ONLINE LANGUAGE TRAINER CERTIFICATE COURSE
accredited by the Institute of Leadership and Management, ILM, approved by the Zentralstelle für Fernunterricht, ZFU
General Information
This course is a must for any trainer or tutor who is to deliver collaborative, interactive language training online. After a one day face to face workshop, each student attends this course online through virtual classrooms in the Abacus Virtual College. This can be accessed over a telephone line that connects the student’s computer to the Abacus Virtual College or via the Internet using software supplied by Abacus. The course is accredited by the ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management), a nationally recognized, independent, awarding body in Great Britain, which accredits institutions and awards certificates to participants whose course work meets their high standards.
Aims
To equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to
- effectively use CMC (Computer Mediated Communication) software,
- be able to provide basic technical support needed by first time users of CMC as a training and
education medium,
- enable participants to critically analyse the effectiveness of various forms of language teaching software,
- deliver effective language learning using Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL),
- design and deliver CMC based language training.
Objectives
Successful students will be able to achieve the following
- Have a good understanding of the differences between face to face and CMC language tutoring skills.
- Effectively use CMC software to deliver language training.
- Have a good understanding of advantages and disadvantages teaching and learning a language online.
- Facilitate discussion and collaborative learning through CMC.
- Use a variety of online language training methods supporting language learning online
- Recognise and develop strategies for effectively dealing with problems typically encountered
- Identify good language software following defined criteria.
- Give advice on useful language software.
- Demonstrate how to integrate language software adequately into online training.
- Produce a pilot CMC based language course training module.
Equipment Required
Each participant must have access to a computer running Windows 95/98/ 2000/NT/XP or an Apple Mac - in either case with access to the Internet. ( A CD-ROM drive will be an advantage.)
Duration
12 weeks
Course Dates (subject to changes):
April 18 - July 09, 2005
September 12 - December 03, 2005
Costs
€ 1200
which cover 10 weeks intensive online tutorials, two face-to-face workshops and course material.
For more information please contact:
Abacus Learning Systems
Abacus House, 15, Acacia Park, Bishop's Cleeve, Cheltenham, Glos GL52 7WH UK
Phone: +44 (0)8700 780519
Direct Line: +44 (0) 7711 983778
Fax: +44 (0)8700 780520
Technical Support +44 (0)7000 443578
Christel Schneider, Dipl.-Päd.
> Christel.Schneider@virtualcollege.co.uk
> learning@abacus-uk.com
> www.abacus-uk.com
Module 1
One Day (prior to course beginning) Initial Face-to-Face Workshop
- getting to know each other
- receiving course materials
- introduction to Computer Mediated Communication (CMC)
- opportunities to practice on a computer
- discussion of concerns or problems that could occur
- possible solutions of problems
- completing an initial online task
- looking at language software and choosing first tasks for online work
Module 2
Exploring CMC Weeks 1 - 3 Online in the Abacus Virtual College
- practice using CMC
- first exercises
- introduction to features of the software ·gaining confidence using it
- identify discourse strategies
- develop a list of Criteria for good software
Module 3
CMC in Training Weeks 4 - 8 Online in the Abacus Virtual College
- reading relevant material in the Abacus Virtual College online library
- carrying out tasks designed to enhance your skills in using CMC
- exploring CMC as a communication medium
- identifying and discussing the main issues in the use of CMC in training
- considering styles of CMC delivery
- identifying the benefits and drawbacks of CMC
- experiencing CMC as a student
- exploring the CMC tutor’s role
- exploring various teaching and learning styles
- analysing and practising discourse in CSCL
- experimenting various methods for language course delivery
- choosing a project to complete during Module 4
- producing and agreeing with your tutor a project proposal.
Module 4
Personal Project Weeks 9 - 12 Online in the Abacus Virtual College
By this stage, students will be confident in using CMC and appreciate some of its advantages and disadvantages. They will also have practiced using CMC in a tutor role. In this module students will work on their projects. This must be of relevance and practical use to their organisation and may be:
- a course module for delivery by CMC,
- a more general report about the advantages, disadvantages and feasibility of the wider use of CMC by their organisation,
- some other relevant area of the study of CMC that has been agreed with your tutor.
Although students will be working on their own projects (which must be a personal rather than group effort) they will be encouraged to use the benefits of CMC to:
- discuss their project ideas,
- experiment with some of their ideas,
- learn of the project ideas of others,
- give and receive help in developing ideas and finalising work,
- discuss issues with their tutor(s) and receive tutorial support,
- as far as possible, progress from a draft to the final version of the project.
By the end of this module students should have written and posted the final version of their project or delivered a paper of a minimum length of 3000 words.
Module 5
Final Face-to-Face Workshop
This will be tailored to participants’ needs. These might change as the course progresses. The content will be discussed before the final face-to-face workshop. This day might include:
- reviewing the feelings expressed at the initial face-to-face workshop,
- reviewing the group process experienced during the course,
- exploring the lessons for tutors to be drawn from this,
- presentation by student of their individual project,
- discussing plans for the future of CMC.