Preface: Intergrating computer technology in foreign language learning and teaching

We are living in a world of ever-increasing communication between people speaking different languages and with more efficient use of e-resources. Computer-assisted foreign language learning is a process of doing this, amongst many others. This book, Computer-Assisted Foreign Language Teaching and Learning: Technological Advances, offers a unique way for budding foreign language teachers to gain the skills they need to succeed in their teaching with Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) context/Web 2.0 environments/an e-learning dimension. Good practices in e-learning and research in a variety of languages, such as English, Chinese, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese, etc., are presented, thus offering insights and implications for all. The chapters cover CALL overview theories, technologies, and trends; CALL, teachers, and learners; Collaborative learning; and CALL course design. The chapters in this book compare traditional and virtual classrooms, e-learning resources, and using Web 2.0 tools as open platforms for social learning. These chapters report on original research or present an original framework that links foreign language teaching, experiments, and testing practices that utilize the most recent and most widely used e-learning. The chapters present results of surveys with empirical data on actual language teaching outcomes with pedagogical procedures and implications. Commentaries that discuss interesting opinions on issues related to foreign language teaching and e-learning are also included. The primary objective of this book is to inform and share the most up to date research and good practice in the field of using e-learning in foreign language teaching. It will offer all linguistic scholars, language teachers, language policy makers, and students a better understanding of the importance and influence of e-learning in second language acquisition and learning outcome in contemporary globalism. The secondary objective is to provide a foundation for other similar books on the subject. The book meets the needs of readers because there are few reference/resource materials available on the subject that: 1) go into a wide range of languages being taught regarding how e-learning affects foreign language learning today from both teacher and learner perspectives; and 2) tie together all the major technologies and methodologies applied within those contexts.