The goal of this project was determined due to contemporary missing appropriate teaching/learning materials dealing with the specific language communication in tourism taking into consideration the medical, security and environmental aspects in those partner countries closely cooperating with German-speaking countries. The students of this given field have to be skilled in modern media application to be able to use in a more appropiate way the provided opportunities in Europe. This project is devoted to intermediation of current specific language communication in the field of tourism applying technologically supported modularization concepts. The most dominant goal is the production of both the concept and the materials in the form of a modern blended-learning platform for short-term (teachers/tutors) and long-term target groups (students), multipliers and professional organisations/stakeholders. This platform will be open to public and from the very beginning of the project enabling the target groups in the partner countries not only access to the well-known website functions of the language modules (project description, self-assessment test/quiz, exercises, listening script, disclosures, contact function, imprint, links) but also further useful, modern, multilingual, interactive web2 applications (weblogs, contributions, newsfeeds on project issues, podcasts/videocasts, wikis etc) with the aim to inform the target groups about the politics of the European Union and enable them to be actively involved in the project either by adding comments, active language and cultural training applying the authentic sources, materials or by obtaining feedback from the webmasters or partner institutions from the partner countries. All important information such as the project description, newsletters etc will be provided in partner languages as well. The interactive RSS-function enables the users to subscribe individual newsfeeds and in this way be informed about the current issues. The structure and organisation of the project work is characterised by closely interlinking of research, product development and optimalization, testing and valorisation of the products and consequent tasks and accomplishments. The most relevant tasks of the project are as follows: - project relevant research on main issues of the project (mainly products/materials) completed in partner countries and presented in their publications - development of the complex methodical-didactical course concepts, assessment of the topics for the online and offline exercises - development of a teacher´s / tutor´s book for each language including tutorial guidelines for the teaching of blended-learning courses - development of the multilingual, interactive tutorial blended-learning webportal with guidelines, online and offline exercises, videos, audios, guidance, glossaries, ECL-tests, podcasts/videocasts, wikis, links, quiz, online questionnaires, statistics, blogs, photogalleries, eventuell aspect related specific language communication via You-Tube channel - development of the specified internal project website (Intranet) enabling internal communication at the communication platform - provision of valorisation/sustainability via valorisation advisory board and valorisation workshops and conferences. In the process of dissemination, testing/valorisation the valid quantitative and qualitative methods and techniques will be applied. The valorisation will be provided by the involved practice partners leading to the reliable application carried out by the project partners /practice partners. The testing of the materials will be performed on the one hand within the events, courses in the teaching centre of the partners or in similar events organised by external co-workers and on the other hand the appropriate website tools will be applied. The most important tools are as follows: online questionnaires, web statistics, the button “favourite offers“ at the internal projectsite, direct reactions via contact functions, usage of skype/chat, weblog, RSS- function, reactions to the newsletters. All related functions will be available and evaluated at the project website and targeted at further valorisation/optimalization of the project products.The available tools such as the webstatistics will be adjusted to these requirements. The fourteen-day intensive courses in Germany have a key role to play within the activities provided for the target groups selected in project partner institutes. These courses are long-term and meticulously prepared and evaluated. Within the intensive courses in Federal Republic of Germany (Erfurt) the course attendants are required to complete their EUROPASS under the supervision of the German teachers and perform entry- and final tests. The relevant products and information about the project events will be published in ADAM.
The goal of this project was creating the concept and corresponding materials for the teaching German of specific purposes in the field of tourism focusing on the medical, security and environmental aspects for partner countries closely cooperating with German speaking countries. In our opinion, the three above aspects should be represented in teaching German for specific purposes at universities, which should broaden the existing traditional items in the language curriculum (gastronomy, hotel services, management, marketing). The analysis shows that it is necessary to create new curricula for these aspects because they are not (or hardly) included in the existing traditional print media or on-line media for the teaching of German for specific purposes. Through using a modern blended-learning platform as well as modular concepts of the courses, students should be more capable of developing their language competences as well as of using the opportunities of self-realization that Europe provides. Involved in the project: C1, Coordinator:Technical University of Košice, Department of Languages, Slovakia – responsible researcher, coordinator of numerous projects, in this project with the target group of students of Faculty of Mining, study branch– Geotourism, dealing with the technical aspects of the project and the project platform C2: Institut für interkulturelle Kommunikation, e.V. Jena, DE– long-term partner of the Department of Languages, researcher of numerous projects, organizing education of foreign students C3: Sveuciliste u Rijeci, filozofski fakultet, HR– experience in education, research in German language, with the target group of students of tourism C4: Bios Life Long Learning Centre, ZY– researcher of numerous projects, experience in tourism. The structure and organisation of work on the project: • Interconnection of individual steps • Analysis of related main points of the project (products/materials) in the partner countries and their publishing • A unified methodical concept of the courses, selection of topics for online exercises and in-class exercises • A handbook for BL-platform for German for specific purposes in tourism aimed at users – learners and tutors • A multilingual interactive BL-platform with handbooks, program exercises, in-class exercises, videos, audio recordings, corresponding instructions, an interactive online glossary with about 7,500 entries in 4 languages, self-assessment tests, podcasts/video casts, questionnaires, forms, statistics, blogs, photo gallery, YouTube channel for communication in German in tourism • Internal website designed for the partner consortium. Its role is the communicative and administrative function. It includes project documents, the necessary financial documents, information about project meetings (programmes, protocols), modules, a photo gallery, courses • Individual stages of project implementation were gradually presented by project researches at a validation workshop, a conference and at an international symposium after the project has finished, where the work on modular BL-course was presented • Implementation of an intercultural language course in Germany for 15 students of tourism from partner organisations TUKE, FHHS, BIOS. The aim of the course was to work with project print and on line language material, to deepen and broaden the language and intercultural competences. The acquired knowledge, abilities and skills were evaluated and tested by means of EUROPASS activities throughout the implementation of the project, its researchers were informing about the content, aims and especially the results on various websites, in print media, conferences and so on. The crucial product is a BL-platform accessible to the public. It contains individual modules for language teaching, as well as other functions of the website like the description of the project, partners and BL course, dissemination papers, access to exercises and quizzes, a glossary, a user handbook with instructions for using the course, links to teaching materials about individual aspects and intercultural communication, glossaries, the list of print teaching publications, online questionnaires, a blog, a site map and online statistics. These functions should encourage the target groups to look for information about the topic of the project and the EU policy and to take an active part in this project either by active language and cultural training with authentic resources and materials, or by in-class exercises in-class centres in the partner countries. The project outcomes make a contribution to life-long learning and professional development, they improve chances of employment and professional growth and promote European integration. Unlimited online access to the course increases the chances that it can be used by anybody who is interested in studying the specific area linguistically, thematically, professionally.