Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) SIG

Why have a SIG in Computer Mediated Communication?

The field of computer-mediated communication (CMC) has become a key area of research and development in CALL and it has established itself as one of the main themes of EUROCALL conferences over the past number of years. Colleagues working in CMC have focussed on a wide variety of themes which examine the application of on-line communication tools such as blogs, wikis, e-mail, on-line forums, video- and audio- conferencing and virtual worlds to foreign language learning contexts. Important sub-themes include on-line intercultural exchange, the application of interactionist, constructivist and sociocultural interpretations of language acquisition in on-line environments, issues in task design for on-line interaction and the role of the tutor in on-line learning.

This new Special Interest Group (SIG) aims to provide EUROCALL members working in this area with a specialised forum for networking and collaboration with other colleagues as well as for professional development.

What are the SIG’s activities?

The activities of the SIG will include:

Sharing information with other members on recent developments in CMC related applications, research and pedagogy through the SIG mailing list.
Gathering and publishing information about recent projects and publications through our website and mailing list.
Organising pre-conference workshops at EUROCALL conferences. Organising regional workshops in members' home institutions which will enable members to make others aware of EUROCALL's work.
Collaborating together on the development of international project proposals.
Encouraging SIG members to visit each others' institutions with the aim of developing collaboration.
Establishing links with other organisations' special interest groups working in related areas.

Eurocall members who are interested in joining the SIG and taking an active part in its activities should contact Robert O'Dowd at robert.odowd@unileon.es or visit the SIG website.

Forthcoming Events

23-25 April 2009, University of León, Spain

CMC SIG workshop: "Researching Computer Mediated Communication in Foreign Language Education: Issues and Methods". Further details and Call for Papers...

Past Events

There was a SIG meeting at the EUROCALL 2008 conference in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, 3-6 September 2008, for which the meeting minutes (32kb, MS Word format) are now available.

The SIG held a regional event at the University of Padova, Italy, 17-19 April 2008. Further details...

Chair

Robert O'Dowd, University of León, Spain
Email: robert.odowd@unileon.es

Secretary

Melinda Ann Dooly Owenby, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain
Email: MelindaAnn.Dooly@uab.cat