Designing ICT-enhanced Language programmes: An academic writing for postgraduate studies

HRADILOVÁ, Alena and Libor ŠTĚPÁNEK. Designing ICT-enhanced Language programmes: An academic writing for postgraduate studies. 2010.

Basic information

• Original name: Designing ICT-enhanced Language programmes: An academic writing for postgraduate studies
• Authors: HRADILOVÁ, Alena and Libor ŠTĚPÁNEK.
• Edition: 2010.

Other information

• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Field of Study: 60200 6.2 Languages and Literature
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Organization unit: Language Centre

Abstract

Masaryk University Language Centre (Centrum jazykového vzdělávání CJV MU), the largest one in the Czech Republic, engages in teaching and research activities closely related to the development and use of collaborative Web 2.0 and multimedia supported learning. This paper presents one of the successful ICT enhanced complex, flexible and individualised language learning programmes, namely the Academic Writing for Postgraduate Studies Course. We would like to offer an insight into the organization of this interdisciplinary module whose aim is to prepare PhD students and young researchers for high quality writing. We will illustrate how the typical features of high quality academic writing suitable for the particular fields of study are discussed and practised with the help of modern technologies; how students develop their nets of creative cooperation where they peer review and comment writings of their colleagues; how they discuss, via videoconferencing, publishing industry market needs with publishing experts, and watch and/or join analyses of their texts presented by text analysts from different countries; and how they make use of all course materials including recorded VC discussions that are online at their disposal. By considering strong points and pitfalls of the new tools and strategies in such a course we would like to share our experience and stimulate discussion on where the current limits of flexible ICT enhanced Web 2.0 learning are and where the balance between traditional and new methods serves the learners needs best.