Future of the Language Lab

[Dr. Frederick H. White]

Dear Tony,

We are going through similar negotiations about our lab at the moment.
I do think that the internet is going to greatly influence the Language
Lab as we once knew it.  I encourage my students to access the web for
their workbook assignments, and listening drills at home if possible.
We use Golosa and there is a lot available on the website.  Some of our
students do not have the option of home internet usage (we don't require
students to buy computers) so my suggestion has been that our LL be
outfitted with high-speed connections, headphones and individualized
work areas to service those students who cannot work at home or prefer
to work on their assignments at the university.

You might want to contact Dan Bayer at the University of So. California.
USC redid their language lab about 8 years ago with New Media concepts.
Dan could probably give you good insight into how that has worked out.


Best of luck.

Cheers,
F

********************************
Dr. Frederick H. White
Memorial University   SN3056
Department of German and Russian
St. John's, NL    A1B 3X9
Ph: 709-737-8829
Fax: 709-737-4000
Office: 709-737-8831
*********************************

-----Original Message-----
From: Slavic & East European Languages and Literature list
[mailto:SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of Tony Anemone
Sent: Tuesday, 19 October, 2004 16:10
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Subject: [SEELANGS] Future of the Language Lab

Colleagues,

As part of university-wide planning for the technology needs of the
future, the language programs at William and Mary have been asked to
think about the future of our Multi-Media Computing Center (what we
used to call our Language lab).  For example, we have been asked to
list the specific activities that faculty and students in the modern
languages and literatures presently use and anticipate using in the
future.  Two parts of the agenda driving the discussion are that W & M
is moving to have all undergraduate students purchase standard laptop
computers and a new media center is about to open in the library.  Both
of these initiative are seen by the people in Information Technology
and the Dean's office as good reasons to downsize or close the lab or
to transform it into a high-tech teaching and training facility.

I would appreciate hearing from any colleagues who have experience with
such issues or strong opinions about the future of language labs. e.g.,
  Do you think that laptop technology in the hands of faculty and
students renders language labs obsolete?  Are there unanticipated
problems that you have experienced with similar transformations at your
universities?  Do you agree that textbooks with instructional trapes,
CDs or DVDs, and Windows computers on which one can tape, save and
share speech excerpts, etc. can indeed fulfill the traditional
functions of the lab.

Thanks,

Tony



Tony Anemone, Chair MLL
Associate Professor of Russian
P.O. Box 8795
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
College of William and Mary
phone:          757-221-3636
fax:            757-221-3637

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