Doing Research in CALL

Introduction

Research in CALL does not only refer to "studies of the efficacy of technology use in a language learning task that would otherwise be undertaken without it [..]. CALL research is moving into new areas, drawing on theories from related fields and creating its own theoretical and methodological paradigms" (Joint Research Policy Statement). This multidisciplinary - or interdisciplinary - nature of CALL research was further highlighted by Phil Hubbard (Stanford University) in his keynote lecture at the CALL Conference 2002 (Antwerp), also in August 2002, as illustrated by the following extract:

"CALL research is in principle more diverse than language learning research itself, being informed not only by the disciplines that underlies instructed second language acquisition theory and practice, but also by the fields of instructional design and human-computer interaction. It is further influenced by constantly evolving technology. This diversity results in a field whose research agenda is diffuse and often confusing to researchers and practitioners alike, especially to newcomers and to those operating on its periphery." (Hubbard, 2002:17)

In recent years, researchers such as Carol Chapelle (Iowa State University) have often argued that CALL research, or rather, research on CALL use, should focus on firstly descriptive aspects that should document the "the nature of the interaction that learners engage in within various CALL contexts" (Chapelle, 1997: 28), and secondly, on some evaluative aspects that are based on instructed second language acquisition theory and research (e.g. Chapelle 1997, 1999, 2001a, 2001b & 2002). This approach, however, has been criticised by some as being too restricted to interactionist theory (see for instance Warschauer, 1998a; Salaberry, 1999; Harrington & Levy, 2001), thus offering only a limited scope for CALL research to address critical questions. Salaberry (1999: 104), for instance, argues for an in-depth review of sociocultural theories of Second Language Acquisition. Harrington and Levy (2001: 16) propose to "consider the emerging field of computer-mediated communication [.] as an alternative and complementary framework for CALL research." These few examples illustrate the wide range of positions taken by CALL researchers in relation to the theoretical frameworks underpinning their research questions and methods (for a detailed analysis of the scope and directions of CALL research, see Levy, 2000). They also illustrate the complexity of establishing what actually constitutes critical CALL research questions and effective research methods.

To address these issues, the international CALL research community has been actively engaged in various projects. Contributors to Keith Cameron's book (1999) CALL: Media, Design and Applications were asked to close their chapters with a section detailing what were, for them, the key research questions. Phil Hubbard is currently conducting an "international survey of unanswered questions in CALL research" and is preparing a website listing those research questions submitted by CALL researchers. Garold Murray (Tokai University) conducted a methodological overview of CALL research methods published in 1999:

"This article reflects on a configuration of methods - personal language learning histories, journals, video observation, interviews, and pre/post-language proficiency tests - used to explore the experience of 23 French second-language learners as they worked independently with an interactive video program" (Murray, 1999: 179).

More recent work relates to the investigation of computer tracking as a tool for data collection (Hegelheimer, 2002; Romano Hvid & Krabbe, 2002). Commercial screen recording applications such as Camtasia from TechSmith or ScreenCam from Lotus not only allow for the development of tutorials designed to provide instruction in how to use new ICT applications but they also provide innovative tools for engaging in 'virtual ethnographic' studies (see Hine, 1998). As new tools become available to the CALL research community, and also to the wider Computer-Assisted Learning (CAL) community, there is a pressing need for reflection on and critical appraisal of challenging research methods and tools.

By providing some resources, ideas, and questions, we hope firstly to provide some guidance to those embarking on a CALL research project and secondly to stimulate a debate on what actually constitutes CALL research.