Salomi Papadima-Sophocleous

Mapping the landscape of computer-assisted language learning: an inventory of research

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to chart the development in computer-assisted language learning (CALL), by building a map of existing research work in the field. Based on a corpus of 163 manuscripts, published between January 2009 and September 2010 in four major journals devoted to CALL, it sets out to describe the range of topics covered under the umbrella of CALL and provide a holistic view of the field. Design/methodology/approach – The approach adopted in this research includes: development of the 2009-2010 CALL corpus; literature overview and initial coding scheme development; refinement of the initial coding scheme with the help of a focus group and construction of the CALL map version 1.0; refinement of the CALL map version 1.0 following a systematic approach of content analysis and development of the CALL map version 2.0; evaluation of the proposed structure and inclusiveness of all categories in the CALL map version 2.0 using card sorting technique; and finally development of the CALL map...

Introducing new perspectives in the use of social technologies in learning: social constructionism

This paper reports on a qualitative study of the use of social technologies, explored in the context of an intensive 650-hour Greek language course. Qualitative content analysis of instructors’ field notes, students’ and instructors’ reflections, interviews and a focus group was employed aiming at identifying the use of social technologies as a platform for constructing an online artifact. To triangulate the findings, the study also collected data by observing students’ activity with social technologies. A code scheme was developed which manifests the use of social technologies as a social constructionism platform identifying its major dimensions: exploration of ideas, construction of online artifact and evaluation of the constructed artifact. Actions within each dimension that indicate the manifestation of social constructionism are identified and discussed. This study revealed results in favor of the use of social technologies as social constructing platforms suggesting a new framework for their use.

Language education in a multilingual city: The case of Limassol

This paper aims to provide an overview of the current situation of multilingualism and language education in the city of Limassol, Cyprus. The multicultural character of Limassol is reflected in every aspect of city life, and is notably reflected in the sector of education. Therefore, there is a need to delve into the situation of language education, as this is manifested in affordances and policies, and in daily encounters, within the educational context. Drawing both from primary and secondary data, the study examines issues such as good practices in language learning for immigrants and the role of linguistic support.

Exploring the Multilingual Efficiency of Urban Online Spaces: Implications for Culture-Centered Design

This paper builds up a picture of how multilingualism is supported in various aspects of urban online spaces. The main assumption of this study is that language is an indispensable element of culture; thus, understanding how a multilingual city facilitates multilingualism in terms of provision of and access to information, can deepen our understanding for supporting cross-cultural Human Computer Interaction (HCI). This study explores how multilingualism is supported in urban online spaces of Limassol, a location of increased inward migration and a city that holds a prolonged multilingual character. Data include manifestations of multilingualism or monolingualism in various online contexts, such as official websites and digital media. Findings demonstrate several aspects of multilingualism, as well as implemented policies and practices for promoting a multilingual online locus. As a result of the findings, suggestions for best practices for the online spaces of multilingual cities are put forward, as well as implications for cross-cultural HCI.