What does it take to be a language technology specialist

1. Being a Language
Technology Specialist
Keep one in the cupboard!

2. Contents
• Areas of expertise
• New Learning Styles
• What technology? Good and bad
• Considerations for good usage
• Multimedia – the Magic Wand?

3. Areas of work of a CALL Expert
Language
Acquisition
Principles
Language Technical
CALL Expertise
expertise Expertise
Teaching
principles
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4. AREAS of EXPERTISE
Teaching Expertise
Course design Assessment Technical Expertise
Language Expertise
Learning adviser
Student /Staff
Lab support hardware
History Pedagogical Principles
Language labs Helpdesk
requirements
Literature Language
CALL Expertise Network
Lab Troubleshooting architecture
Applied Linguistics
Authoring CALL training
Culture Maintenance
Software Evaluation
Other Security
languages?
Academic
Research
©Edith Paillat ALIN201 (2007)

5. Learning Theories
Mix & Match
Intructivism
Behaviorism Cognitivism
Technical Expertise
Language Expertise Constructivism
Lab Ergonomics
Listening
Lab set up
Reading Blended learning Security
Speaking Folder organisation
Distance learning
Reading
Learning Software
CALL Expertise Management licences
Grammar
Asynchronous systems
Culture Authoring
Editing software
Vocabulary Synchronous
Web Design
Socio-constructivist
©Edith Paillat ALIN201 (2007) Connectivism

6. 6 of 21
Oblinger D. (2005) Educating the Net Generation

7. Oblinger D. (2005) From a Different Perspective, Syllabus

8. What technology out there?
Hardware Software
• Xx • Xx
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9. What technology out there?
Hardware Software
• PCs/ Macs • Graphic Animation
• Exercise generators
• Smartphones • Audio Video Editors
• Tablets • The cloud
• Mp3 players • Web 2.0 tools
• Storage • “Office” software
• • Commercial software
Headsets
• Players
• Data Projector • Virtual environments
• Smartboards • MMORPGs 9 of 21
©Edith Paillat ALIN201 (2007)

10. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
• Good • Bad and Ugly
• … • …
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11. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Good Bad and Ugly
• Variety of tools for all •
learning styles Web: too many
• Access to resources resources / sources
• Immediacy of • Not always accurate
Feedback or reliable
• More varied activities (Wikipedia)
(Communication + • Computer skills
gaming)
• Varied pace of work versus language
• skills? Both?
Stretch computer
skills • Hard to work
• Meet students’ independently
expectations? • Faulty equipment
©Edith Paillat ALIN201 (2007)

12. Take ownership of :
• the log-on procedure (if any)
• the path to resources
• the material to be used (quality?)
• the instructions to give (orchestrate!)
• the software to use
• the hardware to use
• where students can save their files
• How you can access these files
• who to contact for support
• ALWAYS Have a plan B

13. Multimedia: the magic wand
• Think of possible ways to create material and
tasks with the following: what tools?
•Text + audio •Text + image •Text + text
•Audio + audio •Audio + image •Audio + Text
•Image + audio • Image + text •Movie + text