Publications in
technology struggle to keep up with such a rapidly evolving area. A second
edition of ‘Blending Technologies in Second Language Classrooms’ is thus needed
and welcome, even after a mere five years. Hinkelman rises to the challenge and
not only revises but substantially enhances and develops the first edition.
Conception of Blended
Learning as an ecology was a seminal theoretical grounding in the first edition
which has been further developed in this one. Research (action research and
ethnography) also remain central to this edition, as to the earlier one. The
strong analytical emphasis, evident, for example, in the meticulous defining of
(some very new) terminology, is also to be welcomed. Like the first edition
(2012), this one engages intimately with other literature on blended learning.
While its theoretical framework remains rooted in seminal works such as
Laurillard’s, the book is also informed by publications emerging since 2012
such as Tomlinson and Whittaker 2013 (on ELT specifically), the works of Kern
(e.g. 2015), works on the newly emerging area of gamification, and new conceptualisations
of blending, such as bricolage and carouselling.