Computer-mediated language teaching: Challenges faced by a university in South America

Milton Keynes

Conferencia; A talk about computer-mediated language teaching in Latin America; 2008

Open University

Computer-mediated language teaching: Challenges faced by a university in South AmericaIn this presentation I will share with the audience information about the teaching-learning of foreign languages via computer-mediated communication in a geographical area that acts as an educational hub not only for other areas in the country but also for neighbouring countries. The Faculty of Languages, at the University of Córdoba, is offering a number of on-line language courses that can be taken completely on-line and others that are taught on a blended-learning basis. I will be talking about the pros and cons of both types of courses for our community of learners. I will also address the difficulties (both political and financial) involved in trying to convert regular university courses into on-line courses. Although Argentina, as part of the Southern cone, is some years behind as far as technology is concerned in comparison with countries in the Northern hemisphere, we are doing our best to learn and to keep abreast with the latest innovations and Web resources that crop up every day by establishing contacts with computer-minded colleagues and universities overseas. I hope this talk will help describe our past and present work and show our willingness to participate in projects outside South America.