Analysis of Technology-Based Practices in Language Instruction: A Literature Review.

The inclusion of technology in EFL context is a prominent topic that requires a comprehensive analysis on the most prominent technologies applied in the field. As for such the use of technologies implies a series of advantages and considerations that EFL instructors should notice. Although in this research area there are studies that focus on specific technologies applied in the field, it is important to gather the most relevant studies with the objective of analyze and compare recent studies (2015-2024) in a thematic analysis to reach a conclusion that help EFL instructors on its inclusion. The present review analyzed and compared 37 high impact articles indexed to Scopus from an initial base of n = 229 using a search string that included thematic blocks such VR/immersion; gaming/gamification; IDLE and TPB; SPOC and blended. The results concluded that the use of technological tools in EFL contexts is beneficial as long as there are well-defined pedagogical goals that are firmly linked to the tool applied.