Motivational Affordances of the Novelty Effect in TELL

Good research design and good learning design in Technology Enhanced Language Learning (TELL) are not always compatible. One of the most problematical parts of TELL research design is the length of the researched intervention. This conceptual paper explores the implications of the Novelty Effect, which can be a negative issue for researchers, but may also provide a positive motivational affordance for teachers and learning designers. The authors present a model, based on the academic literature, of the Novelty Effect over time in TELL and suggest ways in which teachers and learning designers can take advantage of the initial boost in motivation resulting from novel use of learning technology as an affordance, promoting positive outcomes for learning objectives.