1. Polish-Chinese telecollaboration project via QQ Dr Elżbieta Gajek Institute of Applied Linguistics University of Warsaw

2. Institute of Applied Linguistics University of Warsaw, Poland School of English and International Studies, University of International Business and Economics in Bejing, China

3. 48 tandems worked together

4. Aims Linguistic: developing confidence in speech Intercultural: contact with a geographically distant culture Technical: developing confidence in the use of ICT for learning Professional for pre-service teachers: – Motivational – Experiential – International project work – Innovative approach to teaching

5. Pedagogical ground Constructivist approach: Start with student activity Stimulate cognitive conflict to encourage independent problem solving Know your students’ schemata Teaching is more to identify what students think rather than guiding them to guess what the teacher thinks Learning is not acquisition of other people’s concepts, but it is negotiation of meaning and its relation to reality. Students better remember cognitive procedures how they get to the results than the results A substantial part of learning is subconscious, beyond the teacher’s and student’s control Mistakes and errors are natural in learning Planning learning and teaching is designing didactic oppportunities without precise defining partial effects

6. Planning Time: 10 weeks Topics: 10 topics suggested by the teachers Tools: QQ messenger suggested Evaluation: – Short reports every week (PL students) – Questionnaires (PL and CN students) – Logs with reflections (CN students)

7. Topics suggested 1.Hobbies 2.Campus life 3.Holidays 4.Cuisine 5.Education 6.Travel 7.Leisure activities 8.Foreign language learning 9.Business 10.Employment Basic topics in all language courses Close to students’ interests Any changes or extensions permitted, even encouraged according to the needs of the students Searching for universal human values Politically sensitive topics not recommended (= forbidden)

8. Integration Students volunteers participated in the project, the othe group got other tasks Time difference and regular university classes made the contact hours possible mainly at weekends Reports available for all through a discussion forum Class discussions, interventions, explanations

9. Problems Technology Time difference Engagement Language Punctuality

10. Students’ evaluation Quantitative: – Time spent on talking, – Tools used Qualitative – Linguistic – Intercultural – Technical – Professional – Personal

11. Teacher’s evaluation Effects of teaching – Linguistic – Intercultural – Professional for teachers and translators – Technical – Personal Verification of teaching concepts – Constructivist ground in teacher training – Innovative approach to teacher training – Role of cultural diferences in international project work

12. Awards European Language Label 2013

13. Looking for partners Preferably from Africa To reduce time difference To experience intercultural communication (with similar linguistic, technical, professional, personal aims)

14. Thank you