Exploring the use of a synergy of age-appropriate tools for young learners in EFL: students’ attitudes and challenges
Date Issued
May 2019
Author(s)
Abstract
Social Media have a great impact on different aspects of people's
lives and especially young age groups labelled as ‘digital natives’.
Although researchers in the field of Computer-Assisted Language
Learning (CALL) have unsurprisingly attempted to explore how both
educational and non-educational social technologies (ST) could be
employed to enhance language learning, the integration of social
technologies in kindergarten-6th grade (K-6) education has received
inadequate attention compared to research entailing teenagers or
tertiary education students as the exploration of literature of the
last two decades indicate. One reason for this is, most probably, the
fact that children under the age of 13, are legally bound not to use
social media. The present study sets out to explore students’
attitudes as well as benefits and challenges towards a synergy of
age-appropriate, educational-oriented technologies in the context of a
three-month intervention in a pre-intermediate level group of three
10-year-old male English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in
Cyprus. Thematic analysis of students’ interviews, focus groups,
observations and usage of age-appropriate technologies revealed
students’ overall positive attitude towards these technologies, as
well as challenges that need to be taken into consideration in the use
of these technologies. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of
findings and implications for further research.
lives and especially young age groups labelled as ‘digital natives’.
Although researchers in the field of Computer-Assisted Language
Learning (CALL) have unsurprisingly attempted to explore how both
educational and non-educational social technologies (ST) could be
employed to enhance language learning, the integration of social
technologies in kindergarten-6th grade (K-6) education has received
inadequate attention compared to research entailing teenagers or
tertiary education students as the exploration of literature of the
last two decades indicate. One reason for this is, most probably, the
fact that children under the age of 13, are legally bound not to use
social media. The present study sets out to explore students’
attitudes as well as benefits and challenges towards a synergy of
age-appropriate, educational-oriented technologies in the context of a
three-month intervention in a pre-intermediate level group of three
10-year-old male English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in
Cyprus. Thematic analysis of students’ interviews, focus groups,
observations and usage of age-appropriate technologies revealed
students’ overall positive attitude towards these technologies, as
well as challenges that need to be taken into consideration in the use
of these technologies. The dissertation concludes with a discussion of
findings and implications for further research.
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Elena Petrou- Dissertation-May 2019_Abstract.pdf
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