Computer-mediated Communication in CALL

CMC has been described from diverse disciplinary perspectives. First coined by Hiltz

and Turoff (1978), CMC was originally defined as “the process by which people create,

exchange, and perceive information using networked telecommunications systems that

facilitate encoding, transmitting, and decoding messages” (December, 1996). This

technical-oriented definition with a focus on electronic communication has been

(Herring, 1996) describes CMC as “communication that takes place between human

beings via the instrumentality of computers” (p. 1). Similarly, Luppicini (2007)

provided an extensive definition in which he regards CMC as “communications

mediated by interconnected computers between individuals or groups separated in space

and/or time” (p. 142). CMC is technically viewed as a tool or medium used to transmit

and receive messages via computers.

The fast-changing CMC tools need to be supported by theory and pedagogy as the

essential context for effective use of technology. A pedagogical shift evolving from

cognitive to sociocultural approaches to language development has moved the view of

CMC as a tool or a medium to one that emphasizes the process or interaction between

humans. A human-oriented description of CMC can be defined as all forms of

computer-supported interaction or communication between people or as an environment

in which people interact with others via network computers (Nguyen, 2008). In

reference to language learning, Warschauer and Kern (2000) refer to CMC as a

language community which “allows language learners with network access to

communicate with other learners or speakers of the target language in either

asynchronous or synchronous modes” (p. 11-12). CMC can be viewed both as a

meditational tool and as a communication process.

Different from the traditional form of face-to-face communication, CMC displays its

five distinguishing features of CMC: text-based and computer-mediated interaction,

many-to-many communication, time-and-place-independent communication, long

distance exchanges, and distributed via hypermedia links. Zhao et al. (2005) also

analyse CMC technology and synthesize four characteristics: temporality (synchronous

vs. asynchronous), spatiality (interpersonal distance), identity (anonymity), and

modality (oral vs. written). Nguyen (2008) further classifies its main characteristics into

three main categories: technological, social/cultural, and linguistic features of CMC

which are described in greater detail below.

In terms of technological features, a computer network enables communication

independent of time and space because CMC provides communication without temporal

and spatial constraints. Besides, CMC affords a variety of media, combining text, audio

and video. These multiple modes make it possible to accommodate learners with

different learning styles. Additionally, CMC enables multi-dimensional communication

including one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-many. The electronic nature of CMC

establishes a collaborative context to foster language development. With regard to social

and cultural features, the impersonal nature of CMC yields both negative and positive

results for language learning. On the one hand, misunderstandings and

misinterpretations are likely to occur because of the lack of visual and auditory cues

such as gestures and facial expression. On the other hand, impersonality creates an

interpersonal distance between interactions that provides more time for cognitive and

Murray (2000) identifies four main linguistic features of CMC. First, CMC combines

both spoken and written language forms; CMC exchange is as similar to authentic

communication as a typed conversation. Second, CMC provides simplified expressions,

including shorter sentences, abbreviations, simplified syntax, the acceptance of surface

errors, and the use of symbols and emoticons. Third, CMC provides unique

conversational structures with regard to norms and turn-taking strategies that require

more explicit expressions. Finally, conversations are more cohesive and coherent

through topic threads in CMC. These characteristics show that CMC is far beyond a

passive and neutral tool; its technological, social/cultural and linguistic attributes are

well suited to the pedagogical needs of language learning.

CMC has various affordances, namely temporal, social, psychological, linguistic,

material and individual. As Levy & Stockwell (2006) state, “technology plays a major

role not only in the choice of language used, but also the types of messages that can be

conveyed, the social relationships that can be formed, the psychological pressure that

participants may feel, as well as the choice of tool in conducting the communication” (p.

97). These affordances are believed to support the use of CMC for the promotion of

social interaction, language genres, acquisition of new literacy skill and collaborative

learning (Chen & Looi, 2007; Ng & Cheung, 2007; Vess, 2005; Wang & Woo, 2007).

Recently, much research about CMC has been conducted from a sociocultural

interaction that provides a space within which social relations occur. Individuals and

groups construct symbolic processes in this space through the use of CMC tools (Jones,

1995) in distance learning, formal or informal learning as well as blended learning.

In view of the aforementioned characteristics and affordances of CMC, it manifests that

CMC plays a significant role in L2 research because opportunities are provided for

practical applications in real contexts. Students develop their L2 competence by

applying the linguistic knowledge that they have learnt and by interpreting their ideas

and thoughts in L2 while they are engaged in CMC-based collaborative tasks (Chapelle,

2007). It is believed that CMC-based collaboration, informed by a sociocultural

perspective which underpins this research, may have the potential to enhance Taiwanese

EFL students’ communicative competence when learning L2 in a collaborative context.

Therefore, a necessary explanation of two main modes of CMC is presented below to

understand their characteristics and to examine their applications in the L2 context.