A Review of Research into Google Apps in the Process of English Language Learning and Teaching

Abstract

web 2.0 applications and tools.Web 2.0 means the second generation of the internet, which gives users access to add, modify, comment, and share content and information. Several web 2.0 applications developed for open use. Examples include Wikis, DropBox, Blogs, Evernote, SkyDrive and Google Apps, etc. These web-based Apps for learning are productive and collaborative. Besides, all these applications are exciting and easy to use for both learners and their instructors. Previous studies concluded that most students have positive attitudes towards the learning that utilizes web applications (Lin & Jou, 2013). Google offers some types of these web Apps for education and communication (Downes, 2007;Miller, 2011).Chinnery ( 2008) introduced the acronym GALL (Google-assisted language learning). He emphasized that Google has pedagogical uses since its tools are communicative, informative, productive, and collaborative. Examples of Google tools and Apps are Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Groups, Google +, Google Earth, and YouTube. Researchers concluded that Google offers many tools that give learners opportunities to collaborate from anywhere and at any time (Covili, 2012). Sun (2003) affirmed that learners preferred using Google apps in their learning than traditional methods. Kovalik et al. (2014) found out that students had a positive attitude towards lessons that used free web 2.0 tools such as Google tools and bloggers. Thus, there are remarkable researches that investigated the effect of using Google Apps in the processes of English language learning. So, it is necessary to review some of these researches in this domain of investigation.

I Can’t Live Without Google Translate: A Close Look at the Use of Google Translate App by Second Language Learners in Saudi Arabia

“…She explained that viewing and rereading the saved words helped her improve her vocabulary (see The preceding evidence demonstrated how GTA was used as a language learning resource to enhance second language learner's grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary. These findings fill a gap in the literature identified by Amin (2020), who recommended researching how GTA might be used by English learners. The participants were found to use the 'do you mean' feature as a spelling resource, and this result is consistent with the finding of Bin Dahmash (2019) that female undergraduates in Saudi Arabia used Google Translate to check the accuracy of English spellings.…”

“…This is supported by the fact that translations between Arabic and English were reported to be among the most popular on Google Translate (Turovsky, 2016). Researchers in the field of language education have therefore been advised to investigate Google Translate and any contributions its use makes to the process of learning English (Amin, 2020). This study answers this call by exploring the affordances of GTA as perceived by second language learners in a university in Saudi Arabia.…”

‘We Were Scared of Catching the Virus’: Practices of Saudi College Students During the COVID-19 Crisis

“…The use of Google app and Google Scholar adds to the findings detailing the positive influence of Google products on language learning (Ambrose & Palpanathan, 2017;Amin, 2020;Bin Dahmash, 2020;Chinnery, 2008). Literacy practices to improve competency in English were learned informally outside the school setting, and share the characteristics of vernacular literacies (see Barton & Hamilton, 1998).…”

New Challenges Imposed by the Pandemic on a Ukrainian University

“…The literature review provides coverage of the opinions and feedback on the forceful integration of online instruction (Amin, 2020;Asmara, 2020;Cheung, 2021;Kucheriv, 2020;Lesnichenko et al, 2020;Matvienko et al, 2020;Matvienko et al, 2021;Shevtsova & Kozubai, 2020;Sakalo, 2020;Zmievskaya et al, 2020). Distance learning is not a cutting-edge experience in many European, American, and Asian universities anymore.…”

“…English language education has become a big concern in Ukraine and many non-English speaking countries. The teachers had to transfer to online instruction adapting the technologies and means they had at hand (Amin, 2020;Asmara, 2020;Cheung, 2021;Egbert, 2020;Naqvi & Zehra, 2020;Okmawati, 2020). Though English language education in Ukraine had utilized technologies in teaching phonetics, grammar, speaking before the Covid 19 crisis, teachers adhered to working in the actual classroom.…”