Transcript Designing a CBLE

EUROCALL 2002: Jyväskylä
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EUROCALL 2002: Jyväskylä
Creating, Developing and
Sustaining a Computer-Based
Language Learning Environment
John Gillespie & David Barr
School of Languages and Literature
University of Ulster
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Key Questions
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Is it possible?
Is it desirable?
What would such an environment be like?
Is it just about doing the same old thing with
computer bells and whistles?
• Is it the same for all academic subjects or are
languages different?
• Does the environment depend on the
institution?
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What is a Learning Environment?
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Physical Resources
Technological Resources
Human Resources
Information processing, management and
transmission
Cultural context
Pedagogical planning
Communication
Gumption
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What is a Computer-Based
Learning Environment?
• Computer technology used to enhance the
learning and teaching experience in the
following ways:
– To enable efficient communication
– To facilitate flexible information management &
processing
– To access electronic learning resources (reference
material & CALL)
– To enhance traditional pedagogical methods
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Case Studies
Cambridge, Toronto and Ulster
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Physical & Technological
Resources (Cambridge)
• CALL Facility, equipped with software for 12
languages.
• CALL resources made available via University
network, allowing student access from colleges
• Web-based material is limited
• CALL website, with web gateway for 9
languages
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Physical & Technological
Resources (Toronto)
• 6 Multimedia labs on 2 campuses, with 130
computers. Access restricted
• Limited local CALL packages
• Preference for web-based material. Flexibility of
Web access. Links from course websites to a
range of TL resources eg: Banks of news clips
from Radio Canada and on-line grammar
exercises
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Physical & Technological
Resources (Ulster)
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Extensive general purpose computer labs
CALL labs have just been installed
Limited use of CALL software
Developments in web-based resources, through
FirstClass and WebCT
• Web gateway for French/German/Spanish/Irish
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Human Resources (Cambridge)
• CALL Officer to maintain CALL Facility/support
academic staff
• Insufficient faculty staff to meet the demand
• Staff Resources not co-ordinated
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Human Resources (Toronto)
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Director of Multimedia Labs
Webmasters for course websites
Support from CHASS technicians
Students paid to digitise/assist in preparation of
courseware
• Robarts Library provides suite of web
publishing facilities and staff training
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Human Resources (Ulster)
• No dedicated staff to prepare course material
• Limited number of graduate students involved
in developing material
• Staff from Institute of Lifelong Learning to assist
staff with transfer of lecture notes etc to
Campus One (University’s on-line learning
environment)
• Limited Web publishing rights restrict ability to
post material on Web
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Communication (Cambridge)
• Staff and students spread across the city in
colleges: e-mail used for staff-student
communication
• Many students have access to e-mail in the
college bedrooms
• Students advised to consult their e-mail at least
twice a day
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Communication (Toronto)
• Students and staff spread over a wide area:
course websites used for bulk of staff-student
communication
• Students tend not to live in college, but have
good access to Internet at home/term-time
accommodation
• Limited use of e-mail
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Communication (Ulster)
• Significant number of students commute from
home each day; others off-campus in private
accommodation
• Internet access problematic in most term-time
accommodation
• E-mail is not used systematically for
communication
• FirstClass is used for communication
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Pedagogical Approaches (Cambridge)
• CALL Facility underused for class work.
– 38% of staff teach in it (N=42).
– Used sporadically e.g. some classes take place there once or
twice a year. Limited weekly bookings for lab
• Emphasis on use for self-study e.g. listening
comprehensions/CALL software for exam revision
• Spanish video comprehension activities now on Web,
replacing need to do them in class
• Web notes and material used to support Spanish and
Russian classes.
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Pedagogical Approaches (Toronto)
• Multimedia labs used regularly for teaching
– Used by 77% of staff (N=13)
– Labs are overbooked each week. Led to creation of two new
labs on St George campus
• Students required to use labs for self-study. Coursework
marks awarded for this
• Web-based modules in French require use of Web to
complete assignments. Have replaced class contact
time in some of these classes
• Course websites provide support material for classes
e.g. notes and articles to be read
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Pedagogical Approaches (Ulster)
• CALL used by small number of staff for teaching
• Use of FirstClass to support class activity e.g.
notes, grammar tips and assessment feedback
– 90% of staff (N=10) used it to send lecture notes to
students
• Students encouraged to use Web to research
essays e.g. provision of URLs in module reading
lists
• WebCT grammar exercises for self-study
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Interaction (Cambridge)
• Faculty resources available through Network
Facility, giving flexibility of access
• Resources not as easy to access as Language
Centre material (available on a Web interface)
• Staff-student communication separate to access
to resources
• Little sign of an infrastructure in which all
aspects can be linked together
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Interaction (Toronto)
• Provision of Web-based material, increases
flexibility of access
• Course websites used for staff-student
communication and linking electronic resources
– In two programmes of study, students can submit
coursework from course website
• Web is there used to link together above
components
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Interaction (Ulster)
• Use of FirstClass to facilitate staff-student
communication and access some resources
– Used in some French/Spanish classes to submit
coursework
• Establishment of Campus One (using WebCT) to
link these components in a more secure
environment than openly available on Web (like
at U of T)
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EVALUATION
Key Issues in Creating Language
Learning Environments
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What’s So Special About
Languages and Computers?
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Communication
Manipulation
Transformation
Multiple modes of activity - different skills
Multimedia
Internationalisation (Web; Video; Email;TV/Radio)
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VAT: Value Added Teaching
• Learning Environments are complex
• Computer-Based Language-Learning
Environments are particularly complex
• The rewards and potential far outweigh the
challenges of establishing them
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VAT: Enhancement
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Reactions of staff
Reactions of students
Enhanced performance in project work
Diagnostic tests
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Getting It All Together
• The key to the environment is integration with
all teaching and learning activities
• The whole University environment should be
computer-based
• It requires top-level management support
• The environment requires critical mass of both
student/staff participation
• It should be a self-transforming system
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Obstacles
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Incomplete or inadequate equipment
Untrained, uninvolved or uninformed staff
Lack of pedagogical understanding and culture
Lack of human resources - support and
technical staff
• Time required for preparation of new materials
• Lack of management co-ordination
• Lack of overall vision
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Prospects for the Future: We Shall
Overcome
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Technical capacity is there
Software resources are adequate
Students are supportive
Staff do not oppose it
Senior Managements are keen
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