--- Forwarded Message from David Weible <[log in to unmask]> --- >To: [log in to unmask] >From: David Weible <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: designing a language learning center from scratch >Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2004 09:01:47 -0500 I know this topic has come up in the past -- repeatedly, if I'm not mistaken. But that was then and this is now. It seems to me that the proliferation of ancillary CD-ROMs accompanying text books and web-based instructional materials, not to mention other internet resources have all weakened certain aspects of traditional language lab functions. Trying to project these trends into the future, what do you see to be the strengths now (and tomorrow) of instructional technology in foreign language learning. To put it another way, if you were starting from scratch, what are the component elements of such a unit which you would regard as essential and/or highly desirable. In particular, what can and should be provided by such a unit which would not already be available in a computer lab, or, for that matter, on one's own home computer? Among other possibilities, how do you feel about: live foreign language audio, video speech recognition speech evaluation (programs which attempt to compare a learner's pronunciation to a given model on demand use by individual students use by classes locally developed CALL materials use for second language acquisition research purposes (important to us) Any and all feedback on this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks, David Weible Associate Professor and Acting Head Department of Germanic Studies (MC 189) University of Illinois at Chicago Room 1530, University Hall 601 S. Morgan St. Chicago, IL 60607-7115 Tel: 312-996-3205, Fax 312-413-2377 www.german.uic.edu * LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for Language Learning, and The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning (http://consortium.dartmouth.edu). Join IALLT at http://iallt.org. Otmar Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask])