Roles of the instructor
The integration of CALL into the classroom has challenged instructors to become familiar with new technologies and redefine their views of teaching. Not only have computers shifted instructional practices, they have changed the way materials are designed, assessment is conducted, and how programs are evaluated.
In both structural and communicative CALL, the teacher often served as a mediator between the computer and students throughout the learning process. Although computer usage generally fostered a “programmed” approach to instruction, instructors were nonetheless reminded to stay on hand to keep things running smoothly.
Within integrative CALL, teachers are encouraged to take on a less intrusive role. Debski and Gruba (1999) undertook a qualitative survey into foreign language instructors’ attitudes toward integrative CALL. Key perceptions included a primary teacher concern for authenticity and recreating real-life situations. The instructors saw computers as a way to encourage social interaction so that the computers acted as “active partners” rather than “passive assistants” to the instructional process (p. 232).