International Education and Foreign Languages Keys to Securing America's Future (2007) / Chapter Skim
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8 Advancing Uses of New Technology
8 Advancing Uses of New Technology
Pages 171-181
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From page 171... ...
Briefly, almost all areas of human endeavor have been deeply affected by changes in ICT. The ability to communicate in multiple media with people around the world at low cost, as well as the ability to look for and publish any information on a distributed global information network, have profound implications for research, education, and outreach activities that have an international focus, such as those included in the Title VI/FH programs.
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From page 172... ...
Today, with fiber optic lines and satellites, phone calls anywhere cost only cents, and the capacity is virtually unlimited. In 2006, there are over 2 billion mobile phone subscribers worldwide, which means over one-third of the world's population had access to a mobile phone.
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From page 173... ...
The first change, which has already affected Title VI/FH quite a bit, is the potential for expanded access to primary sources of information. For example, in the 1950s, it was almost impossible for most people in the United States to have access to a Chinese newspaper published in China on a regular basis.
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From page 174... ...
Today, researchers and organizations can instantly disseminate information and distribute documents to a broad audience located anywhere on the globe. This not only dramatically reduces costs but also reaches a broader audience in a much shorter time.
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From page 175... ...
From that viewpoint, the question of interest would involve relating the technology to its users and use -- information that is not available in any systematic way in grant applications and reports. Indeed, a paper on second language acquisition prepared for another recent National Academies study stated that, although use of new technology has made its way into language classrooms, "very little research has been conducted from a cognitive perspective to determine how the method of delivery and context of learning affect the acquisition of [second language]
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From page 176... ...
This usually means digitization of material that was previously available only in hard copy or the creation of interactive online learning materials. Technology as a Delivery Tool One important use of technology as a delivery tool is to support outreach, a required activity of the NRC Program (see Chapter 5)
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From page 177... ...
This is consistent with its mission -- to access, collect, preserve, and widely disseminate information from foreign sources. The projects identified seek to develop foreign source materials for research use by scholars or for language instruction.
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From page 178... ...
Consortium Using an Undergraduate International Studies and Foreign Language grant, REEES at the University of Iowa, in partnership with the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures at Iowa State University and the Department of Mod ern Languages at the University of Northern Iowa, has begun a pilot program of distance learning for REEES students at the three Iowa institutions. The project pools faculty expertise and student populations through a combination of In ternet-based instructional delivery platforms, enriching offerings in these areas at all three campuses simultaneously.
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From page 179... ...
University of Sources of Authentic Materials for the Less Commonly Taught California, Languages -- develop an online tool for bringing authentic materials Los Angeles into the classroom for less commonly taught languages. University of Mining Hidden Gems: Building a Latin American Open Archives Portal California, for Scholars -- address the need for improved control of and access to Los Angeles Latin America's "grey literature," the publications, working documents, and other materials produced by research institutes, nongovernmental organizations, and peripheral agencies produced in print and electronic formats.
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From page 180... ...
It builds on a previous IRS project that developed CAST to create online diagnostic speaking assessments in Arabic and Spanish. CAST can assess the language skills of remotely located individuals (practicing and aspiring teachers, interpreters, international business employees, and government workers)
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From page 181... ...
However, there is clear opportunity for additional innovation, particularly given the rapid changes in technology. Some avenues to pursue include virtual language or area centers, common technology platforms that can serve as the foundation for the teaching of a wide variety of languages, more online learning, global collaboration, and making better use of original foreign language source materials.
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