scholarly journals Creating communities of practice: The Harvard Language Center’s role in supporting language instruction during the pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 139-152
Author(s):  
Andrew F. Ross ◽  
Sarah Luehrman Axelrod
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Emergency Evacuation ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Harvard University ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
Face To Face Instruction ◽  
Training And Support ◽  
Academic Year

When Harvard University moved all instruction into an online modality in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, The Language Center positioned itself as a critical source of guidance on best practices in this new environment. For Harvard, an institution that has always prioritized face-to-face instruction above all other formats, 2020 has been a watershed moment that has forced faculty to reconsider nearly everything about the way they organize and deliver their courses. Owing to the pandemic crisis, we find ourselves in a moment in which the efficacy of these modalities in language learning is, despite initial concerns, being proven day after day. In the context of this crisis, The Language Center has developed training and support mechanisms for this transition, focusing on desired learning outcomes, centering instructor and student experience, and positioning the language faculty to be able to successfully employ hybrid and online approaches to instruction that will continue to serve them well after the crisis abates. This contribution describes the strategies and actions that The Language Center took to ensure the success of the remote teaching and learning of languages at Harvard University in the first term of the 2020-2021 academic year, after the emergency evacuation of campus in March of 2020, and offers a model for other centers engaged in academic support. While extensive insights on the success of these efforts are still pending, given the timing of this crisis and the interventions undertaken, early feedback suggests that faculty have found provided resources to be useful, and their intention is to adopt aspects of technologically-mediated instruction in their face-to-face teaching going forward.

scholarly journals BLENDED LEARNING: STUDENT PERCEPTION OF FACE-TO-FACE AND ONLINE EFL LESSONS

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda M. Wright
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Face To Face Instruction

With the ever-increasing development of technology, online teaching is more readily accepted as a viable component in teaching and learning, and blended learning, the combining of online and face-to-face learning, is becoming commonplace in many higher education institutions. Blended learning is, particularly in developing countries, in its early stages and not without its challenges. Asynchronous online lessons are currently still more prevalent in many areas of South-East Asia, perhaps due to potential difficulty in obtaining strong Internet connections, which may deter educators from synchronous options. Technological media have the potential to broaden the scope of resources available in teaching and to enhance the language learning experience. Although research to date shows some focus on blended learning, literature on distance online teaching seems more prevalent. This study exposed 112 Malaysian undergraduate EFL students' responses to an online lesson as part of an English grammar course, and investigates common student perceptions of the online lesson as compared with face-to-face lessons. Questionnaires using qualitative (Likert scale questions) and quantitative (open-ended questions) approaches provided data for content analysis to determine common student perceptions, with particular reference to motivation and interest. In general, more students associated in-class lessons with higher motivation and more interest, due to better understanding, valued classroom interaction with the lecturer and peers, and input from the lecturer. Students preferring the online lesson cited speed and convenience of study and flexibility of time and place of study as reasons for their choice. Skilful implementation of online lessons can enhance a language course but should not undermine the value of face-to-face instruction with EFL teachers.

scholarly journals School Support Received and the Challenges Encountered in Distance Learning Education by Filipino Teachers during the Covid-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 360-385
Author(s):  
Angelito Palma Bautista ◽  
Doris Gelvoligaya Bleza ◽  
Cielito Bernardino Buhain ◽  
Dianne Morta Balibrea
Keyword(s):  
Distance Learning ◽  
Data Privacy ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Information Dissemination ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Left Behind ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
Training And Support

Distance learning has become the sole modality of the teaching and learning process in the Philippines due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since face-to-face classes are still prohibited with no end in sight, it is important to assess the experience of teachers handling distance learning education in terms of the support they have received, and the challenges encountered. This study examines the support provided by the schools, the challenges encountered by the teachers, and the support they need to thrive in distance learning education. By applying a quantitative approach through an online survey, 151 teachers - including 108 women, 41 men, and 2 respondents who did not mention their gender - served as the respondents of this study. The study derived promising results in that the majority of the respondents received adequate support from their respective schools in terms of capacity building, technical and data privacy matters, systems of information dissemination, and online learning management. Financial and emotional support mechanisms are two areas for improvement. The common problems encountered include motivating the students, using ICT, managing the time allotted for online sessions, and evaluating the learners’ knowledge. The teachers were also looking for more free resources and tools, webinars to share ideas and challenges, and professional development. Overall, the respondents were confident handling remote classes during the pandemic. The Department of Education (DepEd) and the schools may devise targeted programs, training, and support mechanisms to ensure that no one in the education sector is left behind.

scholarly journals Foreign Language Acquisition Anxiety and Project-Based Learning in Collaborative L2 Instruction: A Case Study

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Elizandra Miguel ◽  
William Carney
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Foreign Language Learning ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Foreign Language Acquisition ◽  
Academic Settings ◽  
Face To Face Instruction

This article discusses the experiences of an instructor-student collaboration in combining English as a Second Language instruction with a project-based model. It provides information about a year-long period of instruction that made use of extensive collaboration in language instruction for the creation of business documents geared to a specific purpose. The article suggests that such a project-based and collaborative approach to Foreign Language Learning might be useful in alleviating foreign language learning anxiety for advanced speakers of a second language. Additionally, the article discusses instruction performed via the Zoom platform. The use of platforms such as Zoom, or Skype, are becoming more ubiquitous as an instructional trend that pre-dates recent public health concerns, and this technology is discussed here in terms of the opportunities for collaborative learning and feedback it offers in a discipline that is still favors traditional face-to-face instruction. Although the experiences described here occurred in a non-academic setting with an instructor-student dyad, we suggest that it may be useful in academic settings with additional students and fewer collaborative opportunities to create highly specific objectives.

Research on language teaching and learning in Austria (2004–2009)

2011 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiane Dalton-Puffer ◽  
Renate Faistauer ◽  
Eva Vetter
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Language ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Theory Development ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Foreign Language Instruction ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
National Education ◽  
Learning And Teaching

This overview of six years of research on language learning and teaching in Austria covers a period of dynamic development in the field. While all the studies reviewed here illustrate research driven by a combination of local and global concerns and theoretical frameworks, some specific clusters of research interest emerge. The first of these focuses on issues connected with multilingualism in present-day society in terms of language policy, theory development and, importantly, the critical scrutiny of dominant discursive practices in connection with minority and migrant languages. In combination with this focus, there is a concern with German as a second or foreign language in a number of contexts. A second cluster concerns the area of language testing and assessment, which has gained political import due to changes in national education policy and the introduction of standardized tests. Finally, a third cluster of research concerns the diverse types of specialized language instruction, including the introduction of foreign language instruction from age six onwards, the rise of academic writing instruction, English-medium education and, as a final more general issue, the role of English as a dominant language in the canon of all foreign and second languages in Austria.

Blended for Student Engagement and Retention

2015 ◽  
pp. 818-835
Author(s):  
Ishmael I. Munene ◽  
Flower Darby ◽  
John J. Doherty
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Blended Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Northern Arizona ◽  
Blended Courses ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
Northern Arizona University ◽  
Face To Face Instruction ◽  
Blended Course

Facetiously described as the “third generation” of distance learning, blended learning is now the new kid on the block in the deployment of technology to support teaching and learning. Its versatility as a pedagogical strategy for creating learner-centered instruction lies in the capacity to exploit the potentials of both the traditional face-to-face instruction and online learning modality in order to provide students with multiple pathways of learning. Yet, developing a blended course to take advantage of these duo capabilities is a monumental challenge for faculty. This chapter presents an analysis of approaches and models employed by faculty at Northern Arizona University to develop and deliver two blended courses as part of the institution's strategy of using technology to enhance undergraduate student engagement and retention. The analysis shows that a multimodal approach that infuses technologies and media and a proactive institutional policy in favor of blended learning, coupled with strategic faculty development, provides the best pathway to developing robust blended courses that are truly learner-centered.

Exploring the Effectiveness of Online Synchronous Learning Management Systems

2019 ◽  
pp. 168-190
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Nami
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Language Instruction ◽  
Foreign Language Instruction ◽  
Writing Assignments ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Synchronous Learning ◽  
The Face ◽  
Learning Management ◽  
Writing Knowledge

In line with calls for a more comprehensive understanding of the potentials of virtual environments for language learning/teaching, the chapter reports a study on the application of a synchronous learning management system (SLMS). The development of academic writing knowledge of a group of MA students attending an online academic writing course in a state university in Tehran was compared with that of a similar group in a face-to-face course in the same university. The analysis of participants' classroom discussions and their writing assignments indicated that although the writing knowledge of both groups improved by the end of the course, the nature of changes differed from the online group to the face-to-face one. It is suggested that while SLMSs have opened up new horizons for the instruction/practice of language skills, their uses are largely context- and user-specific. The finding of this study feeds into research on SLMS-based foreign language instruction.

Teaching Statistics and Operations Research Online

2010 ◽  
pp. 298-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Juan ◽  
J. Faulin ◽  
P. Fonseca ◽  
C. Steegmann ◽  
L. Pla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Operations Research ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Courses ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Face To Face Instruction ◽  
Based Instruction

This chapter presents a case study of online teaching in Statistics and Operations Research (OR) at the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). UOC is a purely online university with headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, with students from many countries. As common to most math-related knowledge areas, teaching and learning Statistics and OR present difficult challenges in traditional higher education. These issues are exacerbated in online environments where face-to-face interactions between students and instructors as well as among students themselves are limited or non-existent. Despite these difficulties, as evidenced in the global growth of online course offerings, Web-based instruction offers comparative benefits to traditional face-to-face instruction. While there exists a plethora of literature covering experiences and best practices in traditional face-to-face instruction in mathematics, there is a lack of research describing long-term successful experiences in Statistics and OR online courses. Based on the authors’ experiences during the last decade, this chapter aims to share some insights on how to design and develop successful online courses in these knowledge areas.

Teaching interpreting online for the Translation and Interpreting Degree at the University of Vic

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-182
Author(s):  
María Perramon ◽  
Xus Ugarte
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Online Teaching ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Staff ◽  
Teaching Resources ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
University Degree ◽  
The University ◽  
Academic Year

Abstract At a time when the advances in information and communication technologies meant that new approaches to virtual teaching and learning could be proposed, the teaching staff on the degree in Translation and Interpreting at UVic decided to offer part of the degree in distance learning mode. This learning mode was launched in the 2001–2002 academic year, with optional face-to-face teaching sessions some Saturdays and coexisted with the traditional face-to-face courses. During the first years, the fourth-year interpreting specialisation subjects were not taught online for technical and pedagogical reasons. Since the 2014-2015 academic year, we also teach these subjects online. The challenge that we face starting the 2017-2018 academic year is twofold: 1. To adapt the online teaching of interpreting subjects to groups with a high number of students in the new Inter-university Degree in Translation, Interpreting and Applied Languages jointly offered by the University of Vic and the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). 2. To adapt the contents and methodology of interpreting subjects to changes in professional practice: telephone and videoconference interpreting, especially in liaison interpreting. In our paper, we will show some online teaching resources, as well as several online tools which we use in our courses.

scholarly journals What do College Learners Think of Synchronous Learning?

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 82-98
Author(s):  
Gentjana Taraj
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Internet Skills ◽  
Synchronous Learning ◽  
College Learners ◽  
Attitudes And Perceptions ◽  
Traditional Mode ◽  
E Learning ◽  
Face To Face Learning ◽  
Academic Year

Advancements in educational technology and improvements in the internet’s connectivity has increased the interest of universities in e-learning worldwide. Unlike many institutions around the world, the traditional form of teaching in Albania before the Covid-19 pandemic was face-to-face where both lectures and seminars were attended physically in the classroom. However, the Covid-19 pandemic imposed on them the necessity to move from auditoriums to e-learning immediately without any preparation. This paper aims to investigate the Albanian learners’ attitudes and perceptions of synchronous e-learning during the second semester of the 2019 – 2020 academic year. A survey consisting of 15 questions was distributed to a total of 168 undergraduate and graduate learners in 2 public universities in Albania. Results from the study showed that the learners preferred face-to-face learning over synchronous learning. The lack of motivation, low level of interaction with their instructors and peers, and the feeling of isolation were their main concerns. Meanwhile, the learners appreciated the fact that e-learning helped them to improve their computer and internet skills. It is also less expensive and more comfortable than the traditional mode of teaching and learning.

scholarly journals Pre-Service Teachers’ Levels of Adaptations to Remote Teaching and Learning at A University in A Developing Country in the Context of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Lydia Mavuru ◽  
Oniccah Koketso Pila ◽  
Anesu Gelfand Kuhudzai
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
Quantitative Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Online Delivery ◽  
Teachers Perceptions ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Support Mechanisms ◽  
The Rich

The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic has not only caused fear and uncertainty in the education systems across the globe, but it brought about a fundamental paradigm shift in the mode of teaching and learning. Higher education drastically transitioned to remote/ online delivery even for the students who had enrolled for face-to-face mode of teaching and learning. The paper is premised in the context of a developing country that such a drastic change could have widened the digital divide between students from privileged homes and those from disadvantaged families as students did not receive adequate technological training and to even acquire the necessary electronic devices. Consequently, the study sought to establish the levels of adaptation to remote teaching and learning by university students herein referred to as pre-service teachers. Following a quantitative research design, an online questionnaire survey was administered to 157 pre-service teachers enrolled in a Life Sciences Methodology module at a South African university. Data was analysed using SPSS version 26 and descriptive statistics, exploratory analysis of the questionnaire constructs and One-Way ANOVA tests were conducted to compare pre-service teachers` perceptions, experiences and preparedness. The results showed that the disparities and inequalities that exist in different South African contexts in which pre-service teachers hail from, dictated their levels of adaptations to remote teaching and learning. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds were less adapted as they struggled more when it comes to acquisition of electronic gadgets and connectivity to facilitate remote learning compared to those from advantaged backgrounds. This study affirms the call for education institutions and governments to rethink ways of closing the gap between the poor and the rich in education in terms of resource and other support mechanisms.

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