The growth of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has changed the dynamics of education, as self-directed learning, especially on mobile devices, is as accessible as ever. Despite the near infinite amount of information available for students outside of school, the classroom remains the most critical aspect of students growth. Teachers now play crucial roles in engaging ICTs full potential to create an environment of meaningful learning to develop students critical thinking skills. Preparing Foreign Language Teachers for Next-Generation Education concerns itself with the integration and study of new technologies in foreign-language education. Featuring theoretical and empirical chapters related to the confluence of teacher-education, teacher cognition, and innovative technologies, it provides engaging insight into foreign-language teachers perceptions and the influence of those perceptions. This publication is quintessential to foreign-language teachers, administrators, policy makers, students of education, programmers, and developers.
Chin-Hsi Lin is an Assistant Professor in the department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education and Confucius Institute at Michigan State University. His primary research interest is emerging technologies in language education, especially new forms of social media. He investigates the process and outcome of social learning and authentic communications on a social network site developed for language learning. Dongbo Zhang holds a PhD in Second Language Acquisition from Carnegie Mellon University. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Second Language Education in the Department of Teacher Education at Michigan State University where he also coordinates the Chinese Teacher Certification Program and the Graduate Certificate in English Language Learner Education. Dr. Zhang's research interests include second language reading, biliteracy, and language teacher education. His publications have appeared in such journals as Applied Linguistics, Applied Psycholinguistics, Modern Language Journal, Reading and Writing, among others. Binbin Zheng is an Assistant Professor in the department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education and Confucius Institute at Michigan State University. She received her Ph.D. in Language, Literacy, and Technology from the University of California, Irvine in 2013. Dr. Zhengs research focuses on new technologies and students language and literacy development, as well as educational program evaluations. She is particularly interested in investigating the effect of social media on at-risk learners language learning.
