World Languages in Online and Blended K-12 Education

Abstract

This chapter is a qualitative exploration and synthesis of research on online world-language courses in K-12 settings, focusing on such courses’ e¢ectiveness and the unique challenges of maintaining the quality of language courses as they move from face-to-face to online environments. It identi£es two key factors contributing to K-12 students’ world- language online-learning success – self-regulated learning and interaction – while a thorough examination of teacher- level factors highlights the importance of professional development in both technological skills and pedagogical design. The chapter concludes with implications and detailed recommendations for policy and practice in K-12 world-language education, as well as future directions for research in this area.