1 Kolethra Eleni, Petrianidi Lambrini, Rapacciuolo Maria Angela, Moscha Anna NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center The project is co-funded by the European Union – European Social Fund & National Resources – EPEAEK II INTEGRATION OF ICT IN LSP LEARNING AT THE NTUA

2 The FL courses at the NTUA  4 foreign languages  9 different departments:  Applied Sciences, Architecture, Chemical, Civil, Electrical & Computer, Mechanical, Metallurgy & Mining, Naval, Rural & Surveying Engineering  6 instructors  13–week course  Tight students’ schedule  Status of the language course in a Technical University NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

3 LSP e-learning course development at the NTUA  A. e-course focused on assessment  B. e-courses focused on autonomous learning (Blended Learning) NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

4 General Educational Principles  Learners participate actively in their own learning process constructing new understanding based on what they already know.  Learners’ understanding can change to accommodate new knowledge in new learning experiences. Learning is active rather than passive (Canapero, 2004).  Students do not learn in a step-by-step fashion, but they acquire features according to their needs, rather than incrementally in the order that teachers present them (Hyland, 2000). NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

5 Educational Objectives for the e-courses  Innovation of the teaching methods  Fostering independent learning  Facilitation of construction of students’ personal language knowledge  Optimization of learning resources  Integration of traditional learning with autonomous learning through IT NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

6 A. The ESP e-course focused on assessment Situation at the NTUA:  2200 students  3 instructors NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

7 Facing the Situation  Develop an e-course (supplementary), automatically assessed  Limit the load of assignment marking NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

8 Content of the e-course  Subject specific authentic texts and videos  Pools of various types of exercises  Facilitators (glossary, remarks, hints)  References  Evaluation questionnaire NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

9 The e-course NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

10 NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

11 Implementation of the e-course  Learning Management System (LMS) managed by the Computer Center team:  IBM Lotus Learning Management System  Effective handling of load  Possibility to Work Offline  Well-defined structure of e-courses  Minimum dependence on IT experts  E-course developed by the instructors of English after an initial training on the authoring tool:  IBM Workplace Collaborative Learning Authoring Tool  Powerful tool for course creation  User friendly NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

12 Statistical Analysis  Evaluation of students’ grades (students’ performance)  e-course in 2005  written exams in 2005  written exams in 3 previous years (2002, 2003, 2004)  Evaluation of questionnaire (students’ attitude)  Students’ technical background  Software evaluation  Content evaluation NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

13 Results of Statistical Analysis NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

14 Results of Statistical Analysis NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

15 Results of Statistical Analysis NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center  Content rating index (volume-difficulty)  58%  Software evaluation index  81,43%

16 Results of Statistical Analysis Students’ grades NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center  Students having taken assignment or e-course 2005 higher Mean Score higher Mean Score 2002 in written exams 2003 in written exams  Students having taken e-course  better grades in written exams  Students’ ITliteracydoes not affect grades in e-course  Students’ IT literacy does not affect grades in e-course

17 Instructors’ Interpretation of the Outcome Improvement in terms of:  Language acquisition based on distinction between general English and ESP  Students’ familiarization with ESP vocabulary and text comprehension NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

18 Conclusion on the ESP e-course  Development and implementation of an appealing task-based ESP assessment e-course  Minimum dependence on IT experts  Positive feedback from students  Fostering autonomous learning  Improvement of language acquisition  Enriching experience for instructors NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

19 B. Italian and English e-courses focused on autonomous learning (Blended Learning) Two English e-courses:  Civil Engineering  Electrical Engineering One Italian e-course for all nine Departments NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

20 The Italian language course Situation at the NTUA  Few students from all nine departments  Students’ attitude towards the language NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

21 The structure of the e-course  Pre-listening / pre-reading skills (previous experience/motivation)  Listening and reading comprehension of authentic technical texts (hypertext)  Comprehension exercises  Vocabulary practice exercises - General language versus LSP  Self-evaluation test at the end of every unit  Grammar and syntax remarks (technical language)  Glossary  Sites  Evaluation of the e-course NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

22 The Italian e-course NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

23 NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

24 Implementation of the Italian e-course  Learning Content Management System (LCMS) managed by the Computer Center team:  Moodle  Open Source  Well known and powerful  User friendly  Contains its own authoring tool  The electronic material produced by the instructor of Italian was adjusted for Moodle by the Computer Center team NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

25 Benefits of the e-course  Autonomy in learning (place, time and style)  Getting familiar with the technical language (authentic technical texts)  Broadening individual knowledge (hypertexts)  Increasing students’ motivation (pre-reading/pre- listening, audio, video, photos)  Increasing self-esteem (self evaluation)  Eliminating the affective filter (Krashen)  Clarifying queries with tutor’s help (forum/classroom)  Updating teaching materials NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

26 Conclusion  Pilot phase  Students’ feedback NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

27 English Language. Teaching/ Learning The facts Crowded classes:  Gradually lower participation  Disappointment  Demotivation NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

28 Teaching/ Learning Previous attempts for improvement  Improvement of the textbooks  Written assignments  Assessment e-course NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

29 Teaching/ Learning A new approach  Autonomous learning  Active participation  Well-constructed e-courses  Attractive and interactive medium NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

30 The e-courses  Electrical Engineering  Civil Engineering NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

31 NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center New e-course

32 English e-courses compared to the Italian e-course Similarities  Structure  Blended learning Differences  Authoring tool - LMS  Subject specificity  Blended learning  Forum NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

33 Assessment e-course vs autonomous learning e-course Similarities  The teacher: course designer, material provider  Fostering autonomous learning  Types of exercises  LMS – Authoring tool Differences  Subject specificity  Structure (pool of exercises, different learning styles)  Attempt restriction  Self evaluation NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

34 Conclusion  Enhancing teaching through CALL  CALL developers and class teachers NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center

35 TO BE CONTINUED… THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION NTUA - NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS Foreign Language Center – Computer Center ESP e-courses: ISP e-course: