CALL in the wild: a voyage of independent self-directed learning

It is indeed highly surprising that the role of informal language learning has received little attention over the years, with the notable exception of the special issue of LL&T: CALL in the Digital Wilds. Zourou recently observed that repurposing generic technologies for dedicated CALL use in institutional learning environments can lead to the “taming” of such tools to institutional and curricular needs: “occasionally leading to paradoxical and unreal learner practices”. Sauro and Sundmark have also provided a helpful example of this paradox. Thorne has also argued in favour of the rewilding of education, contesting the pedagogical and transformative value of straitjacketed and highly formalised nature of so many learning environments.

We would propose to “rewild” these tools in the context of teaching and exploring specific Critical Digital Literacies for language learning beyond the classroom purposes. If learners are to be unleashed into the wilds of social media, they must be equipped with basic literacies for, inter alia, self-protection, self-awareness, intercultural awareness and appropriate search string competences.

We have availed of the opportunity to apply, expand, trial and report upon Dudeney and Hockly’s original digital literacies within several language learning programmes during one semester at our Institution which also afforded us a valuable opportunity for: “investigating the largely under-explored area of processes and practices that learners develop in out-of-class contexts”, as Sauro and Zourou have recently observed.