Innovation in Language Learning

The study aims to present how technology integration can be fulfilled into Language Teacher Education (LTE) contexts with collaborative and reflective practices by pre-service English Language teachers. A total of 100 senior student teachers (STs) of English at a large state university in Turkey participated in the study. The STs were required to train their peers about one digital tool and prepare digital materials to be used in language classrooms. Participants were presented a list of widely used and suggested digital tools and websites in language teaching (Storybird, Thinglink, H5P, Clarisketch, Word Cloud, Glogster, Plickers, Kahoot, My Storymaker, Voki, HP Reveal, Padlet, Penzu, Rewordify, Telescopic text, YouGlish, Listen & Write) to choose one of these tools and prepare language teaching materials. The data were collected qualitatively through peer reflective discussion forms and focus-group interviews. Peer reflective discussion forms and focus-group interviews were analyzed qualitatively based on constant comparison method. The findings revealed that the STs reported considerably positive perceptions about the digital tools such as increasing motivation and positive atmosphere, more attractive and content-rich materials and more practical and found the experience of peer teaching very effective. Rather than an instructor-centered approach, hands-on experiences based on problems resulted in a deeper learning and retention. The study suggests implications for a variety of digital tools to be used in language classrooms and an effective technology training in LTE contexts.

Keywords: Pre-service English Teachers, Technology Training;