The Use of Technology in Second Language Literacy: Does It Work?

Abstract

In contemporary societies, there are many online technologies that are popular in schools and universities such as wikis, blogs, discussion boards, and educational YouTube videos. Therefore, the need for new approaches in language teaching has increased according to these revolutionary technologies. This paper intends to synthesize various studies that approached technology in different contexts. The studies dated from 2004 to 2011. The findings of those studies are inconclusive. While the use of technology meets educational expectations; it fails to achieve its goal. Some studies reported positive results that recommend integrating technology in literacy teaching. However, other studies revealed disappointing findings, which showed that using technology demanded adequate computer skills. Based on those findings, this paper gives possible solutions where some of online technologies such as wikis, blogs, and videos can enhance second language literacy in various contexts.

Keywords: Blogs, computer competence, second language literacy, technology, wikis