ReCALL 23(2): 181–184. 2011 r European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning 181
doi:10.1017/S0958344011000073
Book review
Teaching and Researching Computer-Assisted Language Learning, Ken Beatty.
Second Edition. London, Pearson Education, 2010. ISBN13: 9781408205006.
ISBN10: 1408205009. 284 pages. Price: h47
The evolving nature of computer-assisted language learning, constantly influenced
by technological innovations, and the new contributions from an emerging research
community called for a new edition of Teaching and Researching Computer-Assisted
Language Learning, first published in 2003. Ken Beatty presents now, seven years
later, a revised edition that offers an updated overview of CALL research, practice
and resources.
In the words of the author, the book aims at helping in establishing the directions of
computer-assisted language learning not only by discussing ‘‘what we know and do
not know’’ (p. 2), but also ‘‘by offering ways in which classroom teachers as
researchers can look for answers on their own’’ (p. 2). This second edition builds on
the philosophy and the structure of the first. Thus, the reader will not find major
changes in terms of content or layout. The volume is organised into four sections, of
which the first three constitute the core of the book. They are supplemented by a
fourth section which offers resources for teachers and researchers. As for the layout of
the chapters, no significant additions or modifications are detected. The text is com-
plemented by boxes containing quotations, definitions, examples, or recommendations
for further reading. A brief summary is also provided at the end of each chapter.
Section I (Key concepts) is devoted to the clarification of basic concepts in com-
puter-assisted language learning, including hypertext, hypermedia and multimedia,
and to tracing the history of CALL back to the 1950s. It is in chapter 2 (A brief
history of CALL) that we find the first significant update with respect to the first
edition, as the recent history of the field is considered. The final chapter in this
section provides an outline of eight CALL applications such as word processing,
corpus linguistics or Internet resources. The second section (The place of CALL in
research and teaching) is the most comprehensive of all three, and begins by relating
computer-assisted language learning to second language learning theories to later on
offer a model of CALL as well as different theoretical and pedagogical concerns.
Chapter 5 (Second-Language Acquisition and models of instruction) has been reor-
ganised and the seven subsections in the 2003 edition have been condensed into five.

Chapter 6 (Collaboration and negotiation of meaning) stands out from the rest by
presenting a comprehensive, although concise, overview of collaboration grounded
in sound theory that can be a reasonable starting point for newcomers to the field.
The author addresses terminological inconsistencies regarding the notions of
‘collaboration’, ‘cooperation’ and ‘teamwork’ and also summarises the benefits and
challenges to collaboration in computer-based instruction contexts. In addition, at the
end of the chapter, Beatty provides a very interesting approach to the analysis
of collaboration and negotiation of meaning based on discourse analysis which is
complemented by a complete list of strategies that students use when they engage in or
avoid collaboration and a set of notations for transcribing discourse. Probably, the
weakest point of this chapter is the narrow view of the field that the author conveys by
establishing such a strong link between CALL and computer programs. The chapter
describes scenarios where collaboration at the computer is possible but they are in
most cases related to using software in the classroom and no explicit mention is made
to the opportunities to collaborate through the computer.The author misses here the
chance to introduce computer-mediated communication, where students collaborate
by means of web 2.0 applications such as wikis, blogs or social networks.
In chapter 7 the author presents a CALL model, while chapter 8 discusses theo-
retical and pedagogical concerns for the integration of CALL. Among these con-
cerns we find aspects of such diverse nature as lack of funds and expertise, safety
online, or plagiarism on the one hand, and learning styles or the need for teachers to
evaluate and classify learning software according to the model of instruction it
promotes on the other hand. Because of the amount of variables that come into play
in any learning situation, defining a model of CALL is far from being an easy task
and even more, as the author acknowledges, if a broad definition of CALL 2‘‘any
process in which a learner uses a computer and, as a result, improves his or her
language’’ (p. 143) 2 is adopted. Even so, in chapter 7, Beatty adapts the model for
learning proposed by Dunkin and Biddle in the 1970s to a model for CALL. His
proposal centres around the interrelations between presage variables (materials
developers’ experiences and the conceptions of different models of instruction),
process variables (related to the computer program), context variables (the learners
and the institution) and product variables (changes in the learner as a result of using
the program). This model seems, inevitably, quite restrictive and narrow, as it is
confined to a very specific type of CALL environment; that in which the computer
program becomes ‘‘a kind of virtual teacher’’ (p. 158). Although a general discussion
concerning the role and behaviour of students and teachers when using different
learning resources (constructivist vs. behaviourist) is presented in these two chapters,
they lack a stronger reference to the current status of CALL or indications for future
directions, something that Bax accurately addressed in his 2003 article, where he first
introduced the notion of normalisation.
The examination of research practice in the field is addressed in Section 3
(Researching CALL), where Beatty first presents an account of up-to-date research
interests based upon the analysis of 102 studies and then outlines how research can
be conducted in what he terms eight research contexts. Because of the rapid evolu-
tion of the field, Chapter 9 (Current research interests) unveils as a fully updated
version of the same chapter in the 2003 edition. The structure and topics are the same
182 Book review

but this time the author concentrates on articles published between 2006 and 2009.
The analysis of the 102 articles helps the author draw a picture of what we may call
the trending topics in CALL research regarding languages, skills, processes, tech-
nologies, concerns and subjects. This survey exemplifies the changing nature of
CALL, as it illustrates how interest shifts from one aspect to another in just a few
years. This is the case, for instance, with the processes reported in the studies under
examination. While in the 2003 edition of the book 42 per cent of the articles dealt
with the process of creating or developing materials, only 20 percent of the 102
articles reported in this volume do so. Updated references are also evident in chapter
10 (Research), where the author offers a precise and detailed account of different
research contexts and methodologies supplemented by a step by step description of
model research projects pertinent to each context. These two chapters stress the
importance of action research and serve to illustrate the thin line that separates
teachers from researchers these days.
The final section (Resources and Glossary) presents major restructuring with
respect to the 2003 edition. To begin with, the title of the section has been expanded
to make a more explicit reference to the glossary of key terms, one of the most useful
sections of this volume.While almost all the subsections are kept, some of them, such
as ‘‘Software mentioned’’ or ‘‘e-mail lists’’, have been omitted or modified. As in the
first edition, the list of resources is accompanied by a glossary of key terms, an index
and a list of references. The reference list has become a sort of bibliography instead,
as the author warns the reader that a number of works listed there are kept from the
first edition even though they are not cited in the 2010 text.
As stated in the back cover, this volume is of interest to ‘‘all teachers and
researchers interested in using CALL to make language learning a richer, more
productive and more enjoyable task’’. We would add that the informative style of the
volume makes it a useful starter reading for graduate students and novice researchers
(a) wishing to gain further knowledge of the field of CALL and (b) trying to chart
those portions of terra incognita (to use the author’s metaphor in the introduction)
that are part of the map of CALL. Given the amount of practical information,
examples and useful resources, the book (in particular chapters 3 and 4 and the
glossary of key terms) is sure to be particularly welcomed by trainee teachers willing
to integrate CALL within their future teaching practice. If anything, the amount of
further reading sections, quotes, examples and concepts may distract the reader who
simply wishes to be immersed in the reading of a book which does not address
trainees so overtly. But, obviously, this is a matter of personal preference which does
not affect the clearly presented contents of the book.
However, a volume which embraces such a fertile and emerging topic cannot
escape criticism. The extent and scope of the readership should not serve as an excuse
for not offering a more updated view on topics such as technology driving CALL
(pp. 12-15) or the eight CALL applications in Chapter 4, which, fundamentally,
remain exactly the same in the two editions of the book. While the author outlines
some more recent innovations in the field in a new section named CALL in the
21stcentury, the eight CALL applications which are dealt with in Chapter 4 are those
which were already treated seven years ago. For example, the section devoted to
word processing is left intact, although further reading includes two references
Book review 183

published after the first edition of the book. This is generally the case with the rest of
sections in the book, something which will be greatly appreciated by the novice
practitioner. The impact of social networks and contributions of web 2.0 are
underdiscussed. The research on blogs and wikis does not receive much attention,
and sometimes is restricted to generalities like ‘‘Teachers are also making use of
wikis, social networking sites and web tools to create learning opportunities for
students’’ (p. 71), of little value even for novice CALL practitioners. Learning
management systems are not discussed at all, and Moodle only appears in the
glossary.
Overall, this edition is apparently indebted in excess of the inheritance from his
predecessor. We may argue that Beatty has relied too heavily on the original structure
and text of the first edition of the book, but it is nonetheless true that new editions are
usually like this: an updated text which has been modified to suit the needs of a new
readership. On balance, Teaching and Researching Computer-Assisted Language
Learning provides CALL students and future researchers with a very accessible
introduction to the key concepts and ideas in the field in one single volume.
Marı´a Sa´nchez-Tornel and Pascual Pe´rez-Paredes
Universidad de Murcia, Spain
Reference
Bax S. (2003) ‘‘CALL – past, present and future’’. System, 31(1): 13–28.
184 Book review