A WorldCALL Book
WorldCALL 2008:
Global perspectives on Computer-Assisted Language Learning
Editors: Mike Levy, Francoise Blin, Claire Bradin Siskin & Osamu Takeuchi
The two previous WorldCALL Conferences both had significant publications associated with them (see Debski & Levy, 1999; Beaudoin & Levy, 2004). An edited volume of 20 chapters (363 pages) accompanied the first WorldCALL Conference. This book proved very successful and is still cited nearly a decade after its initial publication. With the second WorldCALL Conference it was important to publish some articles in French. The leading CALL Journal, ReCALL, was sympathetic to this idea and therefore a special WorldCALL issue of the journal was prepared and published. 17 selected papers from the second WorldCALL Conference were selected for inclusion. We believe there is a strong market for a further WorldCALL volume to accompany this year's conference in Fukuoka, Japan.
Specifically, we are proposing an edited volume focusing on global perspectives in Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) in all of its forms: Technology Enhanced Language Learning, Network-Based Language Learning, Information and Communication Technologies for Language Learning, and so on. The volume, tentatively entitled WorldCALL 2008: Global perspectives on Computer-assisted language learning, to be puiblished wholly in English, will sample research and practice in CALL from around the world. It is anticipated that the book will contain approximately 20 chapters, including an introduction and a conclusion written by the editors following the general pattern of the earlier publications. The two previous publications attracted a large number of high quality submissions and we anticipate the same response this year.
The target audience for the book includes the following four groups.
- WorldCALL Conference participants
- Language teacher users of new technologies
- CALL program designers and developers
- CALL researchers
All four editors are closely involved in the organization of the third WorldCALL Conference as well as having established reputations in the area. Mike Levy is Chair of the Conference Planning Committee and is involved in all aspects of the conference organisation. He has published widely in the CALL field. Francoise Blin and Claire Bradin Siskin are co-chairs of the WorldCALL academic program committee. They have been responsible for organizing the evaluation of all abstract submissions and as such are very well placed to subsequently review chapter submissions for a WorldCALL book. Francoise Blin is also the EUROCALL Vice-President and co-editor of its international journal published by Cambridge University Press, ReCALL. Claire Bradin Siskin serves on the Executive Board of CALICO, and she is also on the Editorial Boards of the CALL Journal and the CALICO Journal. Osamu Takeuchi is a Vice-President of the LET, the host organization of the third WorldCALL Conference and is also on the Editorial Board of the Asian Journal of English Language Teaching (Chinese University Press). He has published widely in the field of CALL and language learning strategy research.
The next step...
If you are interested in contributing a chapter to such a book, please send a 1000 word abstract to Mike Levy <Michael.levy@griffith.edu.au> by 1 October, 2008. This abstract should be based upon your presentation at the WorldCALL Conference. If you wish, it may be the same 1000 word abstract that you submit for the Conference Proceedings, or it may be an improved version as a result of your presentation and further discussion at the conference.
The WorldCALL book abstracts will then be reviewed by the editors. Approximately 20-25 of the best submissions will then be selected by the reviewers with a view to submitting a full proposal to a publisher by the end of the year. A leading book publisher has already expressed keen interest in the work.
More information will be circulated about the WorldCALL book at the conference itself.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Mike Levy
Francoise Blin
Claire Bradin Siskin
Osamu Takeuchi
References
Beaudoin, M. & Levy, M. (2004). (eds.) WorldCALL 2003. Special Issue. ReCALL Journal 16(2).
Debski, R. & Levy, M. (1999). (eds.) WorldCALL: Global perspectives on Computer-Assisted Language Learning. The
