The Important Role of Internet Multimedia and Computer-Mediated Communication in Supporting Learning Styles and Strategies: Implementations and Implications in the Syrian Context

Abstract

This study aims to shed some light on the interaction between Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) represented by Internet multimedia and Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) on one side, and different learning styles and strategies on the other side.

We will concentrate on the cultural factor to identify the Arab learners’ preferred styles, and then we will see how these styles are associated with particular strategies in both the classroom and the online environments. We will identify the importance of designing learning experiences that match students’ preferences.

We will see how Internet multimedia and CMC can provide these learners with many activities and materials to practise some strategies associated with their preferred learning styles. The Learning Resources Website will be taken as an example to illustrate how it can accommodate learners’ styles and strategies through the existing multimedia and CMC materials and tools. Finally, we will see how this study can reflect well on the Syrian context; some implications for both teachers and learners will be identified with some suggestions for future research.