e-Learning in and for the Use of Education and Minority Languages Conference on Further Education and Minority Languages BIFHE, 11 May 2006 Dr Wolfgang Greller

Image Problem Generalisations Traditional Lack of education Backward Political and social unity

Generalisations

Traditional

Lack of education

Backward

Political and social unity

Image Problems

Image Problems

Language Planning Education Economic Value Identity Confidence Language Growth Language Growth

e-Commerce e-Business e-Government e-Entertainment Cultural Change e-Learning INFORMATION SOCIETY

e-Commerce

e-Business

e-Government

e-Entertainment

e-Learning

Offers flexible learning on demand, any time or anywhere Allows for creative innovation in education and new ways of delivery Provides a safe environment Creates an economy of scale that is otherwise impossible Captures teaching and learning processes Why e-Learning?

Offers flexible learning on demand, any time or anywhere

Allows for creative innovation in education and new ways of delivery

Provides a safe environment

Creates an economy of scale that is otherwise impossible

Captures teaching and learning processes

Drivers Students demand: ICT in education – “Nintendo generation” Wider learning opportunities Flexible provision Continuous development Access to high quality education Individual learning needs

Students demand:

ICT in education – “Nintendo generation”

Wider learning opportunities

Flexible provision

Continuous development

Access to high quality education

Individual learning needs

Challenges Equitable learning experience Connectivity in remote/deprived communities Speed of technical changes Skills to take advantage of what’s on offer Expectations of learners

Equitable learning experience

Connectivity in remote/deprived communities

Speed of technical changes

Skills to take advantage of what’s on offer

Expectations of learners

Opportunities Outreach Connecting communities (Diaspora) Revitalisation and status to the language Economies of scale Allows to capture/transfer traditional skills Provide essential new skills

Outreach

Connecting communities (Diaspora)

Revitalisation and status to the language

Economies of scale

Allows to capture/transfer traditional skills

Provide essential new skills

Opportunities

Gaelic Online for Native Speakers

Why teach L1 online? Motivation: Self-paced study Anonymity to language professionals Free provision Lost generation Updatable and authoritative reference Goals: New orthography Improve grammar Update terminology Develop creative skills Develop editorial skills

Motivation:

Self-paced study

Anonymity to language professionals

Free provision

Lost generation

Updatable and authoritative reference

Goals:

New orthography

Improve grammar

Update terminology

Develop creative skills

Develop editorial skills

Inspired? (Nearly) everything is possible: e.g. The Klingon Bible Translation Project

(Nearly) everything is possible:

Get going… Dr Wolfgang Greller Head of e-Learning University of Klagenfurt Austria E-mail: [email_address] Web: www.greller.net

Dr Wolfgang Greller

Head of e-Learning

University of Klagenfurt

Austria

E-mail: [email_address]

Web: www.greller.net