Virtual Language Assistant
The Virtual Language Assistant project relates to a multi-purpose video conferencing facility in the School of Modern Languages and Cultures with funding from the Visual Learning Lab at The University of Nottingham.
The original aim was to enable university students to enrich their learning experience through interaction with similar foreign language students in partner institutions, through the development of a pilot scheme, “The Cultural Exchange”.
From the experience and success of this pilot scheme a further aim was added: to extend the application of the technology to secondary schools and colleges involved in the School of Modern Languages’ Widening Participation Consortium.
The aim is to facilitate authentic spoken communication between language learners and native speakers of the languages involved in which the University provides access to a Virtual Foreign Language Assistant via the means of video conferencing.
The Virtual Foreign Language Assistant project allows schools and access to a foreign language assistant otherwise unavailable to them.
For schools already in possession of their own video conferencing equipment the project provides an extra dimension in which to use this. The University also has a mobile video conferencing kit that can be loaned to a school with training and support provided for staff.