Language learning and social media - free webinar and publication

[Jarek Krajka]

Dear colleagues,

Language learning and teaching through social media in new EU
countries: the case of Romania, Latvia and Poland is a set of public
activities that are being launched from June 2010 to June 2011.
The aim of these activities is to involve the public in a discussion
about current and emerging uses of social media in those countries.
Our activities include:

A webinar: (face-to-face discussion broadcast live)

Language learners using social media: What is happening in Latvia,
Poland and Romania

11.02.2011, Riga 12:30 – 13:30 CET (GMT+1)

University of Latvia, Information Technology Department – Aspazijas
blvd. 5
Broadcast live via Elluminate (email to webina...@gmail.com for a
free invitation)

Interaction with remote participants will be facilitated through the
chat and the Q/A session
Please register at webina...@gmail.com soon, preferably one day
before the event.

A forum discussion:

- How, and for what purposes, do language learners use the Internet in
their everyday life and to learn languages?
- What are learners’ perceptions and attitudes in relation to social
media?
- What motivates learners to become active users and contributors in
digital social spaces?
- How do teachers use social media in foreign language classrooms?

In English, Polish, Romanian and Latvian:
http://www.elearningeuropa.info/community/index.php?page=forum&f=9

A study:
Social media and language learning: beliefs, attitudes and uses in
Latvia, Poland and Romania
Freely available in English, French, Latvian, Romanian and Polish
(http://www.elearningeuropa.info/main/index.php?page=fix&id=48)

On the basis of approximately 60 interviews carried out in Latvia,
Poland and Romania with people of varying degrees of computer use and
familiarity with web 2.0 technologies, this study traces prevailing
current Internet uses and people’s beliefs concerning the use of
social media for learning languages The study is based on mixed
method research (interviews, questionnaires, cross-country
quantitative data).

Join our activities, share your views! We look forward to learning and
interacting with you!

European network “language learning and social media: 6 key dialogues”
http://www.elearningeuropa.info/languagelearning
Join us on Twitter and on LinkedIn

Supported by the European Commission (LLP programme, KA2 Languages)