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According to a report by the U.S. Department of Education, only 8.6 out of every 100 college credits achieved by U.S. students are for foreign language acquisition, despite the growing use of LMS online language programs. Contrast this figure to the 56% of Europeans at ease with at least one other language, according to a recent Eurobarometer survey. It’s a sad but true stereotype about Americans–most of us are more or less limited to our mastery of English.

The United States is one of the richest countries on the planet, with access to the finest and most innovative technology. Considering this fact, why aren’t we taking advantage of every resource available to us in language acquisition, such as face-to-face and virtual tutors, and university and LMS online courses?

It’s true that LMS online language courses are unique. Unlike other topics which are great left on the page, language material needs to be practiced out loud; therefore, depending on online courseware alone may not be an effective method.

The repetition of words and phrases is a requisite to any language course. And although an online course can ask learners to listen to and repeat sounds and phrases, without anyone there to listen, a student may not be pronouncing correctly. Therefore, a blended learning environment works best for language acquisition. The best e-learning, after all, is most effective when coupled with in-person teaching.

When used in blended learning, LMS online language courses can be truly efficient. Significantly for high schools across the U.S., LMS online language courses help answer a range of problems, including: insufficient language course offerings, language teacher shortages, no interest in language acquisition, lack of AP classes in some areas, lack of physical space in schools, and most of all, lack of funding. As schools across the country plan to downsize their education programs, online tools are becoming an increasingly appealing option.

Practicing a language online with other students is especially helpful for shy students, but it benefits everyone by making them feel more comfortable practicing. Language students have a range of collaborative tools available to them online in the form of screen and audio recordings, LMSs, podcasts, VoIP services and discussion forums.

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Technorati Tags: business, communication, education, elearning, languages, learning, lms, lms online, lms training, online learning, skills, Software, training

Twitter came to the attention of the wider world with the recent New York plane crash/rescue where a participant took a photograph on his camera phone. Through Twitter, it was flashed around the phone before the “traditional” news agencies were on the scene.

President Obama used twitter successfully to update followers on his presidential campaign.

So what is twitter?

Twitter is an online microblogging service.

What?

OK, in real language, its a cross between a blog, a text message and a conversation that the rest of the world can hear.

Anyone can register and it is free.

“Twitterers” can post short messages (up to 140 characters in length) which can be read by their “followers” (people who chose to receive updates from this person or organisation).

Think for a second of the power of this – and bear in mind that a message can contain a link to a webpage, a photograph, video clip etc etc. It’s like being able to send a message to the world…

So why should use twitter to create a learning environment?

Well, one of the advantages of online training is that both participants don’t have to be present at the same time for an event to take place. That’s the same in twitter.

Sending an email has reliability problems, people use different computers, spam filters remove genuine message – in short, don’t rely on email…

With twitter though, everything is displayed on a webpage and (subject to user remembering user name & password) can be displayed anywhere in the world.

So, a teacher or trainer can send a booklist or reading list to students the week before an event via twitter.

How do I do this?, I don’t want the whole world hearing my conversation

When you go into twitter to set up your account, you can specify that your updates are protected (made private)

This is how to do it
When you register at twitter.com – go to the top right hand corner of the account screen & tick the “settings” option.

Then, tick the “protect my updates” option. This means that your updates, (posts) will not be published in the “public timeline” – messages that are entered by twitterers all over the world.
protected
When someone you haven’t approved, visits your profile, they will see this message.

Just click on the “send request” button” to email a request.

If you co-ordinate users to protect updates – you can use twitter to create a free learning (or any other) environment.

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Technorati Tags: online learning, online training, twitter