Service-Learning as Inclusive CALL: A Hong Kong Case Study

Abstract

This study investigates the intersection of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and service-learning (SL) in higher education, focusing on language educators’ experiences of offering SL subjects to children and adults from underprivileged communities in Hong Kong. While research on SL has primarily centered on students’ learning, this study addresses the understudied perspectives of faculty practitioners. The research explores how teachers integrate SL into language subjects, the role of digital technologies in language-based SL subjects, and the challenges faced by educators implementing innovative pedagogies. Using a qualitative approach, this case study examines four SL subjects offered by a self-financed tertiary institution in Hong Kong from 2022 to 2024. Content analysis was conducted on data including semi-structured interviews with SL proposers and teachers (N=5), SL subject artifacts (teaching plans, assessment guides, and subject deliverables), and teacher-researchers’ autoethnographic accounts (N=2). The study aims to provide insights into the benefits and difficulties of combining CALL and SL, challenges and coping strategies, and the impact of emerging technologies like podcasting and generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) on language instruction. By exploring these aspects, this paper seeks to contribute to the understanding of inclusivity in language education and inform curriculum development for CALL practitioners engaged in service-learning initiatives.