Developing and evaluating a multimodal course format: Danish for knowledge workers – labour market-related Danish

TY - GEN

T1 - Developing and evaluating a multimodal course format

T2 - Danish for knowledge workers – labour market-related Danish

AU - Laursen, Katja Årosin

AU - Frederiksen, Karen-Margrete

PY - 2015/12/10

Y1 - 2015/12/10

N2 - This paper presents our reflections on developing the Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) course Danish for knowledge workers – labour market-related Danish. As defined by Laursen and Frederiksen (2015), knowledge workers are “highly educated people who typically work at universities, at other institutions of higher education and research, or in private companies working with development and research at a level corresponding to that of a university” (p. 62). We base our reflections primarily on a participant survey, which focuses on the integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into the course format. Our point of departure for developing the course is blending online and classroom learning. In order to fully meet the Danish language needs of the knowledge workers, one essential aspect to reflect on is that of authenticity in language learning, for instance authentic input aimed at specific academic purposes. The notion of authenticity in language learning is a many-faceted concept (Gilmore, 2007; Pinner, 2014); depending on what aspects of language learning you focus on, authenticity may relate to the input, the tasks, or the social situation of the classroom. In order to become part of the workplace, investment (Norton & Toohey, 2011) in Danish language learning is an important keyword. The course participants invest time and energy into learning Danish, and the workplace ideally invests time and money in the employees’ language learning with the aim of integrating the employees both socially and professionally. Keywords: needs analyses, user-driven learning, authentic and personalised input, investment, multimodal CALL.

AB - This paper presents our reflections on developing the Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) course Danish for knowledge workers – labour market-related Danish. As defined by Laursen and Frederiksen (2015), knowledge workers are “highly educated people who typically work at universities, at other institutions of higher education and research, or in private companies working with development and research at a level corresponding to that of a university” (p. 62). We base our reflections primarily on a participant survey, which focuses on the integration of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) into the course format. Our point of departure for developing the course is blending online and classroom learning. In order to fully meet the Danish language needs of the knowledge workers, one essential aspect to reflect on is that of authenticity in language learning, for instance authentic input aimed at specific academic purposes. The notion of authenticity in language learning is a many-faceted concept (Gilmore, 2007; Pinner, 2014); depending on what aspects of language learning you focus on, authenticity may relate to the input, the tasks, or the social situation of the classroom. In order to become part of the workplace, investment (Norton & Toohey, 2011) in Danish language learning is an important keyword. The course participants invest time and energy into learning Danish, and the workplace ideally invests time and money in the employees’ language learning with the aim of integrating the employees both socially and professionally. Keywords: needs analyses, user-driven learning, authentic and personalised input, investment, multimodal CALL.

KW - Faculty of Humanities

KW - autenticitet i sprogundervisning

M3 - Conference article

SP - 186

EP - 191

JO - Critical CALL

JF - Critical CALL

ER -