Seamless Language Learning in an ESL Context

Abstract

Amidst the vigorous development of technology in the Malaysian education scene, the emergence of seamless learning is steadily fitting into the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) teaching and learning settings, particularly in English as a Second Language (ESL) context. At the moment, seamless learning is paving its way for a more effective ESL practice. Seamless learning has the potential to revolutionize teaching and learning by enriching the opportunity of continuous learning. Seamless learning offers the ability for learners to learn whenever they are triggered to especially with the aid of technological tools such as mobile devices. The implementation of technology has continuously shown its advantages to both students and educators. Thus, there is a strong assumption for the concept of seamless learning to be able to produce similar outcomes. This conceptual paper will discuss a few issues revolving the theme of seamless learning for ESL learning which include seamless learning theories followed by the effectiveness of implementing technology for an ESL seamless learning experience. The paper continues and ends with the discussion of seamless learning for ESL learning beyond the classroom. The discussion undertakes a review of past literature in the context of ESL from recent years. This paper will help in providing a clear understanding of seamless learning as well as highlighting the potentials of creating ESL learning beyond the classroom.

Seamless Learning from the Perspective of CFL Education: A Systematic Review

“…Nonetheless, seamless learning in CFL education is emerging, and it is found to generate better outcome in Chinese learning, such as fostering greater student interest in their daily experiences with the target Chinese vocabulary, from which learning Chinese becomes more motivated and varied, improving Chinese language creative writing. Although Abdullah & Hashim (2021), with support from Xiao et al (2021), argues the new advancements pose a threat to traditional classroom learning due to continuous and numerous seamless learning activities, through proper planning of learning designs with an emphasis on learners' interactions with the physical world, seamless learning is able to enhance seamless learning in CFL education.…”

“…This concept is predicated on the premise that learning should be maintained continuously, across various environments (Durak & Cankaya, 2018). It is a concept which has been catalysed by the development of digital technology which can be applied in educational contexts, facilitating opportunities for learners to learn anywhere and anytime (Abdullah & Hashim, 2021;. Furthermore, educational technology applications have dramatically influenced the ecology of learning and teaching in educational settings, as evidenced by the global pandemic (Yin, 2022).…”

“…For instance, the Covid-19 pandemic brought extraordinary disruption to education institutions, locally and globally (Godber, 2021;Yin, 2022). As a consequence of such a providential occurrence, seamless learning which celebrates the idea of allowing learners to learn whenever they are triggered to learn, without having any boundary, has emerged and continues to develop (Abdullah & Hashim, 2021;Mykytiuk et al, 2022). To conceptualise this novel approach, seamless learning is defined as an intricate learning framework contingent on mobile devices which narrows the discrepancies between formal and informal learning, while simultaneously facilitating a sustained and uniform learning process irrespective of time and place (e.g., Wong & Looi, 2011;Abdullah & Hashim, 2021;Zhou et al, 2022).…”

“…In terms of the continuity between formal and informal learning settings, as a salient characteristic 'inherited' from the general form of seamless learning, the concept enables learners to connect their in-class (formal) learning to out-of-class (informal) learning without encountering any boundary (Abdullah & Hashim, 2021). Nonetheless, some scholars contend that the importance of classroom learning (i.e., formal learning settings) should not be downplayed (Hiew et al, 2018;Mouri et al, 2018).…”

“…Thus, concurrent with the boom in the development of Chinese as a foreign language (CFL) throughout the world, language learning theorists are actively endorsing the integration of formal and informal approaches which enable students to combine 'fragmented' knowledge and eliminate the 'seams', so as to refine (and ultimately redefine) the learning process Xiao et al, 2021). Resultantly, the rapid development of Chinese smartphone applications and seamless CFL learning has garnered increased attention (Abdullah & Hashim, 2021;Su & Peng, 2022). Past research on seamless CFL learning investigated the integration of seamless learning styles and their impacts on the acquisition of language skills, learning strategies, learner attitudes, and motivation, among other things (Jiang & Li, 2018;Jin, 2018).…”