USING OPEN SOURCE ONLINE MULTIMEDIA RESOURCES TO CREATE E-LEARNING ACTIVITIES BASED ON A 'LEARNING OBJECTS' APPROACH

This report  gives an evaluative account of a project "Using open access online multimedia resources to create e-learning activities based on a 'learning objects'  approach" which was supported by the Fund for New Teaching Initiatives from October 2005 to March 2006.The project aimed to develop  and evaluate online teaching and assessment activities, using  open source multimedia resources . The activities were designed for the  School of Education's newly restructured MA in Applied Linguistics and TESOL , particularly for the  distance programme which will be delivered entirely online from September 2008. It also aimed to explore the process of producing online materials adopting a reusable learning objects approach. The intention was that both the learning objects themselves and the outcomes of the production process could be cascaded to other members of staff both in the department and wider University to disseminate knowledge and skills in developing e-learning resources.  Despite limited time and resources , the project largely fulfilled its three key objectives, ie1. To develop online learning and assessment activities exploiting open source multimedia resources 2. To evaluate the effectiveness of these activities3. To facilitate the process of distance materials development by adopting a reusable approach whereby these and future materials would form the basis of a bank of teaching, learning and assessment resources which could be adapted and reused, reducing  the risk of "reinventing the wheel"

Phonology and Phonetics Review

This unit reviews some of the key concepts and elements of English phonology and phonetics by providing a variety of multimedia resources and activities. Its aims are to help individuals to review segmental and suprasegmental elements of English phonology, practice phonemic transcription and analyse authentic speech data.

Phonology and Phonetics Review

This unit reviews some of the key concepts and elements of English phonology and phonetics by providing a variety of multimedia resources and activities. Its aims are to help individuals to review segmental and suprasegmental elements of English phonology, practice phonemic transcription and analyse authentic speech data.

Participation and performance in international business meetings

With the continuing globalisation of markets and internationalisation of trade, professionals from a wide range of organisations, from large multinational corporations to small to medium size enterprises, are increasingly coming together to do business in the international workplace, particularly in meetings. Such international events usually bring together people from different linguistic and socio-cultural backgrounds with the result that a common language of communication is frequently adopted. More often than not this lingua franca is English. While English for International Business (EIB) has an essential function as a lingua franca in multilingual settings, it can also present challenges both linguistically and culturally, particularly as more and more interactions are between speakers whose first language is not English. This paper reports on preliminary research which forms part of a larger scale study investigating the use of English as a lingua franca in international business meetings. The paper summarises the findings of a questionnaire exploring the use of EIB by a particular European business organisation. It is hoped that the limited findings will help shed light on some of the language issues that may be present in such international contexts and the possible communications difficulties and frustrations that can result. A positive result is that as well as uncovering some of these challenges, the analysis also shows an awareness by many participants of some of the strategies that can be used to overcome them

Developing a cultural syllabus for business language e-learning materials

The increasing emphasis on ‘e-learning’ in all sectors of education, including vocational and professional domains, offers great potential to provide interactive, up-dateable multimedia materials which allow greater flexibility of access and use. This paper reports on an EU-funded, e-learning project which aims to exploit on-line technology to develop intercultural business and language skills for European managers in the construction industy. It advocates an integrated approach to language and culture training, describing how a ‘cultural syllabus’ was designed to develop users’ understanding of key aspects of European work culture and practices alongside their professional language skills. The resulting matrix syllabus incorporates insights from theoretical frameworks together with factual information and authentic accounts of cross cultural work experiences. It argues that the growing demand for on-line learning materials needs to be matched by great attention to quality of course and materials design so that technology enhances, rather than detracts from, content and pedagogy

The provision of Business English Language courses for students in Israeli higher education institutions : an investigation of the needs of the providers, the students and the business community regarding Business English courses

The full text of this thesis is not currently available on the LRA. The print version can be consulted at the University of Leicester Library.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Writing in the disciplines of science : dissertation writing experiences of postgraduate students in a Thai university

This study reports on Thai science students’ experiences in writing their master’s dissertations in English in a Thai university. Situated in an interpretive, qualitative case study design, the study implements a theoretical framework drawing on the notions of communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998) and imagined communities and investment (Norton, 2000, 2001). The research participants were five master’s students and their paired dissertation supervisors recruited from three master’s programmes in science disciplines where the medium of instruction was Thai. The students, however, wrote their dissertations in English. Data were derived from questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, collaborative conversations, writing samples, and documents produced by the university. The findings revealed that the students’ preference for writing their dissertations in English encompassed their negotiation and shaping of their social identities and investment in their communities of practice. The students reported that they put a great deal of effort into preparing themselves to cope with the perceived linguistic demands of dissertation writing. However, they perceived that their preparation, to a certain extent, was unsuccessful, attributing this to the university’s lack of appropriate language support and their unfamiliarity with autonomous language learning. The students’ negotiation with the demands of writing their dissertations during the writing-up stage reflected their multidimensional engagement in different literate activities of their communities of practice. This included making use of authoritative written artefacts, accommodating their supervisors’ expectations, and developing a linguistic repertoire through interacting with other members of their communities, particularly those from their local, immediate, interactive communities of practice. This study articulates the various needs in understanding dissertation writing practices and other interconnected academic literacy practices as socially and ideologically constructed in a local, immediate milieu. The study also provides EAP practitioners with pedagogical implications for planning, preparing and delivering dissertation writing support for science postgraduate students. It also suggests that dissertation supervisors should initiate an open dialogue with their students during the supervision process and engage in collegial discussions with their colleagues in order to co-construct effective supervision practices.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

An evaluation of the use of voice boards, e-book readers and virtual worlds in a postgraduate distance learning applied linguistics and TESOL programme

We researched the incorporation of three learning technologies (voice boards, i.e. voice-based discussion boards, e-book readers, and Second Life virtual world), into the Master’s Programme in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages offered by distance learning at the University of Leicester. This small-scale study was conducted as part of a JISC-funded research project called DUCKLING (Delivery University Curricula: Knowledge, Learning and INnovation Gains). The project focused on the impact of learning technology innovations on the design and delivery of distance-based postgraduate curricula. Digital audio technologies such as voice boards, used in conjunction with online activities (‘e-tivities’), constitute a low-cost innovation that offered high value to the distance learners who participated in this research. Benefits included a perceived reduction in learner isolation, increased personalisation and further opportunities for tutor and peer feedback. E-book readers, preloaded with course materials, afforded moderate benefits to learners, especially in relation to flexibility and access, at a relatively low cost. Virtual worlds such as Second Life required a steep learning curve for learners and tutors alike and incurred higher development costs, with a lesser impact on the learner experienc