EuroCALL '95

This conference for Computer Aided Language Learning was titled 'Technology Enhanced Language Learning: Focus On Integration' and was held at the Universidad Politécnica De Valencia, Spain. I attended with the late Alice Mitchell to present a jointly authored paper 'Portfolio Tools for Supporting Linguistic and Cultural Learning' which described and demonstrated the immersive learning environment we were developing with Sam Deane for Teleste OY.

When	Sep 07, 1995
Where	Valencia, Spain

This is the report we made for colleagues on our return:

We attended this conference to report on the profiling and portfolio tools aspects of the multimedia research project we are engaged in funded by Teleste OY and TECLAB - our abstract is below. In addition we have included the abstracts of several other papers we attended with our comments.

PORTFOLIO TOOLS FOR SUPPORTING LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL LEARNING

Alice Mitchell and Richard Millwood, Anglia Polytechnic University

Abstract– There is a trend towards increased autonomy for students and responsibility for management of their own learning. At the same time there are new requirements for evidencing linguistic and cultural learning now that the reality of the Single European Market is upon us. For these reasons it is desirable that learners are empowered to devise and develop their learning agendas and record their own progress against internationally recognised standards. The prototype software described here is part of an immersive software package commissioned by Teleste Oy of Finland. It is specially designed to support learners of foreign languages, foreign culture/business practice and features a portfolio design which motivates learners with problems to solve, tools to operate and agents to advise. The authors believe that this can facilitate the development of cognitive and affective language learning strategies and techniques. The software also offers individuals and organisations a framework to co-ordinate and standardise procedures and support a programme of lifetime learning.

Our presentation was well received (we believe), the session chairman made kind remarks and several people wanted to know more and see finished product. We didn’t see much to compete with the comprehensive analysis of how profiling and portfolio preparation can support the ‘open learner’ nor the with the level of media and learning integration that we we were showing.

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