--- Forwarded Message from Stepahnie Kufner <[log in to unmask]> --- >Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 12:37:02 -0400 >From: Stepahnie Kufner <[log in to unmask]> >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: #5661.6 Using technology to save $$ and to revolutionize learning >References: <[log in to unmask]> ------------------ I would be very much interested in looking at your site. Thank you Stephanie Kufner bard College LLTI-Editor wrote: > --- Forwarded Message from Bill Thrasher <[log in to unmask]> --- > > >Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2000 18:24:01 -0500 > >From: Bill Thrasher <[log in to unmask]> > >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]> > >Subject: Re: #5661Using technology to save $$ and to revolutionize learning > >References: <[log in to unmask]> > > ------------------ > I am a high school Spanish teacher and a doctoral candidate in Instructional Technology at the University > of Alabama. Two colleagues and I just completed creating an online Spanish course for rural Alabama high > schools. By using our creative products, linking to established sites, linking to web sites for the > students to practice speaking and listening to Spanish, and planning toll free telephone calls to online > teachers, I think we've created a very good Spanish course. > > For info on the course, email [log in to unmask] or email [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask] > > I'm interested in any info on technology impact on language learning. I hope to do my dissertation on > this subject. Any suggestions? > > Regards, > > William H. Thrasher, Jr (Bill) > Doctoral Candidate > Instructional Technology > The University of Alabama > > LLTI-Editor wrote: > > > --- Forwarded Message from Rachel Saury <[log in to unmask]> --- > > > > >Date: Tue, 22 Aug 2000 09:00:01 -0400 > > >To: Language Learning and Technology International Information Forum <[log in to unmask]> > > >From: Rachel Saury <[log in to unmask]> > > >Subject: Using technology to save $$ and to revolutionize learning > > >In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> > > > > ------------------ > > Dear colleagues and friends, > > > > I have an interesting nut for everyone to chew on. It is a commonly > > expressed view in our field that the new digital technologies are primarily > > being used within a curricular model that differs little from when we > > relied on analog technologies. This manifests as students primarily > > listening to digitized audiotapes and video with some recording of their > > responses. If the digital technologies are being used in innovative ways, > > it is still within the traditional classroom structure: students meeting in > > class 3-5 hours/week (depending upon the level) with a single instructor > > with homework assignments, both written and oral, to be done at home and in > > the lab. It is interesting to note that the report from the Mellon > > Foundation in 1998 after years of funding foreign language instructional > > technology projects, came to the conclusion that making the leap into using > > the technology in ways that could truly cut costs is challenging. > > > > I have been intrigued by Virginia Tech's Math Emporium model. About four > > years ago, VA Tech decided that they needed a more cost-effective way to > > deliver basic math instruction. They dismantled the traditional structure > > of the class, with students meeting in large lecture halls with a single > > instructor--usually a TA under the supervision of a full-time faculty > > member. They purchased an old Rose's building (Rose's is a southern > > version of K-Mart), installed a few hundred computers in various > > configurations and groupings to allow for individual, paired and group > > work, created learning modules, and restructured the commitment of faculty > > and TA time. Students primarily did their work using the computer-based > > learning modules. They had paired and group projects and could also choose > > to go to lectures on various areas of mathematics, if they felt they needed > > extra help. Faculty members and TAs held their "office hours" in the lab > > and were available to tutor students. Small group sessions with > > instructors were also scheduled for group discussion and questions. > > > > Here at UVA, the Spanish Dept. is facing a crisis: enrollments in first > > year Spanish are up, with the result that each class has 30 students with > > one instructor. There is no end in sight in terms of enrollment, but > > funding for more TAs is not keeping up with demand. I have been > > considering whether the Math Emporium model could be applied creatively to > > foreign languages in such a way that students could actually get more > > one-on-one tutoring, more opportunities for communication with an > > instructor and with other students, and more drilling and rote pratice to > > reinforce grammatical forms and vocabulary. In the end, I don't think what > > students would learn in terms of quantity or quality would be > > sacrificed. But I do think that learning could be more dynamic, with > > students being exposed to more varied communicative contexts and > > opportunities than in the current structure. > > > > I would be interested in your ideas and thoughts. Are there any programs > > out there right now that are trying this out? Do you think this could > > work? If so, how? Can you refer me to any sources? > > > > Thanks! > > > > Rachel Saury > > > > Rachel E. Saury, Ph.D. > > Director, Arts & Sciences Center for Instructional Technologies > > P.O. Box 400784 > > University of Virginia > > Charlottesville, VA 22904-4784 > > (804) 924-6847 ph. > > (804) 924-6875 fax > > www.people.virginia.edu/~res4n