Find the Latest Resources in Education Today
Finding the Right Blend: World Language Education in a Blended Learning Environment
Thursday, April 10, 2014 2:00 pm EST / 11:00 am PST
Date: Thursday, April 10, 2014
Time: 2:00 pm EST / 11:00 am PST
Duration: 1 hour
“Blended learning should be viewed as a pedagogical approach that combines the effectiveness and socialization opportunities of the classroom with the technologically enhanced active learning possibilities of the online environment.” Dziuban, Hartman and Moskal (Educause 2004)
Blended learning promises to enhance student learning and provide teachers with unprecedented resources and support. However, there are many different blended learning models – in world language and other subjects – that must be customized based on students’ needs and educators’ objectives.
Join the discussion with several educators who will share their experience using Middlebury Interactive Languages’ digital world language courses in a blended learning environment. This discussion will be moderated by Dr. Aline Germain-Rutherford, Chief Learning Officer for Middlebury Interactive Languages, and Dr. Lee McIsaac, Director of Professional Development for Middlebury Interactive Languages, and will discuss best practices for implementing world language curriculum in a blended environment, including strategies and tips for overcoming challenges in the blended classroom.
By attending this free, one-hour dialogue, you’ll learn about:
- Different blended learning models for Middlebury Interactive’s world language courses.
- The impact of digital learning on the student learning experience
- Strategies to effectively leverage technology for language learning, including those for non-world language teachers.
Aline Germain-Rutherford Ph.D.
Chief Learning Officer, Middlebury Interactive Languages.
Dr. Aline Germain-Rutherford received a Doctorat de Didactologie/Didactique des Langues et des Cultures at La Sorbonne Nouvelle, Paris III, France and is the author of numerous publications on faculty development, second language pedagogy, speech technology and the integration of sound pedagogy in e-learning practices. Dr. Germain-Rutherford has headed several national and international research projects, specifically on faculty development and multicultural issues in post-secondary education and online environments, and she has been a visiting professor and keynote speaker in Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Having taught for many years in Canadian universities, she is a recipient of the 3M National Teaching Fellow Award, a Canadian Award that recognizes excellence in teaching and leadership in higher education.
Aline brings a wealth of expertise to Middlebury Interactive Languages as the Associate Vice-President of the Language Schools and Graduate programs of Middlebury College, Vermont. Aline is also the Director of the Middlebury College French School and was the former Director of the Canadian Centre for Studies and Research on Bilingualism and Language Planning (CCERBAL) of the University of Ottawa.
Director of Professional Development, Middlebury Interactive Languages
Lee McIsaac is the Director of Professional Development at Middlebury Interactive Languages. She holds a PhD in Chinese History from Yale University and has taught at Dartmouth College and the University of Vermont. For the past ten years she has provided professional development to K-12 educators, helping them incorporate blended learning practices into their teaching of language, history and culture.