ABSTRACT
This chapter explores methods and approaches that have been used or could be used to investigate language learning in the digital wilds, defined here as online communities of practice that exist beyond the classroom and independent of formal instructional contexts. It begins with an overview of common approaches found in the published literature; this includes, case study methodology, ethnography, and more specifically digital ethnography, elicitation measures, and formal language assessment measures to collect and investigate the language and literacy development in and through online spaces that are independent of formal instructional contexts. This chapter then concludes with an exploration of ethical considerations when researching online communities of practice and their language development and proposes several considerations and solutions that researchers can consider.
