1 April 2015: Virtually Enhanced Language Teaching

Presenter: Scott Grant (Monash University, Australia)

Hosted by Professor Geoffrey Crisp, RMIT University and Dr Mathew Hillier, University of Queensland, Australia starting 07:00AM UTC/GMT. Duration 1 Hour.

Two key challenges faced by Australians in the present century are technology and foreign languages. Technology in general, and communications technology particularly , is becoming increasingly pervasive in all aspects of our lives. The challenge we face is how to best use technology to value add to the student learning experience and learning outcomes with an eye to increasing our competitiveness in the global market. Likewise, the need for skills in languages other than English is becoming more pressing as neighbouring economies come to play an increasingly important part in Australia’s future prosperity. Mobilising technology to enhance language learning is at the heart of Virtually Enhanced Languages (VEL). Funded by the Australian Federal Government Office for Learning and Teaching, VEL builds on five years of experience using online 3D multiuser virtual environments (MUVEs) to enhance tertiary level Chinese language and culture learning. The project aims to reduce barriers to entry for educators interested in 3D MUVEs and task-based language learning by providing free, shareable resources, both pedagogical and technical, developed over the last five years and to develop a community of practice to foster ongoing development and sharing of resources and experience.

The session covered both the background and goals of the VEL project and included a live demonstration of the 3DMUVE environment.

Further information

• Slide Set: TA_webinar_1_apr_2015_slides.pdf [5.9MB]
• Session chat log: TA_webinar_1apr2015_chat_log.txt
• Presenter's homepage (profile): http://profiles.arts.monash.edu.au/scott-grant/
• Presenter's research profile page: http://www.monash.edu.au/research/people/profiles/profile.html?sid=3378&pid=3415
• VEL Project website: http://virtuallyenhancedlanguages.com
• Introduction video to Virtually Enhanced Languages project https://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=1L0EX--dqZA

Links shared during the session

• VW Ning set up by Eurcall/Calico http://virtualworldssig.ning.com/
• The percentage of students in year 12 (final year of schooling) in Australia that take a foreign language is 12.8%. About 5.8% are studying an Asian language http://thediplomat.com/2014/07/australias-foreign-language-deficit/
• Asia Education Foundation 2010 report http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/docs/default-source/Research-reports/overarchingreport.pdf?sfvrsn=2
• Jane Orton publications on Chinese language education in Australian schools http://education.unimelb.edu.au/news_and_activities/news/news_articles/archive/2013/jane_orton_on_chinese_language_learning_in_australian_schools
• Chinese Teacher Training Centre, publications list http://education.unimelb.edu.au/cttc/research/publications
• Sim-on-a-stick (SOAS), virtual worlds on a USB https://sites.google.com/site/virtualworldsprimary/simonastick
• About the ChingMing festival http://www.chinahighlights.com/festivals/qingming-festival.htm
• A fun distraction - a 3D printer running on cheese (check the session recording to find out why this came up!) http://sploid.gizmodo.com/the-best-3d-printer-is-this-easy-cheese-3d-printer-1694530569

Session Recording

Multiple formats are available.

You Tube version (Flash video) - recommended version.

A screen cast of the session.

Start playing via You Tube (note: this is a single file): http://youtu.be/_uZ2tEXuOtE (You can choose to view in standard definition or high definition and in full screen mode).

Blackboard Collaborate/Elluminate v12.5 archive version

This uses the classroom system itself to re-play a recording of the event. You are also able to jump forward, back and pause the recording.

• Click: https://au-sas.bbcollab.com/site/external/jwsdetect/playback.jnlp?psid=2015-04-01.0035.M.769585F2052D451155C5DC3EC699EA.vcr&sid=2009132
• Next:
  
  in Firefox/Internet explorer you may be promoted to open with/run or save the file - choose open with/run.
  
  in Chrome a prompt will appear in the status bar at the bottom of the window - choose 'keep', then click the file name.
• The Blackboard collaborate player should begin launching via JAVA.

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