--- Forwarded Message from Scott Smith <[log in to unmask]> ---
>Date: Tue, 25 Jan 2000 14:53:36 -0800
>From: Scott Smith <[log in to unmask]>
>Organization: The University of British Columbia
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #5450 language lab experience
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
------------------
Technophobes teachers should start looking for other work. Technology is
here to stay, in fact the technology behind Tandberg systems is much more
confusing to new users than computers are to new users. I find Tandberg
documentation to be very poor and difficult to decipher. Can-8 seems to
be a more reasonable approach to language learning because it does not
introduce new technologies rather it uses standard computer processes to
access and transfer data. Tandberg uses proprietary hardware thus giving
them opportunity to charge exorbitant prices for replacement parts (e.g..
network card for CSSNet $400.00) or tape decks $1500. When purchasing
your language lab hardware you must be aware of level of service you will
be provided and cost of replacement parts. Once you have made the
purchase you will be forced to purchase replacement equipment for the life
of the lab.
LLTI-Editor wrote:
> --- Forwarded Message from "Noel Eyre" <[log in to unmask]> ---
>
> >Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2000 10:22:04 +1300
> >From: "Noel Eyre" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject: Re: language lab experience
>
> Greetings Ursula and listserv participants
>
> Last year the Auckland University of Technology ( NZ) School of
> Languages prior to replacied one of its aging Tandburg language labs.
> Prior to its replacement the teachers in the department engaged in a
> sometimes spirited discussion on the adantages and disadvantages of of
> analogue vs digital (not multimedia). In the end we bought a more
> modern analogue Tandburg. The primary considerations that swayed us
> were:
>
> 1. We had a considerable library of audio cassettes which would take
> months and much labour & $$ to convert to digital.
>
> 2. We wished to be able to provide cassettes of language lab sessions
> that students could take home.
>
> 3. We wanted the language lab to be available for self-access by
> students without the need for supervision of the lab.
>
> 4. Ease and confidence of use for both students and teachers was an
> important criteria.
> a. We have many part time staff and we don't have the resources for
> frequent in-service training that was perceived to be required would
> be required for a digital lab vs an analogue one. (this assumption may
> be a bit presumptious)
> b. Quite a number of staff admit tro being "techno phobic" and are
> presently more comfortable with 'real' buttons and 'real' cassettes
> rather than 'vurtual' buttons and sound files.
>
> What we wanted was a language lab that combined both analogue and
> digital. Our perception was that digital language labs have not yet
> matured, that they were basically structured like the familiar anlogue
> labs but using digital media.
>
> The primary advantage of a digital lab is the speed of transfer of
> material from the teacher console to the student recorders.
>
> We compromised and bought a bay of very fast cassette copiers which
> can copy one master cassette to 15 copies at 15x speed.
>
> Next year or the year after, we may be replacing another language
> lab, at that point we will reconsider, hopefully by then digital
> language labs will be more mature. A multimedia lab used for
> languages purposes may also be an option. I would be interested in
> hearing the experience of CAN 8 users.
>
> Regards
>
> Noel Eyre
> School of Languages
> Auckland University of Technology
> [log in to unmask]
>
> >>> LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]> 01/22/00 02:23am >>>
> --- Forwarded Message from Ursula Williams <[log in to unmask]>
> ---
>
> >Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2000 13:36:47 -0500
> >To: [log in to unmask]
> >From: Ursula Williams <[log in to unmask]>
> >Subject: language lab experience
>
> John asked me to post this to the list. I suspect this might generate
> some
> discussion on LLTI, so I will encourage him to join. Here's his
> post:
>
> May I ask your help?
> >>
> >> Our institution currently has a fairly traditional Language
> Learning
> >> Laboratory (analog audio carrels, video carrels, etc.). We plan
> to move
> >> from a traditional analog facility to a computer-assisted digital
> facility
> >> this summer and a small committee of faculty users is assisting in
> the
> >> planning and implementation stage. We would be interested in
> hearing from
> >> any people at medium-sized universities who have made this
> transition (the
> >> committee is even interested in possibly connecting via
> teleconference to
> >> explore experiences with faculty/staff from another institution).
> >>
> >> If you have made such a transition and would be willing to share
> your
> >> experiences, please let me know (contact name, institution,
> address, type
> >> of facility, phone numbers, e-mail, and web site address).
> >>
> >> Feel free to respond directly to me rather than to the entire
> list. My
> >> e-mail address is [log in to unmask]
> >>
> >> Thanks!
> >>
> >> John Fick, Associate Director
> >> Academic Support Center
> >> University of Missouri-Columbia
> >> 505 E. Stewart Rd.
> >> Columbia, MO 65211-2040
> >> [log in to unmask]
> >> http://web.missouri.edu/~ascwww/
> >
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