Why is it important to intergrate ICT in
ESL/EFL teaching ?
In
language learning contexts a primary concern is how to maximize target language
interaction both inside and outside of the classroom. With the development of
digital technologies, the proliferation of language learning applications, and
an increased awareness of how technology can assist in language education.
Educators are being presented with new opportunities to engage learners in innovative
ways. In current digital age, the
disconnection of the inside and outside
of the classroom and the importance of the promotion and development of
group dynamics is increasingly being addressed
with the proliferation of interactive, communicative, and collaborative
platforms, such as e-mail, instant messaging, wikis, blogs, forums,
social-networking sites and virtual-learning environments (Motteram & Sharma, 2009). Furthermore, these platforms are no
longer oly tethered to the desk in the form of desktop computers and language
learning in labs school, but are increasingly going mobile, what Warschauer
calls time and place independence (1997,
p. 470), on the devices carried around by students such as laptops,
standard mobile phones, smart-phones, and tablet computers. With the
proliferation of student-owned devices (see
Barrs, 2011), the increase in language learning related apps (see: Godwin-Jones, 2011), and the
icrease in available access to Internet-enabled hardware in schools, libraries,
internet-cafés and homes, there exist the possibility to be able to engage
students in target language interactive communication inside and outside of the
classroom (Motteram & Sharma, 2009;
Warschauer, 1997). In this way students can be encouraged to take more responsibility
of their learning, both inside and outside of the educational institution,
which encourages the development of independent leaning skills (Gross & Wolff, 2011), a
characteristic which is increasingly being seen as of great importance to foster
in learners (Benson, 2006),
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