eurocall 2002: jyväskylä 1. 2 creating, developing and sustaining a computer-based language...

1

EUROCALL 2002: Jyväskylä

2


Creating, Developing and Creating, Developing and Sustaining Sustaining a Computer-Based a Computer-Based

Language Learning EnvironmentLanguage Learning Environment

John Gillespie & David BarrJohn Gillespie & David BarrSchool of Languages and LiteratureSchool of Languages and Literature

University of UlsterUniversity of Ulster

3


Key QuestionsKey Questions

• Is it possible?Is it possible?• Is it desirable?Is it desirable?• What would such an environment be like?What would such an environment be like?• Is it just about doing the same old thing with Is it just about doing the same old thing with

computer bells and whistles?computer bells and whistles?• Is it the same for all academic subjects or are Is it the same for all academic subjects or are

languages different?languages different?• Does the environment depend on the Does the environment depend on the

institution?institution?

4


What is a Learning Environment?What is a Learning Environment?

• Physical ResourcesPhysical Resources• Technological ResourcesTechnological Resources• Human ResourcesHuman Resources• Information processing, management and Information processing, management and

transmissiontransmission• Cultural contextCultural context• Pedagogical planning Pedagogical planning • CommunicationCommunication• GumptionGumption

5


What is a Computer-Based What is a Computer-Based Learning Environment?Learning Environment?

• Computer technology used to enhance the Computer technology used to enhance the learning and teaching experience in the learning and teaching experience in the following ways:following ways:– To enable efficient communicationTo enable efficient communication– To facilitate flexible information management & To facilitate flexible information management &

processing processing – To access electronic learning resources (reference To access electronic learning resources (reference

material & CALL) material & CALL) – To enhance traditional pedagogical methodsTo enhance traditional pedagogical methods

6


Case StudiesCase Studies

Cambridge, Toronto and UlsterCambridge, Toronto and Ulster

7


Physical & Technological Physical & Technological Resources (Cambridge)Resources (Cambridge)

• CALL Facility, equipped with software for 12 CALL Facility, equipped with software for 12 languages.languages.

• CALL resources made available via University CALL resources made available via University network, allowing student access from collegesnetwork, allowing student access from colleges

• Web-based material is limitedWeb-based material is limited• CALL website, with web gateway for 9 CALL website, with web gateway for 9

languageslanguages

8


Physical & Technological Physical & Technological Resources (Toronto)Resources (Toronto)

• 6 Multimedia labs on 2 campuses, with 130 6 Multimedia labs on 2 campuses, with 130 computers. Access restrictedcomputers. Access restricted

• Limited local CALL packagesLimited local CALL packages• Preference for web-based material. Flexibility of Preference for web-based material. Flexibility of

Web access. Links from course websites to a Web access. Links from course websites to a range of TL resources eg: Banks of news clips range of TL resources eg: Banks of news clips from Radio Canada and on-line grammar from Radio Canada and on-line grammar exercisesexercises

9


Physical & Technological Physical & Technological Resources (Ulster)Resources (Ulster)

• Extensive general purpose computer labsExtensive general purpose computer labs• CALL labs have just been installedCALL labs have just been installed• Limited use of CALL softwareLimited use of CALL software• Developments in web-based resources, through Developments in web-based resources, through

FirstClass and WebCT FirstClass and WebCT • Web gateway for French/German/Spanish/IrishWeb gateway for French/German/Spanish/Irish

10


Human Resources (Cambridge)Human Resources (Cambridge)

• CALL Officer to maintain CALL Facility/support CALL Officer to maintain CALL Facility/support academic staffacademic staff

• Insufficient faculty staff to meet the demandInsufficient faculty staff to meet the demand

• Staff Resources not co-ordinatedStaff Resources not co-ordinated

11


Human Resources (Toronto)Human Resources (Toronto)

• Director of Multimedia LabsDirector of Multimedia Labs• Webmasters for course websitesWebmasters for course websites• Support from CHASS techniciansSupport from CHASS technicians• Students paid to digitise/assist in preparation of Students paid to digitise/assist in preparation of

coursewarecourseware• Robarts Library provides suite of web Robarts Library provides suite of web

publishing facilities and staff trainingpublishing facilities and staff training

12


Human Resources (Ulster)Human Resources (Ulster)

• No dedicated staff to prepare course materialNo dedicated staff to prepare course material• Limited number of graduate students involved in Limited number of graduate students involved in

developing materialdeveloping material• Staff from Institute of Lifelong Learning to assist Staff from Institute of Lifelong Learning to assist

staff with transfer of lecture notes etc to staff with transfer of lecture notes etc to Campus One (University’s on-line learning Campus One (University’s on-line learning environment)environment)

• Limited Web publishing rights restrict ability to Limited Web publishing rights restrict ability to post material on Webpost material on Web

13


Communication (Cambridge)Communication (Cambridge)

• Staff and students spread across the city in Staff and students spread across the city in colleges: e-mail used for staff-student colleges: e-mail used for staff-student communicationcommunication

• Many students have access to e-mail in the Many students have access to e-mail in the college bedroomscollege bedrooms

• Students advised to consult their e-mail at least Students advised to consult their e-mail at least twice a day twice a day

14


Communication (Toronto)Communication (Toronto)

• Students and staff spread over a wide area: Students and staff spread over a wide area: course websites used for bulk of staff-student course websites used for bulk of staff-student communication communication

• Students tend not to live in college, but have Students tend not to live in college, but have good access to Internet at home/term-time good access to Internet at home/term-time accommodationaccommodation

• Limited use of e-mailLimited use of e-mail

15


Communication (Ulster)Communication (Ulster)

• Significant number of students commute from Significant number of students commute from home each day; others off-campus in private home each day; others off-campus in private accommodationaccommodation

• Internet access problematic in most term-time Internet access problematic in most term-time accommodationaccommodation

• E-mail is not used systematically for E-mail is not used systematically for communicationcommunication

• FirstClass is used for communicationFirstClass is used for communication

16


Pedagogical Approaches Pedagogical Approaches (Cambridge)(Cambridge)

• CALL Facility underused for class work. CALL Facility underused for class work. – 38% of staff teach in it (N=42). 38% of staff teach in it (N=42). – Used sporadically e.g. some classes take place there once or Used sporadically e.g. some classes take place there once or

twice a year. Limited weekly bookings for labtwice a year. Limited weekly bookings for lab

• Emphasis on use for self-study e.g. listening Emphasis on use for self-study e.g. listening comprehensions/CALL software for exam revisioncomprehensions/CALL software for exam revision

• Spanish video comprehension activities now on Web, Spanish video comprehension activities now on Web, replacing need to do them in classreplacing need to do them in class

• Web notes and material used to support Spanish and Web notes and material used to support Spanish and Russian classes. Russian classes.

17


Pedagogical Approaches (Toronto)Pedagogical Approaches (Toronto)• Multimedia labs used regularly for teachingMultimedia labs used regularly for teaching

– Used by 77% of staff (N=13)Used by 77% of staff (N=13)– Labs are overbooked each week. Led to creation of two new Labs are overbooked each week. Led to creation of two new

labs on St George campuslabs on St George campus

• Students required to use labs for self-study. Coursework Students required to use labs for self-study. Coursework marks awarded for thismarks awarded for this

• Web-based modules in French require use of Web to Web-based modules in French require use of Web to complete assignments. Have replaced class contact complete assignments. Have replaced class contact time in some of these classestime in some of these classes

• Course websites provide support material for classes Course websites provide support material for classes e.g. notes and articles to be reade.g. notes and articles to be read

18


Pedagogical Approaches (Ulster)Pedagogical Approaches (Ulster)

• CALL used by small number of staff for teachingCALL used by small number of staff for teaching• Use of FirstClass to support class activity e.g. Use of FirstClass to support class activity e.g.

notes, grammar tips and assessment feedback notes, grammar tips and assessment feedback – 90% of staff (N=10) used it to send lecture notes to 90% of staff (N=10) used it to send lecture notes to

students students

• Students encouraged to use Web to research Students encouraged to use Web to research essays e.g. provision of URLs in module reading essays e.g. provision of URLs in module reading listslists

• WebCT grammar exercises for self-studyWebCT grammar exercises for self-study

19


Interaction (Cambridge)Interaction (Cambridge)

• Faculty resources available through Network Faculty resources available through Network Facility, giving flexibility of accessFacility, giving flexibility of access

• Resources not as easy to access as Language Resources not as easy to access as Language Centre material (available on a Web interface)Centre material (available on a Web interface)

• Staff-student communication separate to access Staff-student communication separate to access to resourcesto resources

• Little sign of an infrastructure in which all Little sign of an infrastructure in which all aspects can be linked togetheraspects can be linked together

20


Interaction (Toronto)Interaction (Toronto)

• Provision of Web-based material, increases Provision of Web-based material, increases flexibility of accessflexibility of access

• Course websites used for staff-student Course websites used for staff-student communication and linking electronic resourcescommunication and linking electronic resources– In two programmes of study, students can submit In two programmes of study, students can submit

coursework from course websitecoursework from course website

• Web is there used to link together above Web is there used to link together above componentscomponents

21


Interaction (Ulster)Interaction (Ulster)

• Use of FirstClass to facilitate staff-student Use of FirstClass to facilitate staff-student communication and access some resourcescommunication and access some resources– Used in some French/Spanish classes to submit Used in some French/Spanish classes to submit

courseworkcoursework

• Establishment of Campus One (using WebCT) to Establishment of Campus One (using WebCT) to link these components in a more secure link these components in a more secure environment than openly available on Web (like environment than openly available on Web (like at U of T)at U of T)

22


EVALUATIONEVALUATION

Key Issues in Creating Language Key Issues in Creating Language Learning EnvironmentsLearning Environments

23


What’s So Special About What’s So Special About Languages and Computers?Languages and Computers?

• CommunicationCommunication• ManipulationManipulation• TransformationTransformation• Multiple modes of activity - different skillsMultiple modes of activity - different skills• Multimedia Multimedia • Internationalisation (Web; Video; Internationalisation (Web; Video;

E-mail;TV/Radio)E-mail;TV/Radio)

24


VAT: Value Added TeachingVAT: Value Added Teaching

• Learning Environments are complexLearning Environments are complex• Computer-Based Language-Learning Computer-Based Language-Learning

Environments are particularly complexEnvironments are particularly complex• The rewards and potential far outweigh the The rewards and potential far outweigh the

challenges of establishing themchallenges of establishing them

25


VAT: EnhancementVAT: Enhancement

• Reactions of staffReactions of staff• Reactions of studentsReactions of students• Enhanced performance in project workEnhanced performance in project work• Diagnostic testsDiagnostic tests

26


Getting It All TogetherGetting It All Together

• The key to the environment is integration with The key to the environment is integration with all teaching and learning activitiesall teaching and learning activities

• The whole University environment should be The whole University environment should be computer-basedcomputer-based

• It requires top-level management supportIt requires top-level management support• The environment requires critical mass of both The environment requires critical mass of both

student/staff participationstudent/staff participation• It should be a self-transforming systemIt should be a self-transforming system

27


ObstaclesObstacles

• Incomplete or inadequate equipmentIncomplete or inadequate equipment• Untrained, uninvolved or uninformed staffUntrained, uninvolved or uninformed staff• Lack of pedagogical understanding and cultureLack of pedagogical understanding and culture• Lack of human resources - support and Lack of human resources - support and

technical stafftechnical staff• Time required for preparation of new materialsTime required for preparation of new materials• Lack of management co-ordinationLack of management co-ordination• Lack of overall visionLack of overall vision

28


Prospects for the Future: We Shall Prospects for the Future: We Shall OvercomeOvercome

• Technical capacity is thereTechnical capacity is there• Software resources are adequateSoftware resources are adequate• Students are supportiveStudents are supportive• Staff do not oppose itStaff do not oppose it• Senior Managements are keenSenior Managements are keen

29


eurocall 2002: jyväskylä 1. 2 creating, developing and sustaining a computer-based language...

Documents