Call for Chapter Proposals: Preparing Foreign Language Teachers for Next-Generation Education


Editors

Chin-Hsi Lin (Michigan State University, USA)
Dongbo Zhang (Michigan State University, USA)
Binbin Zheng (Michigan State University, USA)

Introduction

The unprecedented growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is redefining not only how students learn but also how teachers teach. Out-of-school, self-directed learning, particularly with the support of mobile devices, has never been more accessible. On the other hand, school-based technology integration is maintaining its critical role in enhancing students’ learning in the place where they spend most of their time each week. Teachers, as pedagogical decision-makers, are on the front line of technology integration in any school system: pivotal players in fulfilling ICT's potential to engage students in meaningful learning, develop their critical thinking skills, and promote multiliteracies. To this end, teacher-preparation and professional-learning standards, including standards for foreign-language instructors, often require that teachers integrate technology to promote students' engagement in learning and maximize learning effects.


Despite frequent calls for teachers to integrate technology into their instruction, scholars know little about what technologies foreign-language teachers use, how they use them, what factors influence their use (or non-use) of these technologies, or how teachers could be better prepared and supported in this area. To address this gap in the literature, this volume will bring together original research studies addressing these emerging issues that affect foreign-language teachers and teacher-education in the digital era.


Objective


This volume aims to bring together 15 original theoretical and empirical chapters that report on various issues related to teacher cognition and use of technology, as well as teacher-education and teacher learning. Specifically, it offers an in-depth inquiry, from a variety of perspectives, into foreign-language teachers’ perceptions of technology integration; the factors that have shaped these perceptions; the influence of these perceptions on their pedagogical use of technology; and the role of technology in and for the preparation and professional development of teachers of foreign languages in the digital age.


It is expected that this volume will help foreign-language researchers as well as teacher-educators to rethink the critical import of the teacher as the decision-maker and pivotal player in any school-based technology implementation. It is also expected to shed light on foreign-language teacher education through its emphasis on capitalizing on diverse digital technologies to enhance teachers’ instruction and students’ learning, as well as promoting teachers’ self-directed professional advancement.



Recommended Topics

The editors will consider any topic that addresses an issue related to technology integration by foreign-language teachers. While we welcome studies on any foreign language, we are particularly interested in languages other than English.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

    Contexts and technology standards
    Teachers’ perceptions of technology
    Teachers’ knowledge base with respect to pedagogical uses of technology
    Teachers’ identities, roles, and beliefs vis-à-vis technology integration
    Teachers’ classroom use of technology
    Relationships between teachers’ use of technology and student learning
    Teachers’ resistance to or non-use of technology
    Pre-service teacher preparation for using technology
    Preparing teachers to teach online or in a blended environment
    Computer-supported teacher professional development in technology
    Online teacher learning communities for technology integration
    Models of teacher learning of technology in a technological environment
    Institutional and environmental factors affecting teachers’ (non-)use of technology
    Mentoring teacher candidates to use technology during teaching internships
    Evaluation of curricula aimed at preparing teachers to use technology

Submission Procedure


Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before January 30, 2015, a chapter proposal of 1,000 to 2,000 words clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors will be notified by February 28, 4015 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by May 30, 2015. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

Note: There are no submission or acceptance fees for manuscripts submitted to this book publication, Preparing Foreign Language Teachers for Next-Generation Education. All manuscripts are accepted based on a double-blind peer review editorial process.


All proposals should be submitted through the "Propose a Chapter" link at the bottom of this page: http://www.igi-global.com/publish/call-for-papers/call-details/1593.


Publisher


This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), an international academic publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science Reference,” “Business Science Reference,” and “Engineering Science Reference” imprints. IGI Global specializes in publishing reference books, scholarly journals, and electronic databases featuring academic research on a variety of innovative topic areas including, but not limited to, education, social science, medicine and healthcare, business and management, information science and technology, engineering, public administration, library and information science, media and communication studies, and environmental science. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2016.


Important Dates


January 30, 2015: Proposal submission deadline

February 28, 2015: Notification of proposal acceptance

May 30, 2015: Full chapter submission

July 30, 2015: Review results to authors

August 30, 2015: Revised chapter submission

September 15, 2015: Final acceptance notifications

September 30, 2015: Final chapter submission


Inquiries

Chin-Hsi Lin
Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education
Michigan State University
620 Farm Lane, East Lansing, MI, 48824 USA
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1-517-353-5400