Technologies for Teaching Languages & Cultures

Program Description

By offering students and faculty direct access to authentic materials for language study and connecting students to the people and cultures they are studying, new technologies can help teachers create more interactive, effective approaches to language learning. More than that, these technologies allow for the easy creation of new materials for teaching and allow students to express themselves creatively in the language they are studying. This workshop surveys the technologies most useful for those tasks, including

• social software and web 2.0 tools for collaboration,
• instant messaging and interactive video conferencing for direct, simultaneous interaction,
• digital storytelling using web-based technologies or locally installed commercial software,
• location and manipulation of media, particularly authentic foreign language resources, and
• gaming (optional)

Participants will discuss best practices for the use of technology in language teaching, learn how to find resources or international partners for collaboration, and share in a collection of language-specific resources developed by NITLE’s peer community for languages and cultures. Participants will leave with ideas for incorporating technology into their language teaching and a supportive community of like-minded peers.

Registration

Those from Carson-Newman College and other member institutions of the Appalachian College Association, please contact Kim Gardner by January 15, 2009, to register for your pre-paid seats.

Questions

For more information about this event, including its agenda and what to expect from participation, please contact Rebecca Davis at rdavis@nitle.org. Logistical questions may also be directed to Rebecca.