Bildungswissenschaft/LANCELOT

Hallo Hanna!

Ich versuche, Reflektion und Invovliertheit als vom Medium ausgehende Leitgedanken zu integrieren. Ist noch nicht ganz perfekt, daher die kurze Vorbemerkung...

1. Introduction

This paper reports the concept development and evaluation results from the project LANCELOT (LANguage learning with CErtified Live Online Teachers). LANCELOT is funded by the Leonardo da Vinci programme of the European Union. In LANCELOT a training program on live online language training is developed. This training program covers technical, methodological and intercultural aspects of live online language training. Concepts for the use of current online communication technologies, for suitable language teaching methods and for the consideration of intercultural aspects of live online language training are developed within the project. The concepts are related in the training programme by using an innovative pedagogical concept for online teaching and learning, the Web-Didactics. The resulting training programme has been tested and evaluated.

2. Background

In recent years numerous new technologies were developed which opened up new opportunities for innovative language teaching and learning. The most interesting technologies for Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) are synchronous communication technologies, since synchronous communication is essential for language learning. However, there is a lack of training programmes for language teachers which take into account the range of possibilities that these new synchronous communication tools have to offer. In LANCELOT we developed a teacher training programme to meet the rising demand for adopting language teaching methods to the new synchronous online environments taking into consideration technological possibilities and intercultural aspects.

As there is not only a lack of training programmes which cover the new technological possibilities, but also a lack of teaching methods that describe how language teaching can be done with the help of synchronous online communication tools, at the same time taking into account intercultural aspects, research on the following four questions had to be conducted in LANCELOT:

1. Which online tools are available and suitable for synchronous language training?
2. How can we implement an online teacher training programme for synchronous online communication?
3. Which language training methods are appropriate for online language teaching with synchronous tools?
4. Which aspects of intercultural communication have to be taken into account?

2.1 Tools in online teaching and learning

Synchronous online interaction is not solely dominated by teacher-led activities, but can take the form of numerous ways of communication. Jonathan Finkelstein (2006) defines the following five functions which are served by synchronous online settings: instruction, collaboration, support, socialisation and informal exchange, as well as extended outreach. In synchronous online teaching the language trainer has to keep these functions and their realisation in mind.

These functions can be realised with the support of a wide range of tools, both synchronous and asynchronous, which can be applied in online language teaching and learning. Apart from the web conferencing environment which lies at the centre of synchronous online teaching and learning, other asynchronous and synchronous tools are used to support and guide the learning process. These tools include forums, instant messaging, voice over IP, email etc., serving as alternative spaces of communication, and supporting the actual virtual classroom. Since each of these tools has a specific structure, specific features and thus a specific impact on learning, the trainer needs to be aware of the nature of each tool in order to be able to choose the appropriate tools for the respective teaching method.

E-mail communication will typically be used at the beginning of a course in order to help ease into the new tools, as well as for general announcements regarding assignments or time and place of the synchronous sessions. Instant messaging, on the other hand, can be viewed as the “virtual hallway” (Nicholson 2002), where students can meet and chat informally, ask for directions or inform others of changes; forums serve as a “home base” where students can discuss the learning materials with their peers or ask for (technical) support. In case there are technical problems in the online environment, voice and text chat (e.g. Skype) can be used as a back-up tool.

These recent technological developments and new tools have given rise to a demand for new language teaching methods and teacher qualifications. Since LANCELOT does not only aim at developing methods for language training which takes these technologies into consideration, but is, at the same time, developing a training program for live online language trainers, these technologies have to be considered both as learning objectives and as teaching methods for the professional training programme. As the familiarity with the tools is both a learning objective in itself as well as necessary for the competent implementation of teaching methods, objectives and methods become ínterrelated. This connection allows for an integration of hands-on experience and theoretical knowledge: theoretical knowledge about the technologies is applied in the training that is delivered through the technologies. Thus the trainer experiences the technologies at the same time as as she or he learns about their theoretical background. Although the synchronous communication tools have only been recently made accessible to a wide audience, they can still be used in the framework of communication structures which are well-known from the traditional classroom such as group work or collaboration.

2.2 Language teaching methods

In view of the innovative tools made available to us over the last years, we seem to think only of the changes involved. With Web-based trainings (cf. ***) these changes often imply restrictions, since WBTs restrict language training to writing and visual materials such as pictures. Considering, however, that virtual classrooms provide us with voice, video, and audio, as well as writing and drawing tools, they have – quite to the contrary to the above-mentioned belief – the effect of enabling language teachers to use well-established methods also in their online teaching without being limited by technological shortcomings.

This, in fact, means that the novelty of the tools – or the medium – is a means of keeping to established methodologies and contents. Whether the language trainers have been using the Communicative Language Teaching approach, the Direct Method, the Oral Approach, or a blended methodology in their face-to-face teaching, the new technologies offer possibilities to transfer the respective method to the virtual classroom. Thus, language teachers do not have to learn anew how to teach languages, or adapt to new methodologies. They do, however, have to become familiar with the new tools and learn how they can adapt those tools for their own purposes. While doing so, the tacit knowledge (Polyani ***) inherent in the tools still has an impact on language training. This is because electronic hardware, which is the basis for fast and world-wide communication, and software which offers multi-channel (video, audio, text, pictures) communication, influence, among other factors, language training implicitly.

Important for language training is the distance, which is changed by the above-mentioned hard- and software in two respects: on the one hand teachers and learners may be situated in different regions all over the world, a fact which can be experienced by time differences only. On the other hand the recording devices, webcams and microphones, are quite close to the participants. This leads to a communication situation where communication partners appear to be only a few centimetres away in picture and voice. In fact, the voice is recorded from a distance you would only get a few seconds before a kiss. That is, synchronous-only communication produces a quite close and intimate situation. This is typical for a cold medium such as computer technology which leads to a hot culture according to McLuhan (1992). This effect needs to be taken into consideration while designing live online training.

The LANCELOT course conveys this knowledge by providing the trainees with case studies and best-practice examples of how the new tools can be applied. As experienced language teachers, the trainees will then discuss these examples and develop their own scenarios using their expertise to develop their individual way of teaching languages synchronously online – and still in accordance with the methods with which they are familiar.

2.3 A new teacher role in an intercultural setting

According to some researchers new e-learning tools raise a demand for a new teacher role: the role of the teacher as instructor is changing to the role of the teacher as facilitator, as “guide on the side”, consultant and resource provider (cf. Hootstein 2002, Berge 2003). Berge also sees teachers becoming expert questioners rather than providers of answers. The teacher now provides a structure to support work as well as encouragement to self-direction. For the live online learning setting which is the focus of the LANCELOT teacher training course, the same consequences as in a distance e-learning setting apply for the role of the teacher.

At the same time, the student's role in a live online learning setting also changes from recipient to active constructor of his or her knowledge, i.e. to an autonomous, independent and self-motivated manager of his or her time. (cf. Berge 2003).

Thus, teachers and learners actively engage in dialogue and share their knowledge, which also requires changes in the teacher's communicative competences (cf. Ambrose 2001). The teacher facilitates the learning process of each individual student within a constant communication process. Furthermore new collaborative tools offer a wide range of possibilities for group work and cooperative activities in the e-learning environment. The teacher encourages the students to use those and moderates, where necessary, the process of group communication.

However, as new online tools do not require the use of completely new language teaching methods, they do not force teachers to redefine their role in the classroom from scratch. Group work as a teaching method and the subsequent moderation of the group processes has been a well-established teaching method in schools since the 1920s. In Austria this method has become very popular in the 1950s, and most of these old concepts are still appropriate. But as traditional group work was conceptualised for the possibilities of the classroom, where only one room is available for all learners who are present at the same time, the concepts need to be adapted to the involving structure of synchronous online communication tools.

Additionally, we have to take into consideration the aspect of culture which forms the background for the research conducted in LANCELOT. In distance language learning courses, communicative competences concerning the intercultural aspect gain a great deal of importance. Because of the high demand of native speakers in language teaching, live online or distance learning courses are appreciated as teacher and students do not need to be in the same place. Therefore it is quite likely that people from different cultures meet in the online course and learn together. The basic idea of LANCELOT - namely using traditional teaching and learning methods in a slightly changed communication situation - rises to a challenge when taking into consideration the intercultural aspects: in different regions the classroom communication cultures are quite different as is, e.g., the physical distance kept by people in a conversation (e.g. while the British prefer a distance of one meter, Austrians are happy with 40 cm.) And while British teachers a task-oriented teaching approach, Turkish teachers prefer a lecture-dominated instructional design - accordingly students from different cultures expect different teaching styles.

To empower language teachers to manage these circumstances while moderating and facilitating the student's learning process, it becomes necessary to raise their intercultural awareness and support them in their development of intercultural communicative competences. These form the third strand of the LANCELOT course, complementing the online teaching methodology and the technological aspects.

The new role of the teacher is being learned by the trainees through model-based learning, as the trainer acts at the same time as a facilitator. (kann da noch was dazu?)

2.4 Web-Didactic-concept for integration

The three different strands in LANCELOT and the consideration of knowledge existing in the tradition of teaching and learning as well as the new technologies raises the need for a teaching an learning concept that allows for linking the aspects into a teaching and learning scenario. An online project such as LANCELOT advises to take computer technology as a starting point for the sought after concept.

One of the aims of didactical knowledge organization is adjusting content to media. Adjusting content to media has been a challenge for didactical theory since Gutenberg invented printing. Comenius, one of the founders of didactical theory, has already reflected Gutenberg’s invention in 1657. Comenius described books as an innovative technology and an important medium for teaching that allows us to not only improve tuition, but also offer new forms of learning, and help the lower classes. In spite of the fact that schoolbooks have been well established within our culture, educational films are still developing and computer technology has only just started.

As Meder (1998) and Swertz (2000) demonstrated in a theoretical analysis of the media structure of computer technology, this medium requires offering individual paths through content to learners in a reflective way, thus requiring teachers to produce individually navigable hypertexts. Individualization does not mean offering “pure” self-directed learning, as learning presupposes instruction by others. We have to aid teachers in reorganizing knowledge to hypertexts that allow for individual navigation. To support individual navigation we need to provide navigation tools that reflect the structure of the content. That is: the demand for an individual navigation reflects the structure of the medium and the actual navigation reflects the structure of the content. This twofold reflective structure meets in turn the structure of an algorithm processing medium.

Supporting learners in finding their individual path is also a crucial factor. In intercultural settings we have to consider the affect of individual cultural backgrounds on teaching styles. Thus for LANCELOT

In light of these considerations, Web-Didactics was based on educational theory (Hönigswald 1927), knowledge organization theory (Buder 1991) and traditionally successful didactical models (Flechsig 1996).

We have to offer navigational aids allowing the learner to move around efficiently. We have to offer a variety of didactical models.

Web-Didactics solves these tasks by a didactical ontology. This ontology is expressed ad a metadata system that uses a vocabulary which is used as an aid for navigation as well as a metadata system. Such a system allows for an automatic rearrangement of content according to varied didactical models. By offering the metadata system and the didactical models to authors, they are simultaneously supported in producing high quality content for learning. Another advantage is the element of quality assurance. This becomes simple as the material can easily be evaluated against the metadata. What does this ontology look like?

The Web-Didactic ontology consists of a local hierarchy being placed in a network topology. The local hierarchy consists of three layers: Media Units, Knowledge Units and Learning Units.

Media Units are in matters of size defined by the medium used. Every Media Unit is typed with their media type. Web-Didactics therefore offer an ontology of didactical media types. Knowledge Units consist of one or more Media Units having the same knowledge type. Web-Didactics offer an ontology of didactical knowledge types. Learning Units consist of one or many Knowledge Units having the same topic. The topics are organized as a thesaurus and connected with typed relations. Web-Didactics offer an ontology of relation types. The typed relations make up the topology.

The metadata, which will be presented in the complete report in detail, may be used as a navigation aid for learners as we have illustrated in our prototype “InLearn” on http://www.lerndorf.de. Our research has shown that learners understand the metadata as a navigational aid without further explanation and use them to find their individual paths through the knowledge network efficiently.

There are three levels were Web-Didactic modelling is applied whithin LANCELOT

• The set up of each learning unit
• The sequence of the learning units
• The relation of synchronous, asynchronous and peer to peer activities

3. Main Focus of the Chapter

The changes in human culture which are caused by the impact of computer technology lead to a demand for a new theory of sign, language and speech, which in turn will lead to a new theory of language learning. But as theory could not determine educational practice and LANCELOT focuses on actual teaching this demand is not covered by theoretical reflections, but through practical experiences.

3.1 Learning objectives for language teachers

As the role of the teacher is changing in the (live) online environment as stated above, these changes demand new skills and competences. Not only handling the new tools is required. These tools build a new virtual room for teaching and learning that requires adapting traditional teaching methods.

Due to these changing circumstances it has become necessary to further improve the communicative competences of the language teacher concerning the virtual environment using various new tools for communication. The fact that live online classes may be accessed from any place in the world at the same time also makes it necessary to increase his or her intercultural communicative competences through raising his or her intercultural awareness.

3.1.1 Language teaching methods

A central question in using these new tools for language teaching is which language teaching methods can be applied in live online teaching environments. In answer to this question, the LANCELOT course integrates well-established language teaching methods with new tools to serve as a case study for the course participants which were then put up for discussion. Being experienced language teachers the participants were thus challenged to develop competencies to design their own individual teaching scenarios for a live online environment.

The methodology strand of the LANCELOT trainee course does not depend on a particular teaching approach, but intends to enable experienced language teachers to transfer the methods they are familiar with and which they use in their own classroom teaching (e.g. Communicative Language Teaching, Grammar-Translation Method, Audio-lingual Method) to the live online environment. It does, however, support reflection and, consequently, the further development of those teaching methods which the teachers use routinely by giving examples of how these traditional teaching methods can be applied in connection with the new tools. Subsequently, the trainees are invited to discuss these examples, developing thus their own individual concepts of live online language teaching.

Typically, these case studies will show how the familiar concepts to any language teacher, such as promoting listening skills or correcting errors in spoken language which can be transferred to the live online environment. Examples are given in different media types, that is in a written and in an audio-visual form in order to support individual navigation and thus individual reflection.

Beside different media types This example and activity oriented strategy is fostered by the Web-Didactics in that it offers knowledge types for examples, tasks, case studies, and lesson observations, thus providing a teaching model that reflects the LANCELOT structure explained so far an allows for an individual learning strategy (see Screenshot 1). This model reflects at the same time the conceptualisation of learning by the British partner, which focuses on challenging participants to develop their own usage of the tools by tasks.

3.1.2 Tool recommendation

Unlike the methodology-related knowledge, tools application in a live online environment is not an area of expertise of the typical LANCELOT trainee. The LANCELOT course aims thus at providing knowledge needed for a well-informed decision on which tools should be used ideally in which situation. This includes detailed information on which tools are available, where and how they can be obtained, as well as a detailed description of their features.

Therefore, the knowledge conveyed in the technology strand is decision-oriented. The Web-Didactics system supports this by providing knowledge types such as description, checklists, how to, tools and glossary. This model reflects the concept of learning conceptualised by the German partner, who focuses on providing action-oriented information to enable trainees to take their own decisions.

3.1.3 Intercultural aspects

Intercultural aspects affect LANCELOT in different respects:

1. The project consortium consists of people from different teaching and learning cultures
2. The participating language trainers originate from different cultures
3. The learners that the language traines will teach after visiting the LANCELOT course originate from different cultures, that are often different from those of the language trainers.

Intercultural aspects are necessary for language teaching in online environments due to the international nature of the expected audience.

Intercultural knowledge is particularly important for language teachers in a live online environment, as this medium is independent from local meetings and favours international, i.e. intercultural, groups.

In order to be able to encounter difficulties typical for intercultural communication, the LANCELOT teachers reflect their own cultural background and how they are influenced by it. This approach is based on the assumption that “people who know themselves better will know their culture better and, as a result, will be more competent in other cultures” (Asli, LB4). These reflections are embedded in detailed theoretical knowledge and are divided into the following areas:

• knowledge
• attitude
• respect
• interaction
• awareness
• role behaviour

Web-Didactics enables this self-reflective approach by providing the following knowledge types: reflection, how to, task, and explanation.

3.2 Integrating the three strands with the LANCELOT methodology (Christian)

Integrated concept of new demands for language teachers: An example for the Web-Didactics is shown in screenshot 1. The screenshot shows a beginners lesson that was conducted using one of the language teaching methods developed in the project. The live online language teaching was held using an online videoconferencing system. The lesson was recorded. This recording is used in the LANCELOT trainer course as a scenario. Language trainers watch the scenario as an example for teaching languages online. To support language trainers in developing their own live online language teaching skills the scenario is combined with instructions on how to set up beginners lessons (“How To” in the screenshot) and a task where language teachers are asked to reflect on the connection of the given scenario with their own language teaching practice (“Writing Exercise” in the screenshot). “How To” and “Writing Exercise” are didactical knowledge types from the Web-Didacticm which offers an ontology of didactical knowledge types. With these knowledge types an example and acticity oriented learning strategy is set up in the methodological strand of the LANCELOT training. Since the LANCELOT strands are produced by people from different cultures each of the methodological, the technological and the intercultural strand uses different learning and teaching methods. Thus the Web-Didactics is used to model intercultural differences in teaching and learning. Through this concept intercultural differences are covered in the course and at the same time the course gives an example on considering intercultural differences. The same reflective concept is used in the technological strand. Links in the screen pages where language teaching methods are covered refer to specific online tools. In the screenshot links to tools which are suitable to introduce new languages to beginners were provided. Beside videoconferencing other live online tools, like voice over IP, instant messaging, screencasting, collaborative browsing etc. are covered. At the same time these tools are used within the training. Thus the usage of the tools is reflected. This way trainers learn how to teach online by being taught online. These experience are reflected and used for own teaching. This indicates a teaching and learning model we developed within LANCELOT: First, language teachers participate in an online teaching with a certain tool, for example: an icebreaker activity with macromedia breeze. Second, language trainers reflect this usage and think about their own experiences as participants in this activities. This reflection takes place during the live online session. Third, language teachers access asynchronous teaching material with backgrund informations on the teaching method, the tools and intercultural aspects (see the screenshot for an example). Subsequently, they develop their own teaching strategy in a peer to peer activity, that is: they meet live online with other learners and develop a short teaching sequence. Finally, the language teachers perform their teaching example in the online classroom with the respective tool. The teaching example is reflected by peers and the trainer. The usage of this reflective strategy is currently evaluated in an online course with 24 participants (http://www.lerndorf.at/lancelotcourses/). The evaluation shows that the reflective strategy works very well. Participations are successfully activated and did build a strong learning community. Problems occur for single learners with the online tools used and with the planned learning time.

3.3 Assessment strategy

Teaching in online environments using new tools with well-established teaching methods raises new challenges for teachers who become facilitators with a focus on supervision and coaching.

Assessment in the LANCELOT teacher training course is conducted via two essential tools: a development portfolio and observed live online teaching practice.

The development portfolio serves as a record of the learning progress throughout the course and is essentially a collection of the work undertaken in the course, such as essays, discussion tasks, peer-to-peer activities etc. 80% of the specified work has to be completed as a minimum submission requirement. This form of assessment allows for a self-determined presentation of accomplishment as opposed to external assessment. It therefore connects both the external perspective and the perspective of the learner and opposes the assumption that it is possible to support the self-assessing competence of the learner through external assessment only. Additionally, it is not sufficient to only focus on learning results to support life long learning, but the learning process also has to made visible to become subject of reflection. (cf. Haecker 2005).

The second part of assessment consists of observed live online teaching practice. In the last two weeks of the 12-week training course, the trainees will conduct a teaching session themselves, which they plan and prepare in advance. These individual scenarios will then be assessed according to the following Areas of Competence: Professional Values and Practice, Language Subject Knowledge and Understanding, Intercultural Communicative Competence Subject Knowledge and Understanding, Technology Subject Knowledge and Understanding, Lesson Planning and Target Setting, Teaching and Learning Materials, and Teaching.

The assessment criteria are communicated in advance via the course handbook which is made available to the trainees at the beginning of the course.

Upon successful completion of the course, the trainees will be awarded the LANCELOT certificate, confirming their intercultural, methodological and technological competences necessary for teaching live online.

3.3 Trainer skills in a virtual environment: Supervision and Coaching (Kathi)

Within the LANCELOT course trainees learn how to teach live online while being taught live online and in an asynchronous online learning environment. They learn how to use new tools and learning environments for teaching while being taught throughout and in them. These circumstances make it necessary to develop a new role of the trainer. The trainer becomes a facilitator - first introducing the learning environment(s), helping establishing a group process, forcing the group communication process, implementing the learning process and forcing the development of the new role as a live online teacher.

This role of the trainer as a facilitator is complex. Therefore in the LANCELOT train the trainer program three methods are introduced: Firstly the method of e-moderation, developed by Gilly Salmon (cf. Salmon 2001), was adapted for the needs of the LANCELOT course. This method provides the background for the trainers to establish the communication-process and to guide trainees through their first steps in the LANCELOT course, supporting them finding their way through the new learning environments.

Secondly the trainer acts as a teacher under new circumstances, as described above. He or she first shows a new tool and how it can be used for teaching and then forces the trainees to reflect on this teaching scenario. This reflection-process is being initiated by the trainer with the help of supervisional strategies, called the LANCELOT Method of Supervision. This method offers the possibility to help trainees developing their own way of teaching live online and finding their own role of the live online teacher.

Thirdly the trainer comes to support trainees in their learning process, to encourage them to go on learning, managing their time or establishing an environment of intercultural awareness. Therefore the concept of coaching was adapted for the special needs of the LANCELOT course, conveying coaching skills to the LANCELOT trainer.

3.4 Evaluation

Formative evaluation was conducted in the framework of a pilot test run of the course. Qualitative interviews with the pilot trainees provided the project team with a range of vital results which will be taken into account for the final product.

The main difficulties were observed in regard to the usability of the asynchronous learning platform, a greater workload than originally anticipated, a high number of participants (ca. 12 participants per course) and uncertainty as regards the tasks which had to be handed in for the development portfolio. Positive feedback, on the other hand, was given for the general course setup (LANCELOT methodology), the peer-to-peer activities, which serve to integrate the three strands (methodology, intercultural aspects, and technology), and the quality of the written materials.

These results will be integrated so as to improve the final product, the LANCELOT course, which will then be made available to everyone under the Creative Commons License.

4. Future Trends

We expect an increasing usage of onlline tools in language training.

5. Conclusions and recommendations

Concept successful, published as Creative Commons material, open for public use. Reccomondation: Use the material and talk about it!

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