ACTION RESEARCH - Language Learning …行动研究u2014u2014语言学习u2026.pdfVIP

Language Learning Technology June 2012, Volume 16, Number 2 /issues/june2012/action.pdf pp. 14–23 ACTION RESEARCH BUILDING COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY SKILLS IN TESOL TEACHER EDUCATION Margo DelliCarpini, Lehman College, The City University of New York This paper reports on an action research study that investigated factors influencing TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) teacher candidates’ (TCs) selection and use of technology in the English as a second language (ESL) classroom and the influence of explicit training in context in the use of computer technology for second language learners at the PreK-12 grade level. The data suggest that developing these skills in a highly contextualized setting enhances ESL teachers’ knowledge, skills, and beliefs in terms of the use of technology in the ESL classroom. Keywords: Technology in Teacher Education; TESOL Teacher Education INTRODUCTION The use of technology in education can no longer be thought of as a choice to be made on the part of teachers, nor can it be considered an add-on to the curriculum or reserved for special occasions in the classroom. It has been argued that there is a gap that continues to widen between the types of knowledge and skills students learn in U.S. schools and the actual types of knowledge and skills they need to be successful in the 21st century workforce and global economy (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2005). The U.S. federal government, under the umbrella of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), has made attempts to address this gap. NCLB, through the Enhancing Education Through Technology Act of 2001, requires states to provide evidence that “every student is technologically lit