Abstract
Information technologyas an essential element of modern teachinghas always played a vital role in foreign language teaching. Recentlywith the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI)the integration of information technology into foreign language teaching has been increased in all aspects. To identify the current research status and future development trendsthis research presents a visual analysis of the integration development of information technology into foreign language teaching (2000–2024)which is based on 4587 documents from the WoSCC (Web of Science Core Collection) database and CiteSpace software. The results show that the integration research has experienced a period of incubation (2000-2005)followed by an emergent period (2006-2019)before entering a relatively stable period since 2020. The keywords used for research on integration development can be summarized as follows: integration ideatechnological mediainstructional approachand learning method. (1) Teaching idea is upgraded from auxiliary integration to resource integration and structure integration; (2) Technological media has transformed from audio-visual media to interactive mediaas well as intelligent media; (3) There are three instructional approachesincluding computer-aided teachingmultimedia teaching and intelligent teaching; (4) There are three corresponding learning methods: independent learning based on audio-visual materialsinteractive learning based on diversified information platforms and personalized learning based on intelligent technology. In the futurethe research on the integration of information technology and foreign languages will become more refined and systematichighlighting student-centered teaching reform and the intelligent analysis of personalized learning datawhich will fundamentally change the forms of teaching resourcesways of teaching and learningand modes of evaluation.
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Introduction
Since the early 21st centurythe emergence of the fourth technological revolutiondriven by advancements in artificial intelligence (AI)big dataand 5G communicationhas marked the beginning of the digital network era (Schwab 2016). A number of multifunctional technological products such as smartphones and ChatGPT have continuously emerged and upgradedhaving a profound effect on educational practice and research (Farrokhnia et al. 2024; Martínez et al. 2021). For educatorstaking full advantage of digital technology for further reform of educational informatization has become an inevitable trend (Díaz and Nussbaum 2024). The Global Education Monitoring Report by UNESCO (2023) highlights the transformative impact of digital technology on educationdriving changes in pedagogical approaches and reshaping the conceptualization of knowledge and learning. In terms of foreign language (FL) teachingthe impact of information technology on its development is reflected in various aspects of the language teaching processinvolving access to authentic language resourcesthe convenience of interactive communicationand the innovation of language teaching methods (Sutherland et al. 2004; Klímová 2018).
Currentlyinformation technology has been fully integrated into foreign language teachingwhich not only affects the educational environmentteaching methodsand teacher–student relationships in schools (Redondo et al. 2020)but also promotes the innovation of key educational elements such as the classroom structure and teaching ideas (Arnold and Ducate 2006). Given the rapid changes in FL teachingit is essential to review the course of their integrationidentify the key development stages and characteristicsand further identify future development trends. Previous studies have focused mainly on the theoretical construction of foreign language information technology teaching from an interdisciplinary perspective (Guo and Lee 2023)as well as the direct impact of information technology innovation on foreign language teaching practices (Kramsch 2014). Howeverthere has been little research on integration development from the perspective of quantitative data in the literature. Moreoveralthough some studies have explored individual technological innovations and their immediate impact on teaching practicesthe longitudinal analysis of these trends has been largely neglected. In view of thisa thorough literature review is needed to highlight the gapsunderscoring the need for more data-driven analysis to map the evolution of foreign language teaching and information technology. This study adopts bibliometric methods and visualization software to systematically analyze the development process of integrationwhich not only aims to provide a clearer understanding of the emerging hotspots and trends in the integration of information technology into foreign language teachingbut also offers practical recommendations for educators to explore new methods and strategies.
This article aims to explore the following three research questions:
Q1: What stages of development has the integration of information technology into foreign language teaching gone through?
Q2: What are the characteristics of each stage in terms of teaching ideatechnological mediainstructional approachand learning method?
Q3: What is the future trend of the integration of information technology into foreign language teaching?
Literature review
CiteSpaceas a tool for bibliometric analysisoffers distinct advantages when visualizing the evolution of research trendsemerging hotspotsand shifting focuses in a given filed over time. In the filed of foreign language teaching and information technologythere have been some visualized knowledge mapping studies (Zhang and Umeanowai 2025; Yilmaz et al. 2022)which only focus on individual technologies or specific aspects of foreign language teaching. As suchthe literature review of this study mainly focuses on three aspects: theoretical constructionpractical integrationand cutting-edge research.
Theoretical construction of foreign language informatization teaching
Foreign language teaching has a history of hundreds of years worldwideand many developed theoriessuch as Universal GrammarAutonomous InductionInput Processingand Interaction Frameworkhave emerged (VanPatten et al. 2020). According to Richards and Rodgersearly teaching theories can be divided into two main groups: process-oriented theories and condition-oriented theorieswith the former emphasizing the mental process of learnersand the latter teaching techniques and classroom conditions (Richards and Rodgers 2001). Since the integration of information technology into teaching at the beginning of the 20th centurythe theoretical basis of FLT has undergone a dramatic shiftfrom behaviorist theorycognitive theoryconstructivist theoryto connectionist theory (Dudeney and Hockly 2012). Behaviorist theory holds that learning a foreign language is a process that involves constant repetition and imitation of language information (Castagnaro 2006). In contrastfrom the perspective of cognitive theoryNoam Chomsky argues that language acquisition is an internal thinking-learning processthat relies on learner’s intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load in learning (Chomsky 2021; Jiang et al. 2017). Constructivist theory places greater emphasis on the active role of learners in building their own understandingclaiming that language acquisition is the process of reconstructing existing language schemas in the learner’s mind (Fox 2001). With the increasing influence of information technology on educationconnectivism was first proposed by George Siemens in 2005who insists that learning is no longer just an internal and independent activity but rather a process of building a social knowledge network with the help of technological tools (Siemens and Conole 2011; Mackey and Evan 2011). Given the theories mentioned abovethe theoretical basis of FLT not only concerns linguisticspedagogyand psychologybut also involves educational technology and information communicationwhich focus more on learners’ initiative and technological application. Thereforewhen theories of foreign language informatization teaching are constructedit is necessary to consider the collaborative relationships among multiple disciplinesinstructional factorsand educational subjects in the process of foreign language teaching (Golonka et al. 2014).
Integration of information technology into foreign language teaching
The most representative paradigms of foreign language informatization teaching are Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) (Chapelle 2010) and Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) (Burston 2014). CALL began in the middle of the 20th century and went through three phases: behavioristic CALL (1960s-1970s)communicative CALL (1980s-1990s) and integrative CALL (21st century) (Ürün 2016; Dudeney and Hockly 2012). The internal driving force for the development of CALL comes from the advancement of information technologyespecially from computer technologyweb-based multimedia technologyand artificial intelligence technology (Gimeno-Sanz 2016). Integrative CALL involves three main aspectsnamely language learningforeign language teachingand information technologywhich promote the emergence of technological pedagogical and content knowledge (TPACK)a new conceptual teaching framework (Harris et al. 2017). On the basis of Shulman’s notion of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) (Shulman1986)TPACKwhich offers a productive approach to integrating multidisciplinary knowledge for language teacherswas first presented by Koehler and Mishra (2005). Since the beginning of the 21st centuryanother influential language teaching paradigm has been Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) supported by information communication technology (ICT) and wireless communication technology (WCT)which was coined by Chinerywho argued that mobile devices are effective pedagogical tools for improving the quality of foreign language learningas they facilitate alternative nontraditional teaching methods (Chinnery 2006; Kukulska-Hulme 2009). With the help of mobile phoneshandheldstablet computersand personal digital assistantslearners can easily access a large amount of authentic language materials and conduct self-directed learning activities anytime and anywhere (Pérez-Paredes and Zhang 2022). Currentlythe core technology in foreign language teaching and learning is artificial technology (AI)which can present customized feedbacksophisticated tutoring systems and natural language processing tools for foreign language instructorsbut further examination of ethicalcultural and linguistic problems is needed (Hockly 2023; Alshumaimeri and Alshememry 2024). Overalltechnological advancementsespecially core technologies such as computers and AIhave become the main driving force for promoting foreign language teaching reformand future development trends will rely mainly on the coordinated operation of various technological tools.
Cutting-edge technologies in foreign language teaching
With the rapid upgrading of technologyseveral cutting-edge technologies such as chat generative pre-trained transformer (ChatGPT) (Kohnke et al. 2023)virtual reality (VR)augmented reality (AR) (Dooly et al. 2023)and holographic technology (Cerezo 2019) have been applied to foreign language teachingmaking FLT exhibit personalizedubiquitousand immersive characteristics. Since the first release of ChatGPT by Open AI in 2022it has displayed great merits revolutionizing the domain of educationespecially in language teaching and learning (Lund et al. 2023; Yang and Li 2024). Recentlyseveral studies have explored the enormous advantages of ChatGPT in foreign language teaching from different dimensions such as learners’ attitudes and teacher-student relationships (Mohammad 2024; Blanka et al. 2024). Meanwhilethe potential threats of ChatGPT to human ethics and social morality have also aroused extensive concerns (Pack and Maloney 2023; Ciampa et al. 2023). The technologies of VR and holography offer the opportunity for language learners to practice the foreign language that they are learning in a virtual language contextwhich makes current foreign language teaching more focused on student-centered experiences (Kaplan-Rakowski et al. 2023; Ja’ashan et al. 2024). In additioneye-trackinga cutting-edge technologyhas been used to record learners’ eye gaze and visual attention for effective feedback data in language education (Latif 2019). Game-informed foreign language teaching and learningwhose purpose is to create a synthetic immersive environment for language learners (Chun 2019)has attracted widespread attention in academia. In other wordsthe integration of these new technologies into foreign language teaching has changed not only the approaches to language learning and teachingthe strategies of language teaching and assessmentand the ways for teachers and students to communicate in classbut also the innovation of language teaching ideas and theories.
Methodology
Bibliometrics is a branch of informatics that quantitatively analyses patterns in the scientific literature to determine the hotspots and trends of research (Bichen et al. 2023). The Java application of CiteSpacedeveloped by Professor Chaomei C.has changed the traditional way of analyzing literaturemaking it more intuitive and aesthetic (Chen 2016). The software of CiteSpace has specific strengths in handling temporal patternsidentifying key research hotspotsand examining the evolution of concepts over time. In this studyCiteSpace 6.3 R1 is used as a tool for visualizing the integration of information technology into foreign language teaching.
Data collection
To analyze the latest hotspots and trends of information technology and foreign language teachingthis study collected literature data (2000-2024) from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) database provided by the American Institute for Science Information (ISI). Firsta literature search was conducted using the topic words “technology” and “foreign language teaching”followed by a second search using the topic words “technology” and “English teaching”. The amalgamation of these search results led to the retrieval of the final 8154 records. In the first round of screeningthe de-duplication function in CiteSpace screened and excluded 3471 conference proceedingsbook chaptereditorial materialsmeeting abstractbook reviewand duplicate publications. In the second round of screening96 irrelevant articles were manually removed. Finallya total of 4587 records were retained as the data source for analysis. The content such as the titleauthorabstract and references of all the bibliographic records was exported and then imported into the visualization tool of CiteSpace 6.3 R1.
Data analysis
As the bibliographic records were exportedCiteSpace software was used to provide various mapping knowledge domainssuch as keyword co-occurrencekeyword clustering timelineand keyword burstetc. The research design is presented in Fig. 1. The analysis of publication distributioncore authorscore journalscountries and regionswere made to identify the current research statusThe co-occurrencetimeline view and burst of keywords were analyzed to explore the evolution of major themesand emerging trends. Based on the current research results in this fieldsthe characteristics and trends of the integrated development of foreign language teaching and information technology are summarized and presented from four aspects: integration ideastechnological mediateaching sand learning methods.
The figure denotes the research framework and analysis process.
Results
This section reports the visualized analyses of research on the integration development of information technology into foreign language teachingincluding publication year distributionkeyword co-occurrenceauthorjournaltimeline viewkeyword burstcountryand region.
Distribution of publication year
Figure 2 shows the number of papers published in the WoSCC concerning the integration of information technology into foreign language teaching (2000–2024). From the distribution of publication yearsit is seen that there is a clear distinction in the number of publicationsshowing a trend of rapid development and gradual stabilitywhich can be roughly divided into three stages: 2000–20052006–2019and 2020–2024. During the initial stage (2000–2005)the annual publication count was relatively low and was always below the average of 10 articles per year. The period from 2006 to 2019 was characterized by rapid growthduring which the number of publications increased every yearexcept for a slight decline in 2016. The final stage (2020–2024) was characterized by the trend of stable developmentwith an average of approximately 446 publications per year.
The figurewhich denotes the number of published papers on IT and FLTis constructed by a curve chart.
Co-occurrence analysis of high-frequency keywords
Keywords are the core representation of articles and research topics. Keywords co-occurrence analysis is used to reveal the research frontiers and hotspots in a certain domain (Wang and Lu 2020). The parameter settings for the keyword co-occurrence analysis were set to their default valueswith the time range spanning from 2000 to 2024and the nodes represented by the keywords. As shown in Fig. 3each node represents a keywordand the size of node represents the frequency of keyword occurrence. The larger the nodethe higher the frequency of keyword occurrence (Chen 2006). The nodes “language” and “technology” are the core keywords with two purple rings on the peripherywhich indicates a greater number of citations in literature. The nodes “English”“students” and “education” are also relatively largeexceeding the nodes of most keywordsfollowed by hot keywords such as “foreign language”“learners”“model”“performance”“impact”“online”“perception” and “motivation”. To gain a better understanding of the keywords abovethe values of centrality are computed to identify the keywords that play a central role between two or more articles (Pinto et al. 2009). As shown in Table 1although the frequency of some keywords such as “learners” and “performance” is highthe centrality values of these keywords are relatively lowonly 0.04which means that they do not have the same intermediating function as other keywords including “knowledge (0.06)”“instruction (0.06)” and “attitude (0.06)”etc. Neverthelessthe emergence of the two keywords “learners” and “students” reveals that the integration of information into foreign language teaching is undergoing a paradigm shiftmoving from a teacher-centered to a learner-centered approach. This transformation has been facilitated by the rise of multimodal teachingwhich leverages various forms of media and technology to create richermore diverse learning environments. As emphasized by Vanderplank (2010)an effective paradigm for language teaching lies in employing technology to promote social interaction rather than individual student controlmonitoringand repeated practice of their own performances. It is worth noting that central to this shift is the concept of personalizationwhere instructional methods are increasingly tailored to meet the individual needsinterestsand learning s of students. Meanwhileexperiential learning has emerged as a critical component of this new paradigmemphasizing the importance of real-world language practice. By integrating technology into authentic learning experiencesstudents are encouraged to apply language skills in meaningful contextsthus promoting both cognitive and affective development.
The figure denotes the keywords co-occurrence network based on the integration research of IT into FLT (2000-2024).
Author co–citation analysis in the integration research
The analysis of author co–citation can be used to find the core authors in the integration research of information into foreign language teaching. The parameter settings are the same as those in the analysis of keyword co-occurrenceexcept that the node type is “author”. Figure 4 shows that the author with the highest number of citations is WarschauerM. (211)an American distinguished professor in informatics and language sciencewho has 11 papers with more than 100 citations. For instancein the paper “New technology and digital world: Analyzing evidence of equity in accessuseand outcomes”Warchauer and Matuchniak (2010) acknowledge the significant advantages of technology in enhancing the quality of foreign language teachingbut also highlights the associated inequalitiesbased on access to resources and digital literacy. Other core authors that have also contributed greatly to this research domain include EllisR. (166)Godwin-JonesR. (150)DörnyeiZ. (140)DavisF. D. (140)LevyM. (131)PrenskyM. (128)CreswellJ. W. (120)Kukulska-HulmeA. (116)LaiC. (108)VygotskyL. (103)and GolonkaE. M. (100)etc.whose research fields involve linguisticseducational technologyforeign language teachingand psycholinguistics. Geographically speakingthese core authors mainly come from countries in the AmericasEuropeand Oceaniashowing the rich innovative achievements of these countries in this research field. Notablysome of these authors’ papers concerning language teaching technology and mobile language learningrank high in the reference analysiswhich to some extent reflects their core competencies and rich contributions in this research domain (see Table 2). For examplethe article “Technologies for foreign language learning: a review of technology types and their effectiveness” by GolonkaE. M. et al. rank firstwith a co–citation count of 80 times and a single citation count of 484 timesimplying that this article has a great effect on other studies in this domain.
The figure denotes the network of author co-citation in the integration of IT into FLT (2000-2024).
Analysis of citated journals
The analysis of citated journals is performed to find the core journals that have published many research papers in this fieldwith a relatively high citation frequency. Table 3 clearly shows the top ten journals with the highest citation countswhich are mainly concentrated in two regionsthe USA and England. The journal “Computers & Education” with 926 citations ranks firstfollowed by Computer–assisted Language Learning (841)Language Learning & Technology (749)System (679)Modern Language Journal (612)British Journal of Educational Technology (558)and ReCALL (542). Most of these journals are classified as technology-related journalswhich connected to computer technology. Table 3 clearly shows that the key educational technology journals in England and the USA play a leading role in the integration research of information technology research into foreign language teaching.
Analysis of countries and regions
An analysis of countries and regions contributing to this research field has been conducted. In the parameter settingsthe node type is “country” and the other parameters are the same as those in the previous two mapping pictures. The node size indicates the extent to which the country is conducting research in this field. The larger the node isthe richer the research. Figure 5 shows that the relatively large nodes are Russiathe People’s Republic of Chinaand the USAfollowed by SpainTaiwanEnglandUkraineGermanyand Turkeyamong which the distribution of countries and regions with rich research results in this field is relatively even worldwide. Although the size of node such as UkraineTurkeyand Taiwanis larger than that of most other countries and regionsit does not have the purple ring on the peripherywhich indicates that the centrality values of literature related to the research in this field are low and that these documents have not been cited extensively.
The figure denotes the network of countries and regions that contributed more to the integration research of IT into FLT (2000-2024).
Timeline view of the integration research
The timeline view in CiteSpace can reflect the evolution of keywords and their impact on other keywords. In this analysisthe parameter settings are the same as those in the keyword co-occurrence analysis. Figure 6 shows the timeline view of keywords related to the integration research from 2020 to 2024with 9 clusters of keywords including “learners”“anxiety”“user acceptance”“education”“tool”“technology”“language”classroomand “instruction”. The network of clustering keywords involves most of the teaching elements such as teachersstudentsteaching toolsand instructional methodssuggesting that the research results in this field are rich and comprehensive. As shown in Fig. 6except the two clustering keywords (#1 learners#2 user acceptanceand #4 tool)the other six clustering words all appeared during the process of integration developmentand had little impact on other keywords because of the presence of larger nodes on their timelines. Moreoverthe beginning emergence of keywords such as “students”“technology”“language” and “English” also had a great impact on subsequent research. During the process of the integration developmentthe emerging themes like “model”“impact”and “design” indicate a growing emphasis on evaluating the effectiveness of technology-enhanced learning environments. Psychological aspects such as “anxiety”“motivation”and “user acceptance” have also gained prominenceaddressing how learners adapt to and benefit from new technologies. In recent yearsgenerative artificial intelligence (AI) technologiesparticularly large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPTare revolutionizing foreign language teaching by offering personalizedreal-time feedback and dynamic learning experiences (Mohamed 2024). These models can simulate real-world conversationsenabling students to practice speaking and comprehension in a low-pressure environmentwhich helps reduce psychological anxiety and enhance learning motivation and confidence.
The figure denotes the timeline of clustering keywords in the integration research (2000-2024).
Keyword burst of the integration research
The analysis of keyword burst focuses on abrupt changes in keyword frequence over timewhich is beneficial for providing valuable insights for future research (Diao et al. 2022). The parameter settings are the same as those in the keyword co-occurrence analysis. Figure 7 displays the top 11 burst keywords. “Year” denotes the first occurrence of keywordswhereas “Strength” represents the bust strength value. “Begin” and “End” means the start and end years of the bust period respectively. The red bar visualizes the duration of the bust keywords. The keyword with the highest strength is “foreign language (5.91)”indicating heated academic attention to foreign language teaching and learning. The keyword “comprehension”which started to burst in 2000had the longest duration until 2015implying its continued impact on later research. It is worth noting that the keyword “integration” has been a hotspot since 2018with the strength value of 4.56. Moreoverthe keywords related to technology such as CALL (4.46) and MALL (4.23)are receiving more attention from academia. The other bursting keywords also reflects the changes in the research field of foreign language teaching researchsuch as form (4.14)acquisition (3.44)attention (4.7)design (3.55)text (3.51)and trends (3.42).
The figure denotes the top 12 keywords with the strongest citation bursts from the integrated research (2000-2024).
Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL)having undergone the stages of Behavioristic CALL and Communicative CALLentered the era of Integrative CALL in the 21st centuryfacilitated by the advancement of internet technologies. During this periodthe Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) theoretical frameworkproposed by American scholars Mishra and Koehlersignificantly facilitated comprehensive reforms in foreign language teachingparticularly in instructional designresource selectionand assessment methods (Mishra and Koehler 2006; Wang 2022). NotablyCanadian scholar George Siemens introduced the theory of Connectivism in 2005which provided a theoretical foundation for Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL). This theory posits that learning is no longer an internalisolated activity confined to the individualbut rather a process of forming and navigating social knowledge networks (Shrivasta 2018). In the context of foreign language teachingConnectivism highlights the importance of personalized learning experiences that are shaped by a learner’s interactions within a diverse network of linguisticculturaland technological resources.
Findings and discussion
Three-stage development trend in the integration research
Since the beginning of the 21st centurythere has been a universal consensus in academia that information technology is the fundamental driving force for promoting reform and innovation in foreign language teaching (Arnold 2007; Zhang and Wang 2019; Martyushev et al. 2021). Based on the annal publications from 2000 to 2024the integration of IT into FLT presents a three-stage development trend (see Fig. 2): the initial stage (2000–2005)the growth stage (2006–2019)and the mature stage (2020–2024).
At the initial stageCALL underwent a transition from the interactive phase to the integrative phaseduring which the language learner tended to take advantage of other technological tools (i.e.DatabasesAuthoring Systems and Machine Translation) when learning the foreign language rather than visiting the computer lab. (Barr and Gillespie 2004; Jung 2005). Nonethelesshow to effectively integrate the latest technology into foreign language teaching is still under active exploration. As suchfew research papers have been publishedmost of which have highlighted the multimodal practical exploration of combining textbook texts with audio-visual videoscreating a multisensory language learning environment for students (Lam et al. 2001; Suh 2002). In the growth stagewith the proposal of the new teaching concept “CALL” and “MALL” (see Fig. 7)the number of publications on the integration of information technology into foreign language teaching has increased annually until 2019 (see Fig. 2). During this stageinformation technology has transformed into a teaching tool for teachers and a cognitive tool for studentsas well as an important instructional element in the existing teaching system. Obviouslypractice of foreign language teaching against the background of informatization is changing the form of teaching resourcesteaching organizationlearning activitiesand learning evaluation methods. In terms of learningthe rapid development of technology has made learning methods more diversesuch as ubiquitous learningmobile learningonline learningself-directed learningpersonalized learningexperiential learningvirtual learningemphasizing the cultivation of students’ active learning awareness and ability (Lai and Gu 2011; Shadiev et al. 2017; Annamalai et al. 2023). At the mature stagethe number of related research papers published each year does not fluctuate significantly (see Fig. 2)but most of them focus on the practical application of cutting-edge technologies in foreign language teaching such as ChatGPT and VR (Mohamed 2024; Dooly et al. 2023). Since 2020the integration of information technology and foreign language teaching has become increasingly matureforming a two-way integration trend of online virtual situations and offline real situationspromoting the transformation of teaching time and spaceand improving foreign language teaching efficiency.
Overallthe 21st century marks a crucial period for informatization reform in FLTwhich is line with Chai et al. (2011) and Seraj et al. (2024)who discuss the rising trend of integrating technology into FLTaiming to innovate and improve language pedagogy. We further analyze the development over the past two decades and identify distinct phasesparticularly the foreign language teaching reforms driven by different cutting-edge technologies such as AI and VR.
The characteristics of integrated ideastechnological mediainstructional approaches and learning methods
With respect to the keywords and literature analyzed abovethe three stages of integration development display different characteristics in terms of integration ideastechnological mediainstructional approachesand learning methods (see Table 4). Firstin terms of integration ideasthe whole process has undergone a shift from auxiliary integration to resource integration and structural integration. The upgrading of these teaching ideas highlights the enormous advantages of information technology and its comprehensive impact on language teachingwhich can be observed from the interrelation of keywords such as classroom and impact in the analyses of keyword co-occurrence. Seconddespite the mixed use of multiple technologies in foreign language teachingit is still not difficult to distinguish the prominent teaching media of each stage. The timeline view of clustering keywords reveals that audio-visual media are prominent in the initial stageinteractive media are central in the growth stageand intelligent media dominate the mature stage. As shown in Fig. 7certain burst keywords characterized by interactivitysuch as CALL and MALLexperienced a gradual decline in research attention around 2020. Thisto some extentreflects a shift in the research focus within the field. In this contextresearch outcomes in foreign language teaching supported by artificial intelligence technology have been continuously emergingsuch as AI-based chatbot (Mohamed 2024)AI-based applications (Du and Gao 2022). Thirdowing to technological advancementsthe teaching is also constantly changing and innovatingfrom computer-aided teaching to multimedia teachingand intelligent teachinghighlighting the trend of student-centered classroom teaching reform. This transformation is clearly reflected in the keyword burst detection resultswhich highlight significant terms such as comprehensionformand acquisition. In this contextmost foreign language teacherswho pay more attention to students’ learning experienceare striving to create a technology-based learning environment for students to increase their awareness and ability to engage in self-directed learning (Labonté and Smith 2022). As suchvarious foreign language teaching models have been proposedsuch as the three-element mode with pedagogyinteraction and technology (Wang 2008)the conceptual mode (Xue 2022)and the ecological mode (Wu 2018)which is very beneficial to the construction of a foreign language teaching paradigm based on information technology. Fourthfrom the perspective of foreign language learningthe rapid development of technology has led to various characteristics of foreign language learning in the digital agesuch as ubiquitous learningmobile learningonline learningautonomous learningvirtual learningand situational learning.
Overallthese diverse learning characteristics can be classified into three learning methodsnamely independent learning based on audio–visual materialscollaborative learning based on information networksand personalized learning based on intelligent technology. The timeline view of clustering keywords shows how these keywords are interconnectedoffering valuable insights into the development of foreign language teaching based on information technology. In the futureresearch on the integration of information technology and foreign languages will become more refined and systematichighlighting the learning–centered teaching reform and intelligent analysis of personalized learning data (Bremner 2019; Du and Gao 2022)which will fundamentally change the forms of teaching resourcesways of teaching and learningand modes of evaluation.
The focus of integration development in the era of artificial intelligence
Currentlyinformation technology has begun to be fully integrated into foreign language teachinginfluencing various instructional elements such as classroom structureteaching resourcesand teaching evaluation (Moorhouse et al. 2023). The application of high–level and new technology such as big data5G communicationthe Internet of Thingsvirtual realityand artificial intelligenceprovides access to rich and accurate digital teaching resources for foreign language teachers and learners. Authentic digital materials can be directly obtained online and integrated into course contentor resource centersbecoming an inexhaustible source of information in foreign language teaching and learning (Ürün 2016; Meniado 2023). The subject teaching knowledge of integrated technology (TPACK) has gradually become a key element in measuring the effectiveness of technology acceptance in language teaching (Tseng et al. 2022). Obviouslythe integration of foreign language teaching and information technology is not a simple superposition of the two but rather a complex dynamic system. In the futureinformation technologyas a cognitive toolis changing the means and methods of transmitting teaching informationaffecting the construction of teaching resourcesthe creation of teaching environmentsand the interaction between teaching elements (Chun et al. 2016). Information technology has become the fundamental driving force for the development of foreign language teachingwhether it is the construction of teaching modesthe innovation of learning methodsthe application of new technological mediaor the exploration of information education theory. RecentlyStudies like Valero-Franco & Berns (2024) and Armut & Kara (2024) have utilized cutting-edge technologies to implement foreign language teachingsuch as using augmented reality technology to increase students’ motivation and interest in language learningand using eye tracking technology to monitor learners’ learning state and learning efficiency. Howeversome scholars like Rosen (2013) points that the constant presence of social media leads to task-switchingwhich negatively impact foreign language learning. Our analysis reveals that a balanced approach that combines technology with psychological factors promotes a more comprehensive foreign language learning experience.
Overallthe integration and development of foreign language teaching and information technology have gone through changes from visual and auditory technology to the combination of visual and auditory technologyand then to the comprehensive application of multimedia technology (Zhang and Zhang 2024). With the rapid development of science and technologyhow to use high-tech products to further construct simulated and realistic foreign language learning scenariosallowing students to experience an “immersive” language learning atmosphereis the focus of foreign language information technology teaching practices. Cutting-edge technologies have provided a broader integration space for the informatization development of foreign language teaching in the era of digital networks. More importantlythe intervention of intelligent technology makes the division of labor between humans and machines more reasonableallowing teachers to have ample energy to focus on cultivating the higher–order thinking abilities of language learners. In foreign language teachingthere will be a shift from teaching activities that involve only simple low-level thinking such as listeningwatchingrepeatingand copyingto higher-order thinking activities characterized by thinkingcreativityand imagination (Petek and Bedir 2018).
Conclusion
This article uses CiteSpace software to visually analyze the relevant literature on the integration and development of information technology and foreign language teaching over the past 24 years. The integration of foreign language teaching and information technology has gone through three stages of development: the initial stage marked by CALL (2000-2005); the growth stage marked by multimedia teaching and MALL (2006-2019); and mature stagemarked by virtual teachingonline teaching and intelligent teaching or smart teaching (2020-2024). The integration ideas have evolved from information technology assistance to resource integration and utilizationas well as to more comprehensive and deeper forms of integration; Technological media have progressed from simple audio-visual tools to digital interactive platforms andmore recentlyAI-enhanced media; The instructional approaches have gradually shifted from computer-aided teaching to multimedia teaching and intelligent teaching; The learning methods have moved from emphasizing self-directed training toward encouraging teacher-student interaction and situational experience. Overallthe research appears to have transitioned from a focus on basic technological applications to a more nuanced understanding of learners’ needssystem designand outcome evaluation. This reflects an increasing emphasis on creating more personalizedeffectiveand engaging foreign language learning experiences supported by technology. Thereforethe future integration and development of foreign language teaching and information technology may continue to be shaped by artificial intelligence technology. These AI-enhanced tools have the potential to transform teaching resourcesinstructional approachesand evaluation methods. AI-driven platforms could support more personalized foreign language teachingallowing for real-time adjustments to lesson content based on learners’ needslearning sand progress. Thereforedata-driven teaching environments could play an increasingly important role in facilitating individualized learning experiencesprompting the diversified development of research theoretical perspectivessuch as self-determination theory (Shi and Zhang 2025)control-value of achievement emotions (Kaiqi and Kutuk 2024). Notablyimmersive technologies such as VR and AR may offer interactive environments in which learners can practice languages in realisticcontext-rich scenarios. Correspondinglyevaluation of foreign language teaching effectiveness is likely to expand beyond academic performance to place greater weight on learners’ personalized experiences and psychological factorsincluding motivationself-efficacyand socio-emotional development.
In future researchtwo influential theories are expected to significantly shape the development of technology-enhanced foreign language teaching. Connectivismproposed by Siemens (2011)conceptualizes learning as the process of forming connections among diverse nodes—such as individualsorganizationslibrarieswebsitesbooksand databases—thereby constructing a dynamic network of knowledge. Multimodal Theoryadvanced by Kress and Leeuwen (2001)emphasizes the integration of multiple semiotic resources and tools by teachers to enrich students’ multisensory experiencesultimately facilitating deeper comprehension and engagement with knowledge. As suchgreater attention may be given to exploring the intrinsic principles of pedagogical developmentinnovative approaches to constructing technology-enhanced teaching environmentsand the use of data to support teaching practice (Hockly and Dudeney 2018; Ma et al. 2024). The establishment of a more systematic theoretical framework for the integration of foreign language teaching and information technology could be viewed not only as a reflection of the increasing maturity of current practicesbut also as a possible driver for innovation in the field (Kessler 2018). Such efforts may continue to influence the reform of technology-supported foreign language teaching in meaningful ways.
Implication and limitation
This study has both theoretical and practical implications. Theoreticallyon one handthis study offers extended theoretical knowledge for exploring the research hotspotsinstructional characteristics and development trends in the integration of IT into FLTwhich is conducive to improving foreign language informatization teaching theory. On the other handthis study identifies theoretical constructs that guide research in the fieldsuch as technology-mediated language acquisition and the role of interactive and personalized learning environments. These constructs help refine existing language teaching theories by incorporating the influence of digital tools and platforms. Practicallyas seen from the resultsmore emphasis is likely to be placed on the application of new technology-based products and learners’ individual differences in learning languagerevealing the tendency toward personalized teaching supported by technologies. The visualized analyses in this study have presented various bibliometric details related to the integration of IT into FLTwhich may provide valuable insights into facilitating and mediating foreign language teaching. This implies that the advancement of information technology can meet the different needs and expectations of language learnerswhich also could guide foreign language teachers and education policy makers in adapting personalization teaching strategies.
Although the findings of this study provide visual data support for the research hotspots and trends in the development of the integration of IT into FLTthree limitations should be acknowledged. Firstthe database scope is relatively narrowas the analysis relies solely on the WoSCCwhich could potentially limit the comprehensiveness of the findings. Secondthe time span examined in this study is restricted to the most recent 24 yearswhich may not fully reflect the historical development of technology integration into foreign language teaching. Thirdthe bibliometric method itselfwhile effective for mapping large-scale research trendsdoes not allow for in-depth qualitative interpretation of the content of individual studies. Further research may be conducted to analyze the integration process in detail.
Data availability
The Web of Science database was used to retrieve the necessary data for this research. Hencethe data may be accessed using the same search query and filters that were used in this study. Howeverthe data can also be made available upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.
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This work was funded by the Research Start-up Fund for High-level Talents of Taizhou University (TZXYQD2024A014).
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LiW.LiB. A bibliometric review of the integration of information technology into foreign language teaching: a visualized analysis using CiteSpace. Humanit Soc Sci Commun 121910 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-06188-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-06188-7