Schedule: 2009-09-10 (15:45 - 16:30)
Parallel Session 6 (Room A-26)

Title: Motivation revisited: empirical and theoretical validation of the Distributed Language Learning model
Authors: Frederik Cornillie, Jozef Colpaert
Abstract: Distributed Language Learning (DLL) is a conceptual and methodological framework for designing effective language learning environments. It is based on twenty-three years of R&D at the LINGUAPOLIS Language Institute of the University of Antwerp, and has recently undergone a phase of theoretical validation. This presentation will first report on this exercise and secondly expand on two projects where our design based on factors deeper than motivation considerably simplified the development and implementation process. The two projects have one challenging aspect in common: problematic motivation.

The first project, DISCO, is a research project funded by the STEVIN programme of the Nederlandse Taalunie. It aims to develop and test a prototype of an ASR-based CALL application for training oral proficiency for Dutch as a second language (DL2). ASR technology has gone through a steady optimization in recent years, also for non-mainstream languages such as Dutch, but it is still not near to perfection. The main goal of the project, from the perspective of implementation, is to design a CALL application in such a way that the limitations of ASR technology are overcome, and the application as a whole acquires face validity. The main challenge, however, is to design courseware that engages DL2 learners to practise pronunciation of a foreign language by addressing concerns beyond their direct motivation to learn the language. Target users of the DISCO application are foreign learners of Dutch that have immigrated for work-related purposes. In addition to acquiring a level of intelligibility of Dutch that is sufficient to find a job, they have to feel at home in their new environment without brushing aside their origins. Our research hypothesis is that DL2 learners value civic integration, but they want to see their identity respected at the same time, which is a challenge for designers.

The second project, Eurocatering Language Training (www.eurocatering.org), is an EU funded R&D project (Leonardo da Vinci) for the catering sector. Its main goal is to promote mobility in 8 EU member states or regions by raising linguistic skills and awareness in 7 languages. A requirement typical of the European catering sector is that students and workers have to prove a basic understanding of foreign-language vocabulary and communicative skills in order to get by in local environments. During training, students have to do a work placement in at least one EU member state, where they have to cope with real-life situations in the kitchen and restaurant. This is not only the case for major languages such as English, French and Spanish, but also for lesser-used languages such as Dutch, Norwegian, Slovenian and even regional languages such as Galician. Students are rarely informed about their work placement a long time in advance, and usually receive no face-to-face training in the foreign language. We will show that our design takes into account the impact which this very specific learning environment has on learner motivation.

We will situate these design approaches in literature on motivation, self-determination and goal-setting. We will conclude with a discussion on further collaborative research in this respect.
Keywords: Design, motivation, collaborative research, educational engineering

Main topic: New developments in multimedia courseware design

Biodata: Frederik Cornillie is project manager ICT at the LINGUAPOLIS Language Institute and research assistant at the Institute for Education and Information Sciences at the University of Antwerp. Jozef Colpaert is professor in eLearning, Instructional Design and CALL at the Institute for Education and Information Sciences at the University of Antwerp, and director of the LINGUAPOLIS Language Institute. He is editor of the CALL Journal and organiser of the Antwerp CALL Research conferences.
Type of presentation Paper presentation

Paper category Research

Target educational sector Higher education

Language of delivery English

EU-funded project No

Schedule:	2009-09-10 (15:45 - 16:30) Parallel Session 6 (Room A-26)
Title:	Motivation revisited: empirical and theoretical validation of the Distributed Language Learning model
Authors:	Frederik Cornillie, Jozef Colpaert
Abstract:	Distributed Language Learning (DLL) is a conceptual and methodological framework for designing effective language learning environments. It is based on twenty-three years of R&D at the LINGUAPOLIS Language Institute of the University of Antwerp, and has recently undergone a phase of theoretical validation. This presentation will first report on this exercise and secondly expand on two projects where our design based on factors deeper than motivation considerably simplified the development and implementation process. The two projects have one challenging aspect in common: problematic motivation. The first project, DISCO, is a research project funded by the STEVIN programme of the Nederlandse Taalunie. It aims to develop and test a prototype of an ASR-based CALL application for training oral proficiency for Dutch as a second language (DL2). ASR technology has gone through a steady optimization in recent years, also for non-mainstream languages such as Dutch, but it is still not near to perfection. The main goal of the project, from the perspective of implementation, is to design a CALL application in such a way that the limitations of ASR technology are overcome, and the application as a whole acquires face validity. The main challenge, however, is to design courseware that engages DL2 learners to practise pronunciation of a foreign language by addressing concerns beyond their direct motivation to learn the language. Target users of the DISCO application are foreign learners of Dutch that have immigrated for work-related purposes. In addition to acquiring a level of intelligibility of Dutch that is sufficient to find a job, they have to feel at home in their new environment without brushing aside their origins. Our research hypothesis is that DL2 learners value civic integration, but they want to see their identity respected at the same time, which is a challenge for designers. The second project, Eurocatering Language Training (www.eurocatering.org), is an EU funded R&D project (Leonardo da Vinci) for the catering sector. Its main goal is to promote mobility in 8 EU member states or regions by raising linguistic skills and awareness in 7 languages. A requirement typical of the European catering sector is that students and workers have to prove a basic understanding of foreign-language vocabulary and communicative skills in order to get by in local environments. During training, students have to do a work placement in at least one EU member state, where they have to cope with real-life situations in the kitchen and restaurant. This is not only the case for major languages such as English, French and Spanish, but also for lesser-used languages such as Dutch, Norwegian, Slovenian and even regional languages such as Galician. Students are rarely informed about their work placement a long time in advance, and usually receive no face-to-face training in the foreign language. We will show that our design takes into account the impact which this very specific learning environment has on learner motivation. We will situate these design approaches in literature on motivation, self-determination and goal-setting. We will conclude with a discussion on further collaborative research in this respect.
Keywords:	Design, motivation, collaborative research, educational engineering
Main topic:	New developments in multimedia courseware design
Biodata:	Frederik Cornillie is project manager ICT at the LINGUAPOLIS Language Institute and research assistant at the Institute for Education and Information Sciences at the University of Antwerp. Jozef Colpaert is professor in eLearning, Instructional Design and CALL at the Institute for Education and Information Sciences at the University of Antwerp, and director of the LINGUAPOLIS Language Institute. He is editor of the CALL Journal and organiser of the Antwerp CALL Research conferences.
Type of presentation	Paper presentation
Paper category	Research
Target educational sector	Higher education
Language of delivery	English
EU-funded project	No