Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on May 11, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Janice W. Neuleib (chair), Douglas D. Hesse, Julie M. Jung. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 171-184) and abstract. Also available in print.

The field study explores the experiences that Chinese students at Beijing Normal University have fromCareer Orientation (CO) and examines the purpose that career teachers at the university have in theCO-work. Interviews with three career teachers and five students were done.The results show that all of the students had experiences from CO in different forms. However, mostof the experiences that the students had from CO were connected to lectures about work possibilitiesand preparations rather than one-on-one career guiding sessions with a career teacher. Furthermore,the experiences also showed that the work that was done by the career teachers was much focused tothe end of the student’s education and the transmission from education to labor market.

Technology innovations have occurred in schools all over the world to accommodate Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL). In 2004, a national reform was initiated by the Ministry of Education in China which aimed to improve the teaching of College English curriculum by adopting modern technologies. Since then, Chinese College English teachers have been adapting to CALL. This research project presents a case study of one Chinese university, Huazhong Normal University (HZNU). It investigates how CALL is currently used by the College English teachers and the problems teachers are having in using CALL. This study focuses on teachers’ use of, and perspectives on, CALL. Data were collected by two means: a questionnaire involving 31 respondents, and five in-depth interviews concerning several aspects of the College English teachers’ use of CALL in HZNU. Results showed that even with a broad introduction of modern technologies in College English teaching, most of the teachers in HZNU were using computers in a limited way. Most of them lacked a clear understanding of what CALL is and what CALL can do. As well, the results indicated that the professional development in CALL for College English teachers has been insufficient both in terms of techniques and pedagogies in technology. The study indicates further obstacles to College English teachers’ use of CALL, such as insufficient technical support, heavy workloads and the difficulties adapting to the new teaching mode. The researcher recommends that these identified problems warrant immediate attention and she presents a model to guide the improvement of the use of CALL by College English teachers.