Moving beyond the 'Web 2.0' and 'digital native' rhetoric, this
book addresses the complex experiences of learners of English as a
foreign language (EFL) in a world embedded with interactive and
participatory technologies. Adopting a sociocultural perspective,
it investigates EFL learners' behaviours concerning digital
technology, and guides exploration into their contextually mediated
choices and learning practices in the '2.0' era. The argument is
developed on the basis of the findings of a mixed sequential study
that focused on 1485 Chinese undergraduates' use and non-use of
online tools and applications outside the English classroom.
Particular attention is paid to the role of context and agency when
understanding their learning choices and behaviours in the context
of digital technology. In particular, the book acknowledges the
explanatory power of agency in the minority instances of 'good
practices' among these EFL learners. At the same time it
demonstrates that for most learners, use of the current web is
limited and mostly non-interactive. The barriers to '2.0' transfer
are largely contextual and the so-called 'communicative
opportunities' and 'participatory culture' in particular did not
fit into the learners' sociocultural context of (language)
learning. Overall, the compelling argument proposes that the
technology-facilitated changes in EFL practices are a 'bottom up'
process that is taking place in day-to-day situations and
constrained by the learning context within which the learner is
situated. Based on these arguments, the book provides a framework
that challenges the existing beliefs about (language) learning with
online technology, and that contributes to our understanding of how
context mediates EFL learners' behaviours surrounding digital
technologies. It is a valuable resource for teachers, researchers
and policy makers, providing them with insights into using digital
technology to stimulate 'good learning practices' outside the
classroom.
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