"Foreign Language Acquisition through Blended Learning" Our project (Spain, Poland, Norway and Germany) deals with foreign language learning through blended learning, with a particular focus on involving groups of students with information technology background. It is mainly about the improvement of learning, using learning platforms, the programming and resourcing of learning software or learning content as well as further development of blended learning in foreign language aquisition. (The two foreign languages that the project partners have agreed on are Spanish and German, but the concept also includes the design and realisation of starter courses in Polish and Norwegian.) "Blended learning is an integrated learning concept that particularly benefits from an intensive use of nowadays networking options via internet or intranet in combination with 'classical' learning methods and media in a meaningful learning arrangement. It enables learning, communication, information and knowledge management. It is self-contained concerning time and place and combined with an exchange of experiences, role-play and face-to-face encounters in classical classroom training." (Sauter and Bender) Foreign language acquisition through blended learning is based on learning platforms, as in our example Moodle. Such a learning platform is the technical prerequisite of a complex web-based learning infrastructure. Dedicated software installed on a web server supports the management and the use of learning content. It promotes communication and collaboration between learners and teachers, and it enables individual support. Using a learning platform and blended learning in a multinational exchange from a shared starting point, our project aims to develop foreign language learning workshops for different types of learners that take national frame conditions into account. With dedicated learning platforms such as Babbel, the students can practise web-based language learning and this first experience is a foundation for a future object-oriented and visual programming. The students should then design their blended learning environment and develop exemplary learning software, learning material and units for foreign language learning through this infrastructure. All aspects of foreign language learning referred to in the European Reference Framework A1 level will be focussed on throughout the project. Through creating e.g. vocabulary trainers, short stories and learning videos and the integration of webinars into further language learning the requirements of the different areas of competence will be fulfilled. Learning exercises and speaking activities in locally arranged real-world language situations with the help of language teachers and the creation of training videos via software programs such as Scratch to generate texts and audio files in the respective foreign language will further support the learning progress. Our aim is to integrate into everyday school life the didactical and methodological knowledge acquired through blended learning in foreign language acquisition. Shaping a sustainable learning process of foreign languages effectively and implementing modern language learning tools in schools is the ambition of our project.
"Foreign Language Acquisition through Blended Learning" Our project (Spain, Poland, Norway and Germany) deals with foreign language learning through blended learning, with a particular focus on involving groups of students with information technology background. It is mainly about the improvement of learning, using learning platforms, the programming and resourcing of learning software or learning content as well as further development of blended learning in foreign language aquisition. (The two foreign languages that the project partners have agreed on are Spanish and German, but the concept also includes the design and realisation of starter courses in Polish and Norwegian.) "Blended learning is an integrated learning concept that particularly benefits from an intensive use of nowadays networking options via internet or intranet in combination with 'classical' learning methods and media in a meaningful learning arrangement. It enables learning, communication, information and knowledge management. It is self-contained concerning time and place and combined with an exchange of experiences, role-play and face-to-face encounters in classical classroom training." (Sauter and Bender) Foreign language acquisition through blended learning is based on learning platforms, as in our example Moodle. Such a learning platform is the technical prerequisite of a complex web-based learning infrastructure. Dedicated software installed on a web server supports the management and the use of learning content. It promotes communication and collaboration between learners and teachers, and it enables individual support. Using a learning platform and blended learning in a multinational exchange from a shared starting point, our project aimed to develop foreign language learning workshops for different types of learners that take national frame conditions into account. With dedicated learning platforms such as Babbel, the students could practise web-based language learning and this first experience was a foundation for a future object-oriented and visual programming. The students should then design their blended learning environment and develop exemplary learning software, learning material and units for foreign language learning through this infrastructure. All aspects of foreign language learning referred to in the European Reference Framework A1 level were focussed on throughout the project. Through creating e.g. vocabulary trainers, short stories and learning videos and the integration of webinars into further language learning the requirements of the different areas of competence were fulfilled. Learning exercises and speaking activities in locally arranged real-world language situations with the help of language teachers and the creation of training videos via software programs such as Scratch, Alice, Twine to generate texts and audio files in the respective foreign language have further supported the learning progress. Our aim was to integrate into everyday school life the didactical and methodological knowledge acquired through blended learning in foreign language acquisition. Shaping a sustainable learning process of foreign languages effectively and implementing modern language learning tools in schools was the ambition of our project.