Engaging Language Learners through CALL - From Theory and Research to Informed Practice - Nike Arnold
Evaluation of Courseware/Tutorial Apps and Online Resource Websites
Engaging Language Learners through CALL - From Theory and Research to Informed Practice - Nike Arnold
Philip Hubbard [+]
Stanford University
Philip Hubbard is Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and Director of the English for Foreign Students Program at the Stanford University Language Center. A professional in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) for over 30 years, he has published in the areas of CALL theory, research, methodology, listening, teacher education, learner training and evaluation. Over the past three decades, he has served CALICO as a member of two executive boards and as its president (2015-2016). He was previously the courseware review editor for the CALICO Journal and is a current member of the journal’s editorial board. His recent projects focus on CALL as a transdisciplinary field, teacher support for informal language learning, and teaching reflectively with technology.
Description
This paper reviews options for evaluating tutorial courseware, including mobile apps and online resources. It discusses and compares three major approaches to evaluation—checklists, SLA-based approaches, and methodological frameworks—emphasizing the practicality and flexibility of the last. Targeted at language teachers, it also has value for program coordinators and developers.