Thursday, February 19, 2009

Re: Language Labs

Janet,

I'm developing a voice enabled Forum. (voice recorder embedded into the
forum website) Although the purpose of this feature is not to create a
language lab I think the solution can be applied in a language class.

A teacher can create forum topics and record a post directly into the
forum. The students can respond to the post.
Take a look at www.javasonics.com. This is a component that will need
to be developed but I think it has potential.

Jason Hyams
Director of Technology
St. Agnes Academy


-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for independent school educators
[mailto:ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Thorson, Janet
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:14 PM
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Language Labs

This is perfect timing. I am also looking for a new solution where our
students can use their laptops as their workstations (with headsets) in
conjunction with a teacher station. And then a solution for a small
desktop testing center for AP recordings.

I am most interested in this conversation. Thank you Carole!

Janet Thorson
Director of Technology
Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart
10202 Memorial Drive
Houston, Texas 77024
ph: 713-468-8211, ext. 128
fax: 713-465-9809=20

-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for independent school educators
[mailto:ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Duff, Carole
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2009 3:32 PM
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Language Labs

We are in a quandary about how to best update our current language lab.
Typically, we have replaced the desktops over the years but are running
into software glitches and need to rethink. There are 39 student
stations and 2 teacher stations, so we can run two classes at the same
time. And we love the range of multimedia capabilities: peer-to-peer,
student-to-teacher, and group conversations, listening, reading,
writing, recording, viewing video, Internet access, etc. Patches bring
changes, and not always desirable ones, that is, features that used to
work well don't work anymore (ex. being able to see individual student
screens and make comments). The two biggest complaints are that
although students can record, it takes too long to save to the server
AND when 2 classes are in the lab, sometimes sounds carry from one class
to another. So the ten-year old Sanako software is no longer reliable,
and the vendor (now working for the company that took over the original)
is offering "new" Sanako software with fewer capabilities. Of course,
the language teachers just want everything to work, but that's not going
to happen with our current situation. Also, we hope to be able to use
most of our current hardware and setup rather than redesign.

=20

Has anyone researched options recently? Any recommendations for "state
of the art" language labs that are easily supported? How often should
we plan to update?

=20

Suggestions and information are most welcome!

=20

-C.D.

=20

Carole Duff

Curriculum Technologist

Notre Dame Preparatory School

815 Hampton Lane

Towson, MD. 21286

duffc@notredameprep.com=20

=20

=20


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