--- Forwarded Message from "Lisa Laberge" <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>From: "Lisa Laberge" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "'Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum'"
<[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: RE: #7843.2 Language labs without carrels?(!)
>Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2005 08:43:06 -0500
>Importance: Normal
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>

Our facilities have three main computer labs.

Lab 1: This room is equipped computers and carrels. This is the preferred
lab for testing. It gives students privacy and limits the amount of noise
the student will pick up on their microphone when recording their voices for
pronunciation activities. This lab has the instructor workstation up on a
platform so that the teacher can see all of their students.

Lab 2: Has simply computers and tables. This is our "overflow" room for when
the two main teaching labs are being used. We monitor this room to ensure
that there are no group discussions or loud conversations to ensure that the
students working on recording their voices have a comfortable work
environment.

Lab 3: Has computers and tables as well as a section with just tables for a
traditional classroom setting.  If this room is used for testing, professors
try to space out the students if possible.


Lisa Laberge
Educational Technologist
Arts Multimedia Language Facility (AMLF)
McGill University
3459 McTavish, suite MS-37
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
H3A 1Y1
Tel: 514-398-4809
Fax: 514-398-5449
Email: [log in to unmask]
Website: www.mcgill.ca/amlf


-----Original Message-----
From: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of LLTI-Editor
Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 8:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: #7843.2 Language labs without carrels?(!)

--- Forwarded Message from Judy Shoaf <[log in to unmask]> ---

>Date: Tue, 15 Mar 2005 08:16:21 -0500
>From: Judy Shoaf <[log in to unmask]>
>User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.0; en-US; rv:1.7.1)
Gecko/20040707
>To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum
<[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: #7843 Language labs without carrels?
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>

I would say, look at how the lab will be used! If it is primarily for
individual drilling, testing, or other processes enhanced by privacy and
isolation, then the booths are good. If it is going to be a computer lab
with possibilities of collaborative work, then tables are better.

Also consider the line of sight of the student and teacher.

Our main audio lab has booths where the students face both the
instructor and the computer. This is necessary for pronunciation work.
It also makes it necessary for instructors to be sure that the lab
planned is pretty demanding--otherwise students will be doing email or
ebay (or downloading AOL messenger etc.) instead of the work. The booths
probably encourage that sense of independence.

We have another computer lab in which the computers are set up so that
students, in movable chairs, face either the instructor or the computer;
the instructor can see all the student screens, the computers being on
open tables. This is much more flexible for classes that are not
intensive labs but mix lecture with computer work.

Judy



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