Abstract

This study sought to examine research trends in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) using a retrospective scientometric approach. Scopus was used to search for relevant publications on the topic and generate a dataset consisting of 3,697 studies published in 11 journals between 1977 and 2020. A document co-citation analysis method was adopted to identify the main research clusters in the dataset. The impact of each publication on the field was measured by using the burst index and the betweenness centrality and the content of influential publications was closely analysed to determine the focus of each cluster and the key themes of the studies in focus. Overall, we identified seven major clusters. We further found that leveraging synchronous computer-mediated communication and negotiated interaction, multimedia, telecollaboration or e-mail exchanges, blogs, digital games, Wikis and podcasts to support language learning was probably beneficial for language learning. Varying degrees of support were found in various studies for each of these technologies. Stronger support was found for synchronous computer-mediated communication and negotiated interaction, multimedia, telecollaboration or e-mail exchanges and digital games and weaker support was found for blogs, Wikis, and podcasts. The limitations the supporting studies listed were also considered inconsequential. On the other hand, while there was strong support for blogs, Wikis and podcasts, some major drawbacks were observed. The findings of the study would be helpful for teachers and instructors who want to decide whether to use technology in the classroom for instructional purposes. Additionally, researchers and graduate students who need to identify a research topic for their thesis or dissertation may find the results of the study useful for them, too.

摘要

本研究旨在使用回顾性科学计量学方法检查计算机辅助语言学习 (CALL) 的研究趋势。使用 Scopus 搜索与该主题相关的出版物，并生成一个数据集，该数据集包含 1977 年至 2020 年间在 11 种期刊上发表的 3,697 项研究。采用文献共引分析方法来识别数据集中的主要研究集群。通过使用突发指数和中介中心性来衡量每个出版物对该领域的影响，并对有影响力的出版物的内容进行仔细分析，以确定每个集群的重点和重点研究的关键主题。总体而言，我们确定了七个主要集群。我们进一步发现，利用同步计算机介导的通信和协商交互、多媒体、支持语言学习的远程协作或电子邮件交流、博客、数字游戏、维基和播客可能对语言学习有益。在对这些技术中的每一种技术的各种研究中发现了不同程度的支持。对以计算机为媒介的同步通信和协商交互、多媒体、远程协作或电子邮件交换以及数字游戏的支持更强，对博客、维基和播客的支持更弱。列出的支持性研究的局限性也被认为是无关紧要的。另一方面，虽然对博客、维基和播客提供了强大的支持，但也发现了一些主要缺点。该研究的结果将有助于教师和教师决定是否在课堂上使用技术进行教学。此外，