Pamela Rogerson-Revell

Directions in E-Learning Tools and Technologies and Their Relevance to Online Distance Language Education.

This paper attempts to draw together current developments in e‐learning tools and technologies with a view to extending distance language educators’ (teachers, materials developers, programme leaders) awareness of the technical possibilities at their disposal for developing online distance learning resources. The paper briefly outlines the evolution of web and computer‐assisted language learning authoring and then describes some current directions in e‐learning applications, such as hybridisation, modularity, standardisation and integration. It suggests the potential of such trends to distance language education, providing examples of online learning materials recently developed by the author and others. It proposes the need to bridge the gap between pedagogic and technical expertise in creating online language learning resources, and argues that greater convergence and dissemination of ideas, resources and objectives between the fields of e‐learning and distance language learning could be of equal benefit in promoting effective online learning resources.

Can you spell that for us nonnative speakers?: Accommodation strategies in international business meetings

This article investigates the role of speech accommodation by native and nonnative speakers of English in a series of international business meetings. The study first of all reveals an awareness by some participants of the need to adjust language for an international audience and an intuitive understanding of some of the ways this can be achieved. Analysis of the meetings’ discourse further illustrates some of the normalization and convergence strategies used by some participants throughout the meetings to accommodate linguistic differences and difficulties. It is suggested that such authentic examples could be used as the basis for business communication training resources to help both native and nonnative speakers communicate more effectively in international contexts.

Developing a cultural syllabus for business language e-learning materials

The increasing emphasis on ‘e-learning’ in all sectors of education, including vocational and professional domains, offers great potential to provide interactive, up-dateable multimedia materials which allow greater flexibility of access and use. This paper reports on an EU-funded, e-learning project which aims to exploit on-line technology to develop intercultural business and language skills for European managers in the construction industy. It advocates an integrated approach to language and culture training, describing how a ‘cultural syllabus’ was designed to develop users’ understanding of key aspects of European work culture and practices alongside their professional language skills. The resulting matrix syllabus incorporates insights from theoretical frameworks together with factual information and authentic accounts of cross cultural work experiences. It argues that the growing demand for on-line learning materials needs to be matched by great attention to quality of course and materials design so that technology enhances, rather than detracts from, content and pedagogy.

Language Matters An Introduction

The idea for this “Language Matters” special issue stems from a water cooler conversation at the first ELF (English as a Lingua Franca) Forum held at the University of Helsinki in spring 2008. We were both excited about the large number of linguists engaging in heated discussions about ELF. First, scholars argued about the existence or nonexistence of ELF, then about its core and boundaries, and further about its use and users. We both have a linguistic background, but are currently more involved in business and professional communication and thus follow discussions in those fields. At the water cooler, we wondered, why is it that ELF research does not really have any visibility in business communication? And this is despite the fact that a major part of all global business today is conducted in ELF—or BELF, for that matter (see Louhiala-Salminen, Charles, & Kankaanranta, 2005, for an introduction of BELF, i.e., English as a Lingua Franca in Business, contexts). Why, overall, are language matters still often “side issues” in communication research? Language is taken for granted— not questioned, examined, used as a variable, or explained. These questions finally led to a proposal for a special issue on “Language Matters” for the Journal of Business Communication, and in the end resulted in the

Constructively aligning technologies with learning and assessment in a distance education master’s programme

This paper reports on an action research study investigating the use of online learning activities or “e-tivities” to enhance the learning and assessment experience of students on a distance master’s programme. The study suggests that to be successfully integrated in a programme, such activities need to be carefully aligned with learning outcomes and assessment practices, and their value needs to be clear both to students and staff. The paper describes how e-tivities were designed, adopting a constructive alignment approach, to introduce more flexible and innovative approaches to learning and assessment. The e-tivities used a range of technologies (e.g., voice-based discussion boards, podcasts, wikis and blogs) to carry out group-based reflective activities. The study provides some evidence that such e-tivities, particularly voice-based activities, can help provide earlier, more detailed formative assessment, stimulate a more collaborative approach to learning and motivate students to engage more broadly with course content.

An Evaluation of the Use of Voice Boards, E-Book Readers and Virtual Worlds in a Postgraduate Distance Learning Applied Linguistics and TESOL Programme

We researched the incorporation of three learning technologies (voice boards, i.e. voice-based discussion boards, e-book readers, and Second Life virtual world), into the Master’s Programme in Applied Linguistics and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages offered by distance learning at the University of Leicester. This small-scale study was conducted as part of a JISC-funded research project called DUCKLING (Delivery University Curricula: Knowledge, Learning and INnovation Gains). The project focused on the impact of learning technology innovations on the design and delivery of distance-based postgraduate curricula. Digital audio technologies such as voice boards, used in conjunction with online activities (‘e-tivities’), constitute a low-cost innovation that offered high value to the distance learners who participated in this research. Benefits included a perceived reduction in learner isolation, increased personalisation and further opportunities for tutor and peer feedback. E-book readers, preloaded with course materials, afforded moderate benefits to learners, especially in relation to flexibility and access, at a relatively low cost. Virtual worlds such as Second Life required a steep learning curve for learners and tutors alike and incurred higher development costs, with a lesser impact on the learner experience.

Chairing International Business Meetings: Investigating Humour and Leadership Style in the Workplace

Language used in workplace interactions does not only fulfil the obvious needs of getting things done, it is also a resource for developing and managing working relationships and identities. In other words, like all communication, workplace communication has both a transactional and relational function. Also, given that a large proportion of professional interaction is hierarchical or asymmetrical, an important element of communication in the workplace involves impressing or influencing others. In this sense, an effective leadership style can be a very powerful tool in professional life and the importance of communication in leadership performance has been noted in recent research (Fairhurst, 2007; Ford, 2006).

An Introduction to Language Matters Part 2

Having met up recently at the ABC’s 10th European conference in Antwerp, we coeditors were very pleased to see how well the first issue of “Language Matters” (Journal of Business Communication, April 2010), which focused on language at the macro level, has resonated with the business communication community. Not only were many positive comments made about the articles in the first issue but also many of the key concerns raised regarding the centrality of language in business communication were reflected in the conference presentations and plenary sessions. Indeed, both Guiliana Garzone (2010) and Brigitte Planken’s (2010) plenary addresses emphasized the importance of both language and new technologies in development in business communication, and several of the articles in “Language Matters” show how the synergy between language and technology is influencing the evolution of business communication today. Similarly, Jo Mackiewicz’s (2010) engaging plenary talk reminded us of the importance of relating research findings to business practice and of the need to give due attention to the implications of any research we do: a plea that we hope has been carefully attended to in the articles in these two issues. Both issues of “Language Matters” attempt to show how language continues to play a central role in what Planken (2010) referred to as “the changing landscape of business communication” as increasing globalization and the

An Introduction to Language Matters

Having met up recently at the ABC’s 10th European conference in Antwerp, we coeditors were very pleased to see how well the first issue of “Language Matters” (Journal of Business Communication, April 2010), which focused on language at the macro level, has resonated with the business communication community. Not only were many positive comments made about the articles in the first issue but also many of the key concerns raised regarding the centrality of language in business communication were reflected in the conference presentations and plenary sessions. Indeed, both Guiliana Garzone (2010) and Brigitte Planken’s (2010) plenary addresses emphasized the importance of both language and new technologies in development in business communication, and several of the articles in “Language Matters” show how the synergy between language and technology is influencing the evolution of business communication today. Similarly, Jo Mackiewicz’s (2010) engaging plenary talk reminded us of the importance of relating research findings to business practice and of the need to give due attention to the implications of any research we do: a plea that we hope has been carefully attended to in the articles in these two issues. Both issues of “Language Matters” attempt to show how language continues to play a central role in what Planken (2010) referred to as “the changing landscape of business communication” as increasing globalization and the

A hybrid approach to developing CALL materials: authoring with Macromedia’s Dreamweaver/Coursebuilder

This paper describes some of the pedagogical and technical issues involved in adopting a hybrid approach to CALL materials development. It illustrates some of these issues with reference to a vocational CALL project, LANCAM, which took such a hybrid approach. It describes some of the benefits and considerations involved in hybrid development and evaluates the commercial web development tool, ‘Dreamweaver’ and its extension application ‘Coursebuilder’, which was used to author the LANCAM materials. It argues for a reconsideration of generic web development tools in CALL authoring and also for language experts to be actively involved in the instructional design process.