steLLLa 2.0

         MobLang

Intercultural Dialogue & Linguistic Diversity via Mobile Language 22-25 February 2010, Paphos, Cyprus

The Cyprus Neuroscience and Technology Institute, (Yiannis Laouris, Tatjana Taraszow) are the project coordinators of this Life Long learning Project. The kick-off meeting is taking place between 22-25 February in Pafos, Cyprus. Partners from Greece, Ireland, England and Spain are participating. In addition, the University of Cyprus (Jack Burston and Yiola Papadopoulou) are partipicating in the project. This project is directly connected to our stellla2.0 project since it is going to examine Mobile learning. Also, all new partners were introduced to stellla2.0!

This is the summary of the project:

Language barriers between individuals of different ethnic groups living in the same country, or Europeans visiting other countries for business or pleasure, hinder natural interaction. Communication in a foreign language can hold back the development of friendships and closer relationships, thus preventing fruitful intercultural exchange and dialogue. Basic language knowledge of one’s conversational partner is usually appreciated and creates a comforting atmosphere. Today’s Europeans are too busy to attend a language class. Exploiting technology and especially the recently emerging developments in mobile learning could offer a viable alternative. Mobile phones are optimal learning tools that could enable people to learn any time, anywhere, and at their one own pace, even during leisure time.
The proposed project applies Mobile Assisted Language Learning (MALL) to support minority and/or less-frequently used and less-taught European languages (LWULT). The aim is to promote intercultural dialogue especially in former European conflict regions or regions with many minority groups through promotion of linguistic diversity. The focus is in Cyprus (Turkish), the Basque country (Basque), Northern Ireland (Gaelic), and within as well as around Greece (Albanian, Turkish). The project will develop the open-source mobile learning environment 'MobLang' in which users can design and publish their own prototype micro language courses. User specific micro courses will be embedded in a social and cultural context, which will include activities such as lectures, exercises, games, quizzes, as well as access to a live tutor. Throughout the life of the project and beyond, MobLang will be designed, developed, published, and disseminated to children/pupils, teachers, parents, students, business people, travellers, and individuals who want to build strong and long-lasting friendships and relationships with individuals from an ethnic minority group.