VideoFunet Conference 10 and 11 May 2007 | Tampere, Finland The introduction and use of videoconf... more VideoFunet Conference 10 and 11 May 2007 | Tampere, Finland The introduction and use of videoconferencing and other information and communication technologies in education at university level have accelerated the interest in changes of traditional teaching methods and learning processes. Masaryk University in Brno (Czech Republic) is the promoter of the European INVITE (http://invite.lingua.muni.cz/) project (Leonardo da Vinci Programme), whose aim is to facilitate programmes of cooperation between learning groups from different professional and educational environments, cultures and disciplines with multipurpose teaching objectives. One of the goals of the project is to create a teaching material that covers key videoconferencing skills, namely operational and technical skills, functional language and cultural competencies. Masaryk University Brno (MU) and University of Wales in Aberystwyth (UWA) implemented videoconferencing technology into some of their joint programmes that were...
Multimedia měni tradicni výukove metody a procesy uceni. Přispěvek se soustředi na podstatu flexi... more Multimedia měni tradicni výukove metody a procesy uceni. Přispěvek se soustředi na podstatu flexibilniho uceni a u-learningu na poli výuky akademickeho jazyka, zmiňuje oblasti využiti multimedii nabizene v programech Centra jazykoveho vzdělavani Masarykovy univerzity Brno a rozebira možnosti kombinace synchronniho a asynchronniho uceni. Flexibilni uceni a u-learning jsou představeny jako cesta ke skutecnosti blizkemu, otevřenemu, intenzivnimu, mnohotvaremu a individualnimu způsobu uceni.
The INVITE project (Leonardo da Vinci programme) which experiments with implementing videoconfere... more The INVITE project (Leonardo da Vinci programme) which experiments with implementing videoconferencing skills into existing teaching modules at universities (Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic and University of Wales, Aberystwyth) was introduced to the Diverse community in Lillehammer, 2007. One of the project aims is to create and test innovative teaching methods and materials used in videoconferencing through English as a second language. In order to obtain a greater impact and achieve better sustainability of the project results in learning infrastructures, the results have been further tested and implemented into life-long learning programmes outside the universities and courses offered to private firms and to general public. Incorporation of videoconferencing into standard language classes at the universities has been relatively easy and videoconferencing holds a strong position in the course syllabuses. Sustainability of project results within the life-long educational pr...
This discussion works with ongoing research in socially negotiated literacy practices in video co... more This discussion works with ongoing research in socially negotiated literacy practices in video conferencing. The participants include Erasmus European exchange students in an Advanced Communication module at the University of Wales Aberystwyth and participating students in the Faculties of Law and Social Studies at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. The students are connected by video conference twice to three times per semester to take part in discussions and presentations of team-based project work, for which prior exchange of project information takes place through student team-written web-sites. Through earlier research into literacy practices in video conferencing and how people adapt to the medium in terms of appropriate communication skills, we have found that socially negotiated aspects of design form a significant part of being able to communicate effectively in a video conference. In pursuing this research we have begun to work with a subject web-site to include s...
This book is designed to help any student or researcher who needs to improve or refine their acad... more This book is designed to help any student or researcher who needs to improve or refine their academic language skills in English on the CEFR B2 level. This guide presents basic skills required for successful studies, work and communication in the international world of science and research. Adopting a bilingual approach, the book covers a range of fundamental aspects in six areas, namely vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Each section combines summarized information on theoretical background of each area in Czech with a series of practical activities in English. It also includes a short list of online links that may help to individualise language studies. The key at the end of the book gives possible answers to the tasks and provides additional comments on some of them. Written by an international team of authors with a long experience of teaching academic English in a university environment, this volume provides an ideal text for university English lang...
This special issue of HLT presents language teaching at the Masaryk University Language Centre, B... more This special issue of HLT presents language teaching at the Masaryk University Language Centre, Brno, Czech Republic. The idea to dedicate one whole issue to activities of a university language centre came from a number of discussions on the variety of approaches to language teaching universities all over the world currently offer. It was a great opportunity to showcase our good practices but it was definitely going to be a challenge for the whole Centre at the same time.
Now that video conferencing and other ICTs are being widely used in education at university level... more Now that video conferencing and other ICTs are being widely used in education at university level, changes in traditional teaching methods towards transformation of educational experience are being explored. Masaryk University in Brno (Czech Republic) is the promoter of the European INVITE (http://invite.lingua.muni.cz) project (Leonardo da Vinci Programme), whose aim is to facilitate programmes of cooperation between learning groups from different professional and educational environments and cultures, with multi-purpose teaching objectives. One of the goals of the project is to create innovative learning infrastructures that could enhance variability of teaching methods and materials used in video conferencing. Masaryk University Brno (MU) and University of Wales in Aberystwyth (UWA) implemented videoconferencing technology into some of their joint programmes that were generally focused on English as a second language but were distinct in types of their learner groups, frequency o...
The paper discusses key methodological principles realized in the European Net-Trainers course: 1... more The paper discusses key methodological principles realized in the European Net-Trainers course: 160 hours over 6 to 7 months, 100 % online approach; open learning, experiential learning, collaborative learning; contract learning and strong tutor support. More concretely, this paper focuses at direct experience with the European and global dimension of the on-line learning from the tutor s and learner s perspective. The tutor s intentions, on-line course management, results and feedback is compared, contrasted and analysed in the light of the learners point of view where the importance of ensuring the proportionality between standardisation and diversification is pointed out.
This material presents examples of theories and activities of creative language learning which fo... more This material presents examples of theories and activities of creative language learning which form part of the language soft skills courses organised by the Masaryk University Language Centre withtin the framework of the Compact Project.
This chapter offers a practical insight into a creative approach to language teaching which has b... more This chapter offers a practical insight into a creative approach to language teaching which has been developed as a reaction to recent changes in, and the growing demand for, creativity, flexibility and advanced communication skills in the current knowledge and communication society. These social and cultural changes influence all sectors of society and have an enormous impact on the are of education. The roles of both teachers and learners are beginning to change. Language learners ten to be less and less seen as mere objects of teaching. Such significant changes in role require higher levels of flexibility and creativity, and these areas have become the focus of recent research at Masaryk University. This chapter presents an approach which has been developed, tested and successfully implemented at Masaryk University Language Centre.
The presentation uses samples of videoconference communication in multicultural class between Mas... more The presentation uses samples of videoconference communication in multicultural class between Masaryk University EAP and ESP students and Aberystwyth University EAP students and their related Facebook conversation. Presenters will comment on a number of pragmatic and semantic issues as well as on situations caused by the lack of intercultural awareness. Thus, the talk will show students performances of face-threatening acts produced by non-native speakers and differences in reactions of native and non-native speakers of English resulting from a lack of hedging. Presenters will also point at some problems with distinguishing levels of formality, misunderstandings arising from the use of certain loaded expressions and misunderstandings caused by using metaphors without knowledge of multicultural differences. The talk intends to explicate the importance of teaching pragmatics and raising intercultural sensitivity in international professional communication, where English is used as lin...
Přispěvek představuje analýzu ctyř multimedialnich kurzů anglickeho jazyka pro akademicke ucely C... more Přispěvek představuje analýzu ctyř multimedialnich kurzů anglickeho jazyka pro akademicke ucely CJV MU založených na teoretických principech směřujicich k flexibilnimu uceni a u-learningu. Regulerni, experimentalni i projektove modely využivaji různorode kombinace synchronnich a asynchronnich aktivit k co nejefektivnějsi výuce jazyka. Spolecným rysem vsech kurzů je důraz kladený na flexibilitu, vsestrannost využiti multimedii a co možna maximalně individualni přistup k uceni.
This material presents examples of theories and activities of critical thinking in language learn... more This material presents examples of theories and activities of critical thinking in language learning which form part of the Masaryk University Language Centre soft skills courses withtin the framework of the Compact Project. The activities are based on the theory of Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats.
This paper explores samples of community of practice communication in multicultural videoconferen... more This paper explores samples of community of practice communication in multicultural videoconferencing (VC) classes between English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) students at Masaryk University and their conterparts at Aberystwyth University. It comments on a number of pragmatic and semantic issues that have arisen during the videoconferences in addition to situations baused by a lack of intercultural awareness. Examples of students' performances show hoe face-threatening acts are percieved to have been produced by non-native speakers of English. Differences in the reactions of native and non-native speakers of English are then exemplified. The paper further examines the difficulties in distinguishing the levels of formality, directness and politeness and the misunderstandings which arise from the use of certain loaded expressions or metphors without knowledge of cultural differences and sensitivities. To conclude, the authors suggest the impo...
CASALC Review a reviewed journal of Czech and Slovak Association of Language Centres which publis... more CASALC Review a reviewed journal of Czech and Slovak Association of Language Centres which publishes articles connected to language teaching at tertiary education. This journal issue presents a collection of articles by specialists and practitioners from 15 different countries, focusing on innovations in teaching languages for specific purposes, soft skills in teaching languages for academic purposes, teaching via video conferencing, research at language centres and testing.
Leporelo představuje vybrane jazykove aktivity realizovane v Centru jazykoveho vzdělavani Masaryk... more Leporelo představuje vybrane jazykove aktivity realizovane v Centru jazykoveho vzdělavani Masarykovy univerzity. Najdeme zde ukazky z kurzů akademickeho a odborneho ciziho jazyka, a to anglictiny, francouzstiny, spanělstiny a němciny se zaměřenim na humanitni obory, ekonomii a pravo.
The introduction and use of information and communication technologies in education at university... more The introduction and use of information and communication technologies in education at university level have accelerated the interest in changes of traditional teaching methods and learning processes towards intercultural skills and competences. Masaryk University in Brno (Czech Republic) is the promoter of the European INVITE (http://invite.lingua.muni.cz/) project (Leonardo da Vinci Programme), whose aim is to facilitate programmes of cooperation between learning groups from different cultures, professional and educational environments and disciplines with multipurpose teaching goals, and to create teaching materials focused on development of intercultural skills within language teaching environment. Masaryk University (MU) and Aberystwyth University (AU) implemented ICT into some of their joint programmes that were generally focused on English as a second language. None of the students involved in the programmes were native speakers of English and the seminar groups facilitated f...
VideoFunet Conference 10 and 11 May 2007 | Tampere, Finland The introduction and use of videoconf... more VideoFunet Conference 10 and 11 May 2007 | Tampere, Finland The introduction and use of videoconferencing and other information and communication technologies in education at university level have accelerated the interest in changes of traditional teaching methods and learning processes. Masaryk University in Brno (Czech Republic) is the promoter of the European INVITE (http://invite.lingua.muni.cz/) project (Leonardo da Vinci Programme), whose aim is to facilitate programmes of cooperation between learning groups from different professional and educational environments, cultures and disciplines with multipurpose teaching objectives. One of the goals of the project is to create a teaching material that covers key videoconferencing skills, namely operational and technical skills, functional language and cultural competencies. Masaryk University Brno (MU) and University of Wales in Aberystwyth (UWA) implemented videoconferencing technology into some of their joint programmes that were...
Multimedia měni tradicni výukove metody a procesy uceni. Přispěvek se soustředi na podstatu flexi... more Multimedia měni tradicni výukove metody a procesy uceni. Přispěvek se soustředi na podstatu flexibilniho uceni a u-learningu na poli výuky akademickeho jazyka, zmiňuje oblasti využiti multimedii nabizene v programech Centra jazykoveho vzdělavani Masarykovy univerzity Brno a rozebira možnosti kombinace synchronniho a asynchronniho uceni. Flexibilni uceni a u-learning jsou představeny jako cesta ke skutecnosti blizkemu, otevřenemu, intenzivnimu, mnohotvaremu a individualnimu způsobu uceni.
The INVITE project (Leonardo da Vinci programme) which experiments with implementing videoconfere... more The INVITE project (Leonardo da Vinci programme) which experiments with implementing videoconferencing skills into existing teaching modules at universities (Masaryk University Brno, Czech Republic and University of Wales, Aberystwyth) was introduced to the Diverse community in Lillehammer, 2007. One of the project aims is to create and test innovative teaching methods and materials used in videoconferencing through English as a second language. In order to obtain a greater impact and achieve better sustainability of the project results in learning infrastructures, the results have been further tested and implemented into life-long learning programmes outside the universities and courses offered to private firms and to general public. Incorporation of videoconferencing into standard language classes at the universities has been relatively easy and videoconferencing holds a strong position in the course syllabuses. Sustainability of project results within the life-long educational pr...
This discussion works with ongoing research in socially negotiated literacy practices in video co... more This discussion works with ongoing research in socially negotiated literacy practices in video conferencing. The participants include Erasmus European exchange students in an Advanced Communication module at the University of Wales Aberystwyth and participating students in the Faculties of Law and Social Studies at Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic. The students are connected by video conference twice to three times per semester to take part in discussions and presentations of team-based project work, for which prior exchange of project information takes place through student team-written web-sites. Through earlier research into literacy practices in video conferencing and how people adapt to the medium in terms of appropriate communication skills, we have found that socially negotiated aspects of design form a significant part of being able to communicate effectively in a video conference. In pursuing this research we have begun to work with a subject web-site to include s...
This book is designed to help any student or researcher who needs to improve or refine their acad... more This book is designed to help any student or researcher who needs to improve or refine their academic language skills in English on the CEFR B2 level. This guide presents basic skills required for successful studies, work and communication in the international world of science and research. Adopting a bilingual approach, the book covers a range of fundamental aspects in six areas, namely vocabulary, grammar, reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Each section combines summarized information on theoretical background of each area in Czech with a series of practical activities in English. It also includes a short list of online links that may help to individualise language studies. The key at the end of the book gives possible answers to the tasks and provides additional comments on some of them. Written by an international team of authors with a long experience of teaching academic English in a university environment, this volume provides an ideal text for university English lang...
This special issue of HLT presents language teaching at the Masaryk University Language Centre, B... more This special issue of HLT presents language teaching at the Masaryk University Language Centre, Brno, Czech Republic. The idea to dedicate one whole issue to activities of a university language centre came from a number of discussions on the variety of approaches to language teaching universities all over the world currently offer. It was a great opportunity to showcase our good practices but it was definitely going to be a challenge for the whole Centre at the same time.
Now that video conferencing and other ICTs are being widely used in education at university level... more Now that video conferencing and other ICTs are being widely used in education at university level, changes in traditional teaching methods towards transformation of educational experience are being explored. Masaryk University in Brno (Czech Republic) is the promoter of the European INVITE (http://invite.lingua.muni.cz) project (Leonardo da Vinci Programme), whose aim is to facilitate programmes of cooperation between learning groups from different professional and educational environments and cultures, with multi-purpose teaching objectives. One of the goals of the project is to create innovative learning infrastructures that could enhance variability of teaching methods and materials used in video conferencing. Masaryk University Brno (MU) and University of Wales in Aberystwyth (UWA) implemented videoconferencing technology into some of their joint programmes that were generally focused on English as a second language but were distinct in types of their learner groups, frequency o...
The paper discusses key methodological principles realized in the European Net-Trainers course: 1... more The paper discusses key methodological principles realized in the European Net-Trainers course: 160 hours over 6 to 7 months, 100 % online approach; open learning, experiential learning, collaborative learning; contract learning and strong tutor support. More concretely, this paper focuses at direct experience with the European and global dimension of the on-line learning from the tutor s and learner s perspective. The tutor s intentions, on-line course management, results and feedback is compared, contrasted and analysed in the light of the learners point of view where the importance of ensuring the proportionality between standardisation and diversification is pointed out.
This material presents examples of theories and activities of creative language learning which fo... more This material presents examples of theories and activities of creative language learning which form part of the language soft skills courses organised by the Masaryk University Language Centre withtin the framework of the Compact Project.
This chapter offers a practical insight into a creative approach to language teaching which has b... more This chapter offers a practical insight into a creative approach to language teaching which has been developed as a reaction to recent changes in, and the growing demand for, creativity, flexibility and advanced communication skills in the current knowledge and communication society. These social and cultural changes influence all sectors of society and have an enormous impact on the are of education. The roles of both teachers and learners are beginning to change. Language learners ten to be less and less seen as mere objects of teaching. Such significant changes in role require higher levels of flexibility and creativity, and these areas have become the focus of recent research at Masaryk University. This chapter presents an approach which has been developed, tested and successfully implemented at Masaryk University Language Centre.
The presentation uses samples of videoconference communication in multicultural class between Mas... more The presentation uses samples of videoconference communication in multicultural class between Masaryk University EAP and ESP students and Aberystwyth University EAP students and their related Facebook conversation. Presenters will comment on a number of pragmatic and semantic issues as well as on situations caused by the lack of intercultural awareness. Thus, the talk will show students performances of face-threatening acts produced by non-native speakers and differences in reactions of native and non-native speakers of English resulting from a lack of hedging. Presenters will also point at some problems with distinguishing levels of formality, misunderstandings arising from the use of certain loaded expressions and misunderstandings caused by using metaphors without knowledge of multicultural differences. The talk intends to explicate the importance of teaching pragmatics and raising intercultural sensitivity in international professional communication, where English is used as lin...
Přispěvek představuje analýzu ctyř multimedialnich kurzů anglickeho jazyka pro akademicke ucely C... more Přispěvek představuje analýzu ctyř multimedialnich kurzů anglickeho jazyka pro akademicke ucely CJV MU založených na teoretických principech směřujicich k flexibilnimu uceni a u-learningu. Regulerni, experimentalni i projektove modely využivaji různorode kombinace synchronnich a asynchronnich aktivit k co nejefektivnějsi výuce jazyka. Spolecným rysem vsech kurzů je důraz kladený na flexibilitu, vsestrannost využiti multimedii a co možna maximalně individualni přistup k uceni.
This material presents examples of theories and activities of critical thinking in language learn... more This material presents examples of theories and activities of critical thinking in language learning which form part of the Masaryk University Language Centre soft skills courses withtin the framework of the Compact Project. The activities are based on the theory of Edward de Bono's Six Thinking Hats.
This paper explores samples of community of practice communication in multicultural videoconferen... more This paper explores samples of community of practice communication in multicultural videoconferencing (VC) classes between English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) students at Masaryk University and their conterparts at Aberystwyth University. It comments on a number of pragmatic and semantic issues that have arisen during the videoconferences in addition to situations baused by a lack of intercultural awareness. Examples of students' performances show hoe face-threatening acts are percieved to have been produced by non-native speakers of English. Differences in the reactions of native and non-native speakers of English are then exemplified. The paper further examines the difficulties in distinguishing the levels of formality, directness and politeness and the misunderstandings which arise from the use of certain loaded expressions or metphors without knowledge of cultural differences and sensitivities. To conclude, the authors suggest the impo...
CASALC Review a reviewed journal of Czech and Slovak Association of Language Centres which publis... more CASALC Review a reviewed journal of Czech and Slovak Association of Language Centres which publishes articles connected to language teaching at tertiary education. This journal issue presents a collection of articles by specialists and practitioners from 15 different countries, focusing on innovations in teaching languages for specific purposes, soft skills in teaching languages for academic purposes, teaching via video conferencing, research at language centres and testing.
Leporelo představuje vybrane jazykove aktivity realizovane v Centru jazykoveho vzdělavani Masaryk... more Leporelo představuje vybrane jazykove aktivity realizovane v Centru jazykoveho vzdělavani Masarykovy univerzity. Najdeme zde ukazky z kurzů akademickeho a odborneho ciziho jazyka, a to anglictiny, francouzstiny, spanělstiny a němciny se zaměřenim na humanitni obory, ekonomii a pravo.
The introduction and use of information and communication technologies in education at university... more The introduction and use of information and communication technologies in education at university level have accelerated the interest in changes of traditional teaching methods and learning processes towards intercultural skills and competences. Masaryk University in Brno (Czech Republic) is the promoter of the European INVITE (http://invite.lingua.muni.cz/) project (Leonardo da Vinci Programme), whose aim is to facilitate programmes of cooperation between learning groups from different cultures, professional and educational environments and disciplines with multipurpose teaching goals, and to create teaching materials focused on development of intercultural skills within language teaching environment. Masaryk University (MU) and Aberystwyth University (AU) implemented ICT into some of their joint programmes that were generally focused on English as a second language. None of the students involved in the programmes were native speakers of English and the seminar groups facilitated f...
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