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Researching Computer-Mediated Communication

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Research Methods in Language and Education

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Language and Education ((ELE))

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Abstract

This chapter describes computer-mediated communication (CMC) research within the contexts of current and emerging CMC sites (referred to as technologies), the role of CMC researchers, and the scope of language and education. As evident here, currently available CMC media allow researchers to explore research in varied settings and to address a broad scope of issues in the field. The development of CMC research has led to various methodological innovations which contribute to the complex, dynamic, and eclectic nature of research in language and education. While much educational research has been plagued by the oft-cited problems of the lack or absence of “good data,” data collected from CMC sites is normally abundant and, hence, richer. The rapid emergence of new technologies and changing ways of interactions on CMC sites calls for research paradigm shifts among traditional researchers. Research in language and education are not only multidisciplinary but also require multiple perspectives. The discipline, thus, demands specific problem formulation as well as the identification of conceptual and methodological gaps. Many CMC researchers have complemented or even challenged the “traditional” research in language and education, opening up new possible uncharted territories. CMC researchers, thus, need to understand the technologies, employ appropriate research design, and conduct research activities. The sections in this chapter highlight how CMC has (1) served as a rich research site for language and education, (2) offered methodological innovation as a result of its rapid research development, and (3) continued to present solutions and challenges to educational researchers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Foreign Language Department, Faculty of Arts, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia

    Wan Fara WanMansor & Mohamad Hassan Zakaria

Authors
  1. Wan Fara WanMansor
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  2. Mohamad Hassan Zakaria
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Correspondence to Wan Fara WanMansor or Mohamad Hassan Zakaria .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Kendall A. King

  2. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

    Yi-Ju Lai

  3. Faculty of Education and Social Work, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

    Stephen May

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WanMansor, W.F., Zakaria, M.H. (2017). Researching Computer-Mediated Communication. In: King, K., Lai, YJ., May, S. (eds) Research Methods in Language and Education. Encyclopedia of Language and Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-02249-9_41

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