Abstract from the publisher:
This chapter examines the Collaborative Virtual Learning Environment (CVLE) Lyceum. These authors report on a pilot study conducted at the Open University UK using Lyceum, which ultimately resulted in a successful online German language course. Both learners and tutors reported that the CVLE yielded very rewarding learning outcomes, wherein tutors are not only instructors but also facilitators and participants in the learning process, and students not only interact with tutors but with fellow students. The chapter ends on a note of sage advice that echo early Greek philosophers who built the original Lyceum in ancient Athens: we must all strive to create opportunities for students to engage in oral interaction, and the use of this modern-day Lyceum is one such viable forum.

Abstract from the publisher:
This edited book is the first collection of studies to be published dealing specifically with the teaching of languages at a distance. It contains contributions from language teaching professionals working all over the world, and covers a variety of languages. Based on practical experience and research, it includes work on learner autonomy and support, the development of intercultural competence, methodology and course design, learning environments and language teacher education.

Abstract from the publisher:
This edited book is the first collection of studies to be published dealing specifically with the teaching of languages at a distance. It contains contributions from language teaching professionals working all over the world, and covers a variety of languages. Based on practical experience and research, it includes work on learner autonomy and support, the development of intercultural competence, methodology and course design, learning environments and language teacher education.

Abstract from the publisher:
This study examines the outcome results from a university level virtual Spanish course, Spanish Without Walls (SWW), that enrolls working professionals from the Sacramento Area. The curricular materials include: (1) five CD-ROMs (Tesoros) that present the first-year grammar and vocabulary in a detective-style format; (2) online content-based cultural readings/activities; and (3) a sound/text chat tool. The SWW students, despite having less high school experience with Spanish, performed significantly better on discrete grammar tests than their classroom counterparts enrolled in a traditional classroom format. Possible reasons for this difference are discussed along with student attitudes toward distance-learning language courses.

Abstract from the publisher:
In order to respond to learners' need for more flexible speaking opportunities and to overcome the geographical challenge of students spread over the United Kingdom and continental Western Europe, the Open University recently introduced Internet-based, real-time audio conferencing, thus making a groundbreaking move in the distance learning and teaching of languages. Since February 2002, online tutorials for language courses have been offered using Lyceum, an Internet-based audio-graphics conferencing tool developed in house.

Our research is based on the first Open University course ever to deliver tutorials solely online, a level 2 German course, and this article considers some of the challenges of implementing online tuition. As a starting point, we present the pedagogical rationale underpinning the virtual learning and teaching environment. Then we examine the process of development and implementation of online tuition in terms of activity design, tutor training, and student support. A number of methodological tools such as logbooks, questionnaires, and observations were used to gather data. The findings of this paper highlight the complexity of the organisational as well as the pedagogical framework that contributes to the effective use of online tuition via audio conferencing systems in a distance education setting.

Abstract from the publisher:
This paper reports the results of the assessment of Elementary French I Online, the first
course to be offered under the Language Online project at Carnegie Mellon University.
The purpose of the assessment was to determine if there were significant differences
in achievement, satisfaction, and time spent on the course between the students in the
online course and those in a conventional (offline) course. Multiple measures were taken
of student background, including language and technology experience, and individual
differences in learning styles. Students were compared on measures of grammatical
knowledge, written production, oral production, listening comprehension, and reading
comprehension; in addition, measures of satisfaction and time spent learning French were
determined through course evaluations and interviews. The only statistically significant
difference on the learning measures occurred in the written production task in which the
online students outperformed the offline students; however, results should be carefully
interpreted due to the sample size and use of intact classes. Student satisfaction was generally positive, but students in the online course voiced some frustrations. Students in the online course also reported spending less time studying French than did their counterparts
in the conventional course.

Abstract from the publisher:
Rational choices among the numerous technological options available for foreign language teaching need to be based, in part, on psycholinguistic considerations. Which technological advances help create an optimal psycholinguistic environment for language learning, and which may be innovative but relatively unhelpful? One potential source of guidance is offered by the 10 methodological principles of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT; Long, 1985, and elsewhere), each realizable by a variety of pedagogic procedures. Interest in TBLT derives from several sources, including its responsiveness to learners' precisely specified communicative needs, the potential it offers for developing functional language proficiency without sacrificing grammatical accuracy, and its attempt to harmonize the way languages are taught with what SLA research has revealed about how they are learned. TBLT's 10 methodological principles are briefly defined and motivated, and illustrations provided of how the principles can inform choices among technological options in the particular case of distance learning for the less commonly taught languages.

Abstract from the publisher:
Debates on e-learning often begin by comparing apples with oranges. The 'theatre of the classroom' and the rich social tapestry of the campus are contrasted with a barren, solitary, inhuman online experience consisting of no more than downloading texts and submitting assignments. While the comparison ensures amusing entertainment, it does no more than claim that a piece of technology cannot replicate or even simulate what a brilliant teacher can do in a classroom. Of course it cannot. What is more, without the intervention of a creative teacher, the Web and the Internet can at best function as a convenient materials resource and communication vehicle.
This paper will take a critical look at popular myths attached to online learning from three perspectives: administrators, teachers and students. The central questions underpinning the discussion as a whole are (1) why would we want to teach online? (2) what are the constraints? and (3) how can we do it well despite the constraints?

The paper argues that the exciting promise of the new technologies is that they offer an environment in which an innovative teacher can set up authentic learning tasks in which both the processes and the goals are stimulating and engaging, and which take individual student differences into account. It will demonstrate by way of practical examples that the new technologies offer great potential for adding value to face to face teaching and that the greatest challenge lies in designing and sustaining quality language programs at a distance.

Abstract from the publisher:
Interest in the remote delivery of language instruction has increased significantly in recent years. This article highlights new web options, hybrid applications, and task-based language learning. A substantial resource list is provided.

Abstract from the publisher:
Distance learning presents language teachers and learners with a new set of challenges, opportunities and practical realities. This book presents a comprehensive overview of important issues within the field and explores the ways in which all participants are adapting their practices in response to the new learning environment.

Abstract from the publisher:
The central question in this paper is whether Web technology has the potential to add value to faceto-
face language teaching in the form of activities that cannot be realized fully in a traditional classroom.
While arguments will be presented for and against e-learning, our conclusion is that the latest human-machine interfaces offer an environment for interactive learning that can foster the acquisition of communicative skills. The paper argues that one of the great strengths of the Web is the potential to engage students in creative information gap activities and real experiential learning in the form of meaningful, process-oriented projects in authentic settings. Evidence will be drawn from three sources:

• The current literature on new learning approaches.
• The latest best-practice applications, such as Webquests, Voice Chat, MOOs and innovative co-operative ventures.
• The findings of two large research studies by the author on students’ perceptions of Web-based language learning in school and tertiary settings.

The paper emphasises the importance of creating connectivity rather than content.

Abstract from the publisher:
The book and accompanying CD-ROM is designed to assist teachers who want to develop their own materials on the World Wide Web, are interested in integrating interesting Web sites and ideas into their curriculum, or are interested in students' perspectives of the Web. It is also for anyone who wishes to refresh a language or get a feel for a new one or who wants to learn more about Web-based language teaching. The book is divided into three parts and several chapters.
Part one, "Development: Doing It with More or Less," includes eight chapters and an introduction: "InterDeutsch: Going Solo: First Steps into Virtual Teaching on a Zero Budget" (Claudia Popov); "Advanced EFL Online: How Can It Help? (Miriam Schcolnik); "A Resource Centre on the Net: A Model for Less Commonly Taught Languages" (Injung Cho); "Going Online: Can Language Teachers Go It Alone and Is It Worth the Heartache?" (Sally Staddon); "Sakura: An Interactive Site for Japanese Language Learners" (Takako Tomoda, Brian May); "Online German for Secondary School Students" (Stefo Stojanovsjki, Fred Hollingsworth, Jennifer Saynor-Locke); "Building Bridges: Design Issues for a Web-Based Chinese Course" (Jane Orton); and "Worlds of Words: Tales for Language Teachers" (Truna Aka J. Turner).
Part two, "Practice: Virtual Language Learning Revisited," and part three, "Research: Absolutely Worth the Effort," are not divided into chapters. Web site references appear throughout the text.

Abstract from the publisher:
This book presents 14 papers that offer guidance to college teachers venturing into online instruction. It is based on the experiences and ideas of faculty at the University of Phoenix (Arizona) online campus, which has been offering online courses since 1989. Chapters in the book discuss the importance of interaction and feedback, learner control, access to directions and help, consistency and organization, and assessment and recordkeeping. The papers are: (1) "Face to Face in the Online Classroom: Keeping It Interpersonal and Human" (Ken White); (2) "Taming the Lions and Tigers and Bears: The WRITE WAY To Communicate Online" (Chad Lewis); (3) "Talking the Talk: Humor and Other Forms of Online Communication" (Arlene Hiss); (4) "The Story of One Learner: A Student's Perspective on Online Teaching" (Lorraine Priest); (5) "Reshaping Teaching and Learning: The Role of Liberal Arts in Online Education" (Bill Pepicello and Elizabeth Tice); (6) "The Elements of Effective Online Teaching: Overcoming the Barriers to Success" (Anita Bischoff); (7) "Managing Time: Developing Effective Online Organization" (Marilyn Simon); (8) "Cooking Up a Successful Class: Adapting Courses for the Online World" (Shelia Porter); (9) "Getting Ready: The Syllabus and Other Online Indispensables" (Marilyn Fullmer-Umari); (10) "Online Facilitation: Individual and Group Possibilities" (Patricia Addesso); (11) "Keeping It Fun and Relevant: Using Active Online Learning" (Al Badger); (12) "Dealing with Challenging Situations: Communicating through Online Conflict" (Ken White); (13) "One Day Left To Live: Teaching the Online Quantitative Course" (Jim Farrar); and (14) "Making Sense of It All: Giving and Getting Online Course Feedback" (Fred Schwartz and Ken White). An epilogue, by Bob Weight and Terri Bishop, is titled "The Human Promise."

Abstract from the publisher:
This article provides a framework and outline for teaching a foreign language course entirely on-line to college undergraduates. The course uses a distance learning approach that incorporates an electronic messaging system, multimedia, World Wide Web, and Internet assignments. Course structure, pedagogical issues, and one university’s experience with on-line courses are discussed as a basis for presenting a working model for teaching foreign languages using on-line technology. Finally, student learning outcomes in on-line and traditional first-year Spanish courses are compared.