Affiliation:
1. Söderstorn University, Sweden
Abstract
The English Department at Högskolan Dalarna, Sweden, participates in a distance-learning program with the Faculty of Education at Vietnam National University. Students who enroll in this program are teachers of English at secondary or tertiary institutions, and will study half time for two years to complete a Master’s degree in English Linguistics. The distance program, adapted specifically to accommodate the Vietnamese students in terms of cultural differences as well as inexperience with distance methodology, is characterized by three design features: testing, technical training, and fostering a community of learners. The design of the courses also reflects a learner-centered approach that addresses common problem areas in distance education by promoting interactivity. Central to the overall program is the maintenance of different channels of communication, reflecting an effort to support the students academically and socially, both as individuals and members of a learning community. In this way, the effects of physical and cultural distances are minimized.
Reference60 articles.
1. The Effect of Synchronous and Asynchronous CMC on Oral Performance in German
2. Language learning theories and cooperative learning techniques in the EFL classroom.;M.Apple;Doshisha Studies in Language and Culture,2006
3. Computer-Assisted Classroom Discussion in the Foreign Language Classroom: Conversation in Slow Motion
4. Theory and Practice for Distance Education
5. Discourse strategies and power roles in student-led distance learning.;K.Beers Fägersten;Proceedings of Identity and Power in the Language Classroom,2008