion of a task leads to an accurate outcome;
• A task is not, generally, exclusively linguistic;
• Resolution of a task involves social interaction;
• Task execution is affected by certain constraints and limitations;
• Solving tasks involve the deployment of cognitive processes and different
skills;
• Tasks involve different steps or sub-tasks;
• Tasks should privilege authenticity.
Authenticity is also emphasised by Nunan (2004), who distinguishes between
real world or target tasks and pedagogical tasks. The Common European
Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL) also alludes to real- life, target
or rehearsal tasks, conceived as “tasks are chosen on the basis of learners’ needs
outside the classroom, whether in the personal and public domains, or related to
more specific occupational or educational needs” Council of Europe (2001). Ellis
(2003) goes deeper on this matter and refers to two types of authenticity:
situational and interactional. Situational authenticity is related to real world
activities, while interactional authenticity demands that learners’
communicative reaction or response is genuine, similar to the real world. In our
view, Web 2.0 has promoted new opportunities for foreign language classes,
allowing the implementation of tasks that involve both types of authenticity. In
addition, Ollivier&Puren (2011) present a diagram that emphasizes the role of
interaction and co-action in performing a task, stressing the role of Web 2.0 as a
privileged space for the assessment of co- action.
2. Methodology
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The main question underlying this study is the following: How to Effectively
Integrate Technology in the Foreign Language Classroom for Learning and
Collaboration?
In order the previous question, two main objectives were formulated:
• Harness the potential of Web 2.0 tools in the teaching and learning of English
in higher education.
• Identify the strengths and weaknesses of using Web 2.0 tools in English
language learning for the collaborative construction of knowledge in higher
education.
The planning of tasks took into account data analysis from a preliminary
demographics questionnaire, more precisely students’ low familiarity with Web
2.0 tools, as well as the fact that most of them never had the opportunity to use
them in educational settings. The learning outcomes set for the different
activities were defined according to the Common European Framework of
Reference for Languages, level B2 (comprehension and production) and level
B1 (interaction).
Activities from the first research cycle stem from the theme "Organising and
planning a trip to London", and include the following tasks:
• The completion of a Webquest entitled "Discover London" whose aim was to
motivate students for involvement and participation in the project, also
familiarising them with some aspects that they would need to explore in some
depth in the following stages of the project. At the end of the activity data was
collected by means of a questionnaire in order to ascertain the impact of the
activity on students’ motivation and willingness to work collaboratively online.
• Asynchronous discussions, in which the main objective was to build a virtual
learning community in English, using for this purpose group social network
where students would, at this stage, interact online, discussing and negotiating a
collaborative solution for the challenges presented. At the end of the activity
focus groups were held with the students involved in order to find out their
opinions on possible strengths and weaknesses of the activity regarding course
unit’s contents learning also concerning English language learning process.
• Online role-play, where students organized into groups and assuming specific
roles would have to organise a visit to London for a group of 25 students. Social
network Group work was again used, and communication between the different
roles performed by exchanging emails. The completion of the activity followed a
specific weekly timeline and involved, in most cases, a thorough research on the
part of students. It was an authentic activity, since in addition to situational
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authenticity, interactional authenticity was also encouraged. In order to monitor
the development of the activity, students were asked to write a reflection each
week, mentioning what they had learned, the main difficulties encountered, and
also assessing group dynamics. At the end of the activity focus groups were held
in order to reflect both on the collaboratively constructed output, and the
communication processes underlying it.
The creation of a podcast, aimed at students, in pairs, to present an oral
description of the tourist attractions included on the wiki, thus complementing
the work done in the previous activity. Data collection process was similar to the
previous activity. A checklist for the assessment of podcasts developed by the
students was used including criteria such as the podcast structure, presentation,
technical aspects and collaboration. Students were also asked to complete a
questionnaire, for later data triangulation.
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1. Council of Europe. (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for
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