Schedule: 2009-09-12 (12:45 - 13:30)
Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)

Title: ALL PROJECT: Catering to less widely used languages with blended learning
Authors: Pedro Cardeñosa, Aisling O'Donovan, Joachim Quandt
Abstract: This paper will present the Autonomous Language Learning (ALL) project, funded by the European Commission, under the Socrates Lingua 2 Programme. It aims to describe the purpose, process and problematic encountered in CALL for less widely used languages, in the specific context of the project target languages.
The paper will include a brief description of the ALL project: experts in language education and technology from across Europe, created blended learning language courses in four European languages (Turkish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian) at A2 level. The Four language courses were created by language specialists with skills in:
Creating language courses and materials
Technology and online language learning platforms
Blended learning
Specific cultural and linguistic expertise per target language
The paper will go on to describe the rationale behind the methodology applied in the ALL project, with particular emphasis on blended learning, collaborative online learning and use of the CEF to set linguistic objectives. It will cover the technology used for online development and authoring, highlighting, the most innovative, successful features of the project platform. To develop a common methodology, the ALL team produced guidelines, templates and common instruments, which will also be described in the paper. These tools served as practical resources for the creation of both online courses and the face to face component. The project process thus achieved homogeneity in methodology and style in the final products, while celebrating heterogeneity in content and cultures of the different course languages.
The process has supposed transfer of technological and pedagogical innovation in countries where CALL has previously has been difficult.
Each target language has access versions in four other EU languages, thus making a final outcome, a truly multilingual 16 access languages. In the light of EU policy to promote a multilingual Europe, and a Europe of equal opportunities, the paper will further discuss the results and impact of the project, as demonstrated by the pilot questionnaires. The paper will make some final reflections on the need to situate less widely used languages on an equal technological and pedagogical footing with more dominant world languages.
Keywords: Blended Less-widely-used-Languages Collaboration Curriculum Innovation

Main topic: Curriculum development for CALL.

Biodata: Pedro Cardeñosa, BPhil, French and Spanish, Universidad de Valladolid, Director Centro Navarro Autoaprendizaje de Idiomas. At CNAI, Mr. Cardeñosa has worked to promote innovation in language learning, building the student base from 200, in 2000 to over 4000 in 2009. Over the last four years he has ensured CNAI's active participation in many EU projects, thus ensuring that the centre shares and receives know-how on an international level. Aisling O'Donovan, BA Hons NUI Cork,English and Latin, MA NUI Cork, English literature. She is currently working as pedagogic coordiantor at Centro Navarro de Autoaprendizaje de Idiomas. She divides her time between in-house training, course programming and participation in the centre's EU projects. She is the coordinator of the ALL Project. Joachim Quandt, BPhil Germanicas and Romanicas, Universität Göttingen, German. Mr. Quandt currently works in technological innovation and development at CNAI. He is the programmer behind the ALL platform.
Type of presentation Paper presentation

Paper category Research & Development

Target educational sector Adult education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project Yes

Schedule:	2009-09-12 (12:45 - 13:30) Parallel Session 1 (Room A-30)
Title:	ALL PROJECT: Catering to less widely used languages with blended learning
Authors:	Pedro Cardeñosa, Aisling O'Donovan, Joachim Quandt
Abstract:	This paper will present the Autonomous Language Learning (ALL) project, funded by the European Commission, under the Socrates Lingua 2 Programme. It aims to describe the purpose, process and problematic encountered in CALL for less widely used languages, in the specific context of the project target languages. The paper will include a brief description of the ALL project: experts in language education and technology from across Europe, created blended learning language courses in four European languages (Turkish, Romanian, Bulgarian, Lithuanian) at A2 level. The Four language courses were created by language specialists with skills in: Creating language courses and materials Technology and online language learning platforms Blended learning Specific cultural and linguistic expertise per target language The paper will go on to describe the rationale behind the methodology applied in the ALL project, with particular emphasis on blended learning, collaborative online learning and use of the CEF to set linguistic objectives. It will cover the technology used for online development and authoring, highlighting, the most innovative, successful features of the project platform. To develop a common methodology, the ALL team produced guidelines, templates and common instruments, which will also be described in the paper. These tools served as practical resources for the creation of both online courses and the face to face component. The project process thus achieved homogeneity in methodology and style in the final products, while celebrating heterogeneity in content and cultures of the different course languages. The process has supposed transfer of technological and pedagogical innovation in countries where CALL has previously has been difficult. Each target language has access versions in four other EU languages, thus making a final outcome, a truly multilingual 16 access languages. In the light of EU policy to promote a multilingual Europe, and a Europe of equal opportunities, the paper will further discuss the results and impact of the project, as demonstrated by the pilot questionnaires. The paper will make some final reflections on the need to situate less widely used languages on an equal technological and pedagogical footing with more dominant world languages.
Keywords:	Blended Less-widely-used-Languages Collaboration Curriculum Innovation
Main topic:	Curriculum development for CALL.
Biodata:	Pedro Cardeñosa, BPhil, French and Spanish, Universidad de Valladolid, Director Centro Navarro Autoaprendizaje de Idiomas. At CNAI, Mr. Cardeñosa has worked to promote innovation in language learning, building the student base from 200, in 2000 to over 4000 in 2009. Over the last four years he has ensured CNAI's active participation in many EU projects, thus ensuring that the centre shares and receives know-how on an international level. Aisling O'Donovan, BA Hons NUI Cork,English and Latin, MA NUI Cork, English literature. She is currently working as pedagogic coordiantor at Centro Navarro de Autoaprendizaje de Idiomas. She divides her time between in-house training, course programming and participation in the centre's EU projects. She is the coordinator of the ALL Project. Joachim Quandt, BPhil Germanicas and Romanicas, Universität Göttingen, German. Mr. Quandt currently works in technological innovation and development at CNAI. He is the programmer behind the ALL platform.
Type of presentation	Paper presentation
Paper category	Research & Development
Target educational sector	Adult education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	Yes