>Subject: NERALLT Spring 2009: Call for Proposals >From: Daryl Beres <[log in to unmask]> View the call online at: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dn9v63r_23j8t5jscn NERALLT Spring 2009: CALL FOR PROPOSALS On April 24, 2009, the New England Regional Association for Language Learning Technology (NERALLT) will be meeting at Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Visit and join our Ning network for detailed conference information (http://neralltsp09.ning.com/). Theme: Looking Back, Looking Forward Join us for this opportunity to reflect critically on the evolution we've seen from "Language Labs" to "Language Resource Centers," and to use our past as a basis for exploring the future. What is the role of a Language Resource Center in the 21st century? What is our role as language technologists? How have these roles changed to date and how can we prepare for the changes that are sure to come in the future? Background Information: At our Fall 2008 meeting, a lively discussion was stimulated by the proposition that perhaps "language lab" as a concept has become institutionalized and is therefore irrationally resistant to change. Do we need to look more critically at ourselves, our positions, and how our language centers fit into the wider array of instructional and technical support offered at our schools? Or, do the unique needs of language learning warrant specialized and separate services? Feeling that we had just begun to scratch the surface of these important and interesting questions, NERALLT members decided to devote the upcoming Spring 2009 meeting to examining the issues from all sides. We hope to present a program incorporating a variety of perspectives. Topics might include, but are certainly not limited to: * Rationales for and against maintaining a dedicated language center facility * Program/center evaluation * Needs assessment * Involving faculty and other stakeholders in language center planning or design * Fostering collaboration across departmental boundaries * Implementing language learning technology supported by pedagogical research * Best practices in effective instructional support for language learning * Best practices in integrated models of instructional support * Creating a successful faculty development center * Effective strategies for promoting the LRC Possible Session Formats: * 45 minute presentations * 10-15 minute short talks or demonstrations * "Lightning round" poster session (Each participant will have table space to set up a poster, handouts or their own laptop computer. Each participant will get a few minutes in front of the whole group to summarize their "poster," before the audience circulates among the presenters.) Proposals should be submitted online at: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=cFFQSXJfeUhyUGxCa2o0b1NlaE xRZnc6MA.. After submission, anonymized proposals will posted in the discussion forums at the NERALLT Spring 2009 Ning site (http://neralltsp09.ning.com/). Join our Ning site to add your voice to the conversation, helping to guide the conference committee in finalizing the day's schedule. For more information, please contact: * Program Committee Chair: Daryl Beres ([log in to unmask] or 413-538-2408) * Host: Eduardo Lage-Otero ([log in to unmask] or 860-297-5282) * Anthony Helm ([log in to unmask]) * Carmen Greenlee ([log in to unmask]) Proposal deadline: 5:00 pm, Monday, March 15, 2009 Notification of acceptance: Monday, March 29, 2009 Registration: Conference registration will be posted soon. Visit and join our conference site on Ning for more information: http://neralltsp09.ning.com/. The registration fee is $25 and includes light breakfast and lunch. *********************************************** LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for Language Learning (http://iallt.org/), and The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning (http://www.languageconsortium.org/). Join IALLT at http://iallt.org. Otmar Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask]) ***********************************************