Summary
The e-lang project aims to produce face-to-face and online training modules to develop a digital literacy for the teaching and learning of languages. In 2016, the team defined its methodology through the on-going elaboration of a pedagogical framework and started to produce the first phase of the training modules. In 2017, this first phase will be completed and tested by participants during a workshop in October. The full range of training programme will be available by the end of 2018.
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The e-lang project (Digital literacy for the teaching and learning of languages) targets language teachers who wish to (re)discover what new technology has to offer both to themselves as educators and to their students, as lifelong language learners.
During the first year of the programme, the theoretical and methodological foundations of the project were laid and the dissemination work was initiated. The project team (Christian Ollivier, Catherine Jeanneau, Ulrike Szigeti et Katerina Zourou) started the elaboration of a pedagogical framework underpinning the development of the training modules. The overall structure of this training was planned and the content of the first phase of the modules was defined. All the training programme will be available online by the end of 2018.
In 2016, the team also welcomed two new members: Marie-Josée Hamel and Catherine Caws, two researchers from Canada, will bring their expertise to the project. From May to July 2016, the team was also joined by its project fellow (Yigong Guo). During his stay at the ECML, he compiled a thematic bibliography and produced numerous reading notes on the most relevant texts listed. He also contributed to an inventory of useful digital tools and resources, using the work of the ICT-REV as a basis. Finally, the team established contacts with related projects both within the ECML programmes (ProSign2, ICT-REV, moreDOTS) and beyond (Digilanguages - Enhancing Digital Literacies for Language Learning and Teaching, Mentep - Mentoring technology enhanced pedagogy).
Reflecting on the outcomes of the first year of this project, the following innovative aspects can be identified:
a. development of a pedagogical framework which integrates social interactions within language practice and learning;
b. expansion of the current task taxonomy to include real-life tasks;
c. delineation of digital tools and resources for the implementation of the various tasks proposed within the project. These will help learners to acquire the skills needed for an autonomous use of languages.
As part of the project, modules will be developed. They will focus on the various communicative and language tasks (including reception, production, interaction, mediation) as well as on linguistic skills (i.e. lexical, grammatical, phonological, and intercultural competence).
The drafting of the project pedagogical framework is in its final phase. The overall structure of the training, which will be delivered on the ECML Moodle platform, has been defined. The first training modules are in the development process. They will be completed in 2017 and will be tested during a workshop taking place in Graz on the 10 and 11 of October 2017. Participants will be expected to give feedback on the modules and contribute to the further development of their content.
We will thus invite interested parties to watch out for the publication of the pedagogical framework at the beginning of 2017 and to join us for the workshop later that year in order to collaborate on the evaluation and development of the training packages. By the end of 2018, all the training modules will be available and freely accessible online!
The project team:
Christian Ollivier (coordinator), Ulrike Hofmann, Catherine Janneau, Katerina Zourou