Review of Blended Learning: Using technology in and beyond the language classroom.(Book review)

Even though each chapter contains elements that could be helpful to instructors of different technology proficiency levels, this book is most useful to those with moderate or limited experience using technology in the classroom. Many of the points, especially the "how-to" sections of each chapter, are too basic for those with more experience: these sections tend to explain in detail how to start using a program but do not continue and explain how to manipulate the program to take full advantage of it. For example, Sharma and Barrett explain in Chapter 5 how to create a very basic PowerPoint slide, but do not explain how to record the audio track of the presentation onto the slides, which is a very helpful tool for teaching students about transition signals and practicing presentation timings. While the majority of the explanations in this book are general, Sharma and Barrett are nevertheless able to clearly communicate their overarching message that technology should be an addition to the second language classroom and should not be used as a substitute for the instructor or the necessary lesson planning involved in creating a successful language lesson.

ABOUT THE REVIEWER

Alison Leithner is an adjunct instructor in Georgetown University's Center for Language and Education Development. She holds an M.A. in TESOL from American University in Washington, D.C., and is a coeditor of the WATESOL (Washington, D.C. area) newsletter. Her interests include teaching listening/speaking skills and news analysis courses.

Email: al358@georgetown.edu

REFERENCES

Dodge, B. (1995). WebQuests: A technique for internet-based learning. Distance Educator, 1(2), 10-13.

MacDonald, J. (2008). Blended learning and online tutoring: Planning learner support and activity design (Second Edition). Burlington, VT: Gower.

Nunan, D. (1996). The self-directed teacher: Managing the learning process. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Reinking, D., McKenna, M. C., Labbo, L. D., & Kieffer, R. D. (Eds.). (1998). Handbook of literacy and technology: Transformations in a post-typographic world. Hillsdale, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

St. John, E. (2001). A case for using a parallel corpus and concordancer for beginners of a foreign language. Language Learning & Technology, 5(3), 185-203.

Tapscott, D. (1999). Educating the net generation. Educational Leadership, 56(5), 6-11.

Thorne, K. (2003). Blended learning: How to integrate online and traditional learning. London: Kogan Page Publishers.

Williams, J., & Easingwood, N. (2004). ICT and primary mathematics: A teacher's guide. London: Routledge Falmer.

Review by Alison Leithner, Georgetown University

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