Leonardo Project Nr. A/05/B/F/LA From Face-to-Face to Blended Learning - English for Students of Social Sciences Steffen Skowronek / Christoph Lehker EUROCALL SHOW AND TELL SEPTEMBER 5, 2007 EUROVOLT via VLE European Vocational Online Language Teaching and Vocational Online Language Learning via a Virtual Learning Environment

PROJECT TASK: DEVELOPMENT OF MATERIALS Components A) VOLT: Language Teaching Development of teacher training modules for the training of online tutors/teachers online Piloting of the teacher training modules B) VOLL: Language Learning Development of modules for vocationally oriented language learning Potsdam: Course design and materials development English for Students of Social Sciences as a blended learning course

Needs analysis: Language and ICT LANGUAGE Placement test of the language centre Skills level for individual skills (DIALANG) Learning techniques / independent language learning ICT / VLE VLEs as online libraries VLEs as exercise machines VLEs as means of communication and collaboration

Learners experiences and opinions Methods 1. Pre-project questionnaire 2. Week 5 and Week 13 questionnaires 3. Forum: Sharing Your Moodle Experiences, Weeks 5/6 4. Results and grades 5. (User logs) 6. Classroom discussions 7. Oral interviews (post-project)

Learners experiences and opinions (n=36) (interesting and useful experience: 1 not at all to 5 very …) Use of the platform for the whole course Vocabulary / terminology exercises Grammar, all grammar sections Grammar explanations Deduction of grammar rules Grammar tasks and exercises Reading tasks and feedback 3,7 3,0 Listening Tasks 4,1 4.0 Writing tasks and feedback 3.8 N.A. Forum discussions N.A. 3.4 Use of students platform work in class 3,8 3,8 Integration between online und face-to-face components 3,8 3,7 Use of online work / grammar in class 3,78 3,64 Average of all results

Learners experiences and opinions (n=36) Language level week 5: 4 x lower than ideal Language level week 13: 2 x lower than ideal, 3 x higher than ideal Students comments and suggestions The extent of observation and control is a big disadvantage for me. [ … ] I feel Im being watched all the time. Technical problems, esp. when using multimedia Feedback in open-ended and semi-open exercises and tasks not sufficient. (Writing and translation tasks) Speaking in class and face-to-face discussions are more important! Results should be discussed more often in class. Exercises should be printet out. VLE usability issues: individual students report lack of structure and missing functionalities

Learners experiences and opinions Praise / mixed results Habe vorher nie von der VLE Moodle gehört, war aber angenehm überrascht. It is more fun to use this program than doing ones homework the "old way. Gut gewählter Wortschatz im Glossary Part - auch sehr positiv, dass dort nicht nur einfach Wörter aufgelistet wurden, sondern auch Synonyme und Beispiele gegeben wurden. Ich brauchte einige Zeit, um mich einzugewöhnen, aber als Mitglied der "Online- Generation" ging das relativ fix. Da ich kein Freund von in Heftern geordneten Zetteln und Arbeitblättern bin, ist es für mich eine übersichtliche und vereinfachte Form des Lernens. I like it

The teachers perspective What is useful Less time for comparison of results and corrections needed in class Exercises can be used / tasks completed according to individual needs Learning success and failure to learn can be attributed more easily Students actually have to learn independently (and develop techniques) Enhanced motivation through challenging tasks and more variety Thorny issues Potential problems with students who generally dislike ICT for learning (n=2) More stabile technology needed, both in the multimedia lab and at home Copy-and-paste culture (between students n=? and from Internet sources n=5) Ratio between time for development and usage time Students expect high-quality, individualized feedback

Examples of VLE content Reading tasks and glossary (help and additional information) Vocabulary (Exercises and links) Grammar (learning paths) Translation / Writing tasks (and feedback) Role plays Discussion fora / chats

Beispiele für VLE-Inhalte Reading tasks and glossary (help and additional information) Vocabulary (Exercises and links) Grammar (learning paths) Writing (and feedback) Role plays Discussion forum / chat

Steffen Skowronek, University of Potsdam, Language Center EUROVOLT via VLE GUEST ACCESS Go to Englisch, click Eurovolt for Teachers / Guests … Click the button: Anmelden als Gast STUDENT / TEACHER ACCESS Please Steffen Skowronek: and ask me for the registration key. Thank you very much for listening to this presentation.