Language Learning & Technology
Vol. 1, No. 1, July 1997, pp. 19-43

CALL IN THE YEAR 2000: STILL IN SEARCH OF RESEARCH
PARADIGMS?
Carol Chapelle
Iowa State University
ABSTRACT
Advancements in the design and use of computer-assisted language learning (CALL)
activities require that key questions about CALL be identified and effective research methods
be used to answer them. In this paper, I suggest looking to research on other types of second
language (L2) classroom learning activities for guidance in framing CALL research questions
and in discovering relevant research methods. I begin with examples from the CALL
literature demonstrating the diverse perspectives (e.g., cognitive psychology, constructivism,
psycholinguistics) which have been suggested as ways of approaching CALL research. I then
summarize the research questions and methods of L2 classroom research with emphasis on
the "interactionist" approach and discourse analysis. Using three examples --computer-
mediated communication, a microworld, and vocabulary in reading-- I will illustrate how
similar discourse analysis methods can address essential descriptive and evaluative questions
about CALL activities. Finally, I will outline some implications of this perspective for design
and investigation of CALL activities.
A glance through the computer-assisted language learning (CALL) literature of the 1990s
reveals the profession's quest for principled means of designing and evaluating CALL. Like
researchers in other facets of applied linguistics, CALL researchers look to cross-disciplinary
sources for perspectives and research methods. A recent example of the breadth of this quest
is an article entitled "A theoretical foundation for the development of pedagogical tasks in
computer mediated communication," in which the author seeks to "address the pedagogical
merits [for second language teaching] of this new medium of communication in relation to
current research in Anthropology, Cognitive Psychology, Communication Theory,
Linguistics, and Second Language Acquisition (SLA)" (Salaberry, 1996, p. 6). Similarly, in
the commentary on a recent collection of papers about intelligent tutoring systems for foreign
language learning, the authors draw their comments from perspectives in learning theory,
psycholinguistics, human-computer interaction, psychology (MacWhinney, 1995), "a
computationally oriented theory of language use" (Bailin, 1995), psycholinguistic theory
(Garrett, 1995), theory of novice vs. expert learning, constructivism, and individual
differences theory (Oxford, 1995).
These diverse perspectives are directed at general questions of how CALL research can
increase our understanding of CALL activities. At the same time, there is a need to specify the
particularly relevant questions about CALL and to identify ways that they can be investigated
through empirical research. In this paper, I suggest that our understanding of CALL would
benefit from addressing questions similar to those posed about other L2 classroom learning
and from applying the methods used to study L2 learning in other types of classroom
activities. I will begin with some examples from the CALL literature which demonstrate the
need to look to empirical research methods for investigating instructed SLA. I will then turn

to a brief explanation of the research questions and methods of L2 classroom research with
emphasis on discourse analysis methods for investigating learners use of L2 tasks.
Illustrations are provided of how analogous research questions can be posed for CALL
activities and how similar discourse analysis methods can help to investigate CALL use.
Finally, I note examples of how classroom research perspectives might inform CALL design.
THE NEED FOR EMPIRAL RESEARCH METHODS FOR CALL
Because CALL practice draws on cross-disciplinary work, CALL researchers and developers
find themselves at the crossroads among disciplines that appear to offer insights for work in
CALL. For example, it is evident from the following report of an intelligent tutoring system
(ITS) project that some CALL developers see computational linguistics as a foundation for
CALL:
-19-

A rational way to begin research and development into such an ITS would be to start from
first principles. The problem, then, lies in deciding which theories of language and pedagogy
may prove useful to us. We shall begin with a brief survey of NLP [natural language
processing] techniques/theories that form the foundation of our system (Wilks & Farwell,
1992, p. 263).
Another project description suggests that along with the computational linguist, the
instructional designer comes into play in CALL design:
One key to building robust dialog and animation exercises appears to be predicting and
controlling the likely variation in what students will say. This calls for negotiation between an
instructional designer, on the one hand, and a computational linguist on the other (Holland,
1995, p. 231).
Holland goes on to say that the success of the predicting and controlling must be assessed "via
user testing," which means observation of the learners' interaction with the program, but it is
not clear how "user testing" would be informed by SLA research.
SLA does come into play in Holland's scheme insofar as it is represented by "communicative
language theory." When it comes to issues of language teaching and learning,
the instructional designers and language teacher are concerned with effectiveness of
instruction, usability of interface, authenticity of lesson content and what we might call
'pedagogical correctness,' such as adhering to the tenets of communicative language theory, if
that is the guiding philosophy (Holland, 1995, p. 233).
However, the author's understanding of "communicative language theory" is not explained;
nor are its implications for investigating CALL's effectiveness.
A book published in 1995 on intelligent tutoring systems for foreign language displays the
same fragile foundation for the many otherwise ambitious and interesting projects reported.
The editors describe the problem as follows: