In recent years, there has been an exponential growth of the explorations around the pedagogical use of Web 2.0 technologies in China. This study offers an alternate perspective by examining predictors of pre-service teachers’ uptake of Web 2.0 technologies for teaching purposes. On the basis of prior related research focusing on the pedagogical use of ICT, an eight-factor research model was hypothesised. Data were collected from two universities in China through a questionnaire (N = 464). Structural equation modelling analysis results suggested that perceived usefulness, perceive enjoyment, subjective norm, technological pedagogical and content knowledge, and facilitating conditions had statistically significant direct effects on intention to use Web 2.0 technologies. The findings can help stakeholders in China (e.g. teacher educators, school leaders, and education policy makers) develop a better understanding of the realities of teachers’ pedagogical use Web 2.0 technologies in China.

Despite the rapid proliferation of information and communication technologies, there exists a paucity of empirical research on the causes of the current low acceptance of computer-assisted language learning (CALL) by English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). This study aims to remedy this situation through the identification of factors influencing preservice EFL teachers’ intention to adopt Web 2.0 technologies for language learning purposes in the PRC. Based on the technology acceptance model and the technological pedagogical content knowledge model, a hypothesized seven-factor model was tested via structural equation modeling with data obtained from 295 preservice EFL teachers in the PRC. The results revealed that intention to use CALL 2.0 was predicted most strongly by facilitating conditions. This finding can help stakeholders to make informed decisions about various aspects of facilitating conditions to effectively enhance preservice EFL teachers’ acceptance of CALL 2.0 in the PRC.

Using online surveys is becoming increasingly extensive and widespread. Social science research in China is no exception. However, due to contextual factors (e.g., technological constraints, social and cultural norms, and language barriers), prior successful methods may not apply. This article reports an alternative way of conducting online surveys in China, by combining local commercial online survey service providers with indigenous Web 2.0 applications. The case study demonstrates the feasibility of this approach and provides practical advice (e.g., adding incentives) on how to effectively conduct online survey in China.

This study focuses on preservice Chinese-as-a-second/foreign-language (L2 Chinese) teachers with a theoretical perspective based on prior technology acceptance research in the educational context, to investigate factors influencing preservice L2 Chinese teachers’ intention to use educational technology in their future classrooms. Six relevant constructs—intention to use technology, perceived usefulness, attitudes toward use of technology, technology self-efficacy, facilitating conditions and experience of technology use—were incorporated into three hypothesized models. A total of 331 preservice L2 Chinese teachers from two national key universities in China participated in this study. Data were collected via a self-report questionnaire and analyzed through structural equation modeling. Model comparison results showed that the third hypothesized model fit the data best. Specifically, perceived usefulness, technology self-efficacy, and facilitating conditions had direct positive effects on attitudes toward use of technology, while perceived usefulness, attitudes toward use of technology, and experience of technology use showed a positive influence on intention to use technology. This study enriches our understanding of technology acceptance by extending consideration to under-studied preservice L2 Chinese teachers in China. Implications for schools and teacher educators are also discussed.

In the educational context, there currently emerges a growing research interest in using mobile augmented reality (AR) and the gamification concept to promote environmental education (EE). However, to date, scant attention has been paid to practically linking this approach to formal curricula at the tertiary level in China. Given the situation, we designed a geolocation-based mobile AR scavenger hunt to explore students’ perception of embedding technology-enhanced and gamified EE in their language learning process. Ninety-eight first-year students, majoring in English at a Chinese university, were invited to participate in this study. In this game, students need to find the answers to 24 environment-themed questions phrased in English. Guided by prior technology acceptance research, we employed a mixed methods approach to capture participants’ experience and perception of the process. The results show that this approach was positively perceived among the participants, for it could not only enrich their language learning experience but also promote their awareness of the environment. The findings offer insights into how EE can be purposefully integrated with tertiary education by leveraging current technological and pedagogical innovations.