Roles of technology in language learning – a joint institutional

perspective

Juan Pedro de Basterrechea – Instituto Cervantes

Joerg Loeschmann – Goethe-Institut

Paul Sweeney & Caroline Moore – British Council

IATEFL Aberdeen 2007

THE INSTITUTO CERVANTES

The Instituto Cervantes is a public institution founded in 1991 with the double objective of promoting the Spanish language and the cultures of the Spanish speaking peoples.

It is the largest Spanish language teaching organisation in the world, with an expanding network of centres spread over the four continents.

LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE IC

How?

Conventional face to face

Online

Blended LearningAVE as complementFollow-up

Blended LearningHigh % of classroom activityOnline curriculum and follow-up

Blended Learning50/50Curriculum also splitCollaborative activities online

Blended LearningSmall % of classroom activityKnow each other, facilitate communicationFollow-up onlineCollaborative and communicative activities online

LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TECHNOLOGY AT THE IC

Why?No longer a questionPart of real daily life. New communication skills

required in the era of digital communicationPowerful resources for the learner and the teacherFlexibility to adapt the formula to the

circumstances and requirements of the demandQuality

The Goethe-Institut

• organising the cultural exchange between Germany and the host country

• supporting learning and teaching German in the host country

• working together with other national organisations in the cultural politics

• acting for and contracted by the foreign ministry

• 125 institutes in 80 countries, 15 institutes in Germany itself

E-Learning at Goethe-Institut

• E-Learning Platform

• Blended Learning Courses / Online Courses

• Podcasts

• Film Based Language Course

• Self-Study Centres

• Teacher Training

E-Learning Platform

• worldwide, Moodle + Content Management System

• connects all elements of e-learning

• organising this process from the ground level to really integrate e-learning in language learning

• main tool for implementing e-learning in the language courses at the institutes

• more success in developing skills (even in active skills like writing)

• tool for promoting new services (registration/subscription, communication, alumni, webshop)

Blended Learning Courses / Online Courses

• learners with high demand of flexibility in the learning process (new target groups)

• examination preparation, business (tourism!)

Film Based Language Course

• start 2004 with „redaktion-D“ (A1,A2); 2007: blended learning offers in 38 institutes

• concept: for 3 different delivery channels – videocast, internet tv, tv

Podcasts

• necessity of a new approach in the methods and the presentation of the contents

• success with specialised marketing concepts

Self-Study Centres

• materials for all kinds of language centers with elements of self-studies

Teacher Training

• teacher trainers for organising educational processes with elements of blended learning

• tutors for blended learning courses

• teachers - in order to use the different tools of the platform (and finally organising the course on the platform)

Goethe-Institut 2010:

“33% of teaching is enough making the students feel interested in the material. The other two thirds are the best of all developed teaching methods and e-learning with its different elements!“

Chomsky 1988:

“99% of teaching is making the students feel interested in the material.“

British Council: Where we are and why ‘The Space’ & ‘The model’

nearly 100% face to face but shift towards greater flexibility

Not class substitution – learning support

classrooms becoming richer, more expensive & sophisticated

increasing role of digital materials

Teacher

Mainstreaming & integrating technology: systems, skills, digital literacy & pedagogic integration

Enthusiasm for learning technology lags behind learners

Very much the centre of the process

British Council: Where we are and why (too)

Learners

Very group focussed – socially motivated

Heavy endorsement of role of technology in their learning

Growing requirement for ‘customisation’ & flexibility

British Council: The Future?

Learners

Changing: habits, skills, expectations

Bringing materials into the classroom

Dependent on changes in wider education

Space & model

A new balance - classroom walls ‘become transparent’

New models (to be defined)

Teacher

Changing role dependent on new classroom function

“Blended” teaching / learning skills required