Business English Self-Access Center

Maria del Carmen Boloña Lopez, Ms. EFLT – Virtual Educa Specialist

Universidad Casa Grande

• PurposeDescribes the creation, implementation, development and evaluation of a Business English Self-Access Center.

• Research QuestionWhich VLE would support the development of Business English students’ communicative competencies in Business Management?

• Key wordsCommunicative competencies, strategies, metacognition, critical autonomy, e-learning and Business English Self-Access Center.

Business English Self-Access Center

Metacognition is“ knowing what you know. What is what I know I know ?“. ( Clegg, J.)

Metacognición

Context

Educational Setting- Ecuadorian University- Business Studies- English Program – 40 credits 4 General English Courses 3 Business English Courses

- 10 Business English students in two consecutive courses- 18-20 years old- Spanish speakers- Business English users according to the principles of communicative English teaching of the Common European Framework of Foreign Languages Teaching/learning.

Research Methodology

Participants

Research Project: Qualitative Techniques.

Research Sources: a) Director of Business School Interview. b) Students videos in oral communicative activities: interviews, meetings, phone calls and business presentations.c) Students’ business documentation.

Research Methodology

1 2 43

BusinessEnglish Videos

Uploaded to You Tube

Students were filmed using digital devices, i.e. students’

video cameras not smartphones.

Students videos were postedthrough de Nicenet. ICA.

Videos were analized to identify students’strengths and weaknesses intermsof communication skills development

Class oral activities Nicenet (ICA) Data application

Data was used to formulate the proposal.

Research Process

Results• Students’ Infrequent use of comercial expressions commonly used in

meetings, interviews, negotiations and comercial contacts among others. • Students’ unawareness of communication strategies that maximize

negotiation of meaning among interlocutors. • Students’ unawareness of Business English formality levels. • Students’ unawareness of commercial written conventions in e-mails,

reports, letters and memos among others. • Insufficient learning time. • Students’ lack of learning strategies through VLEs. • No training. • No policies.

Pedagogic Proposal• Users: University students• Language: Business English / English for Specific Purposes• Purpose: Provide students a e-Business English VLE with optimal conditions to acquire, manage knowledge

and develop communicative strategies according to communicative, connectivist and constructionist principles.

• Administration: Tutors• Center Profile: Blog with a menu of thematic units: Commercial Communication, Collaborative Interaction,

Negotiation, Leadership and Time Management Interacción Colaborativa among others. They can change according to curricular needs.

General Objective and Specific Objectives . Availability of technological tools such as discussion forums, e-mail, bulletin boards, coffee lounge

and directory of resources.

Example

Content

Creation, Implementation and Development

Project Stages Action points

- Implementation.- Development.- Institutionalization.

- Multidisciplinary team work aimed at the design, plan and structure. 4 (four) professionals : (1) Informatics , (1) Graphic Design , (2) Business English-Didactic resources uploading to the directories- Tests and launching

EvaluationInitial Stage

Development stage

Before launching it, the center will be evaluated to test its planning and functionality.

Final Stage

During the center management, the center will be evaluated tocollect data that allows academic staff to know its operational state.

Finally there will be an overall evaluation of the center and the efficiency of interventions and strategies for further recommendations and changes. See Manual of Parameters and Follow-Up Stages in CREAD Article published in 2016.

•Planning•Development•Institutionalization

• Mutidisciplinary team work  for the design,plan andstructure with four professionals Informatics (1), Graphic Design (1), Business English for (2)•Planning and uploading of de Didactic resources.•Test and launching.

Project Stages Timetable2016-2017

•January to June 2016•July to Nov 2016•May 2017

•Domain cost$ 10 and use per year$200,00  (5) Work meetings $300,00•(20) work hours $450,0•(5) work hours $150,00

Timetable and Budget

BudgetAction points

Conclusions

The Business English Self-Access Center shares characteristics of an interactive VLE systematically organized and friendly user. It promotes and facilitates virtual tutoring, self-access, critical autonomy, permanent learning, communication and collaborative interaction. See research paper for further information.

Maximizes the scope, management, organization and functionality of content in optimal time frameworks the same as providing space and learning resources.

Supports the development of students’ digital competencies required in the planning, selection, monitoring and evaluation of information sources for knowledge management used before, during and after the process for present and/or future professional purposes.

It is a collaborative learning environment where tutors and/or students can create and innovate processes through the combination of multimedia resources (videos, podcasts, infographics) and technologic tools such as forums, directories, webquests, wikis and/or electronic messages for the management, evaluation and creation of present and future knowledge.

Referencias Bibliográficas

Bransford, J.D., “Como la Gente Aprende: Cerebro, Mente, Experiencia y Escuela”. Desarrollos en la Ciencia de Aprendizaje y Comités de Desarrollos en la Ciencia de Investigación, Práctica Educacional, Ciencias Sociales y de Comportamiento, Consejo Nacional de Investigación.Clegg, J. (2015). Metacognition: an overview of its uses in language-learning en:http://www.puglia.istruzione.it/portfolio_new/allegati/j_clegg_metacognition_an_ovwerview_of_its_uses_in_language-learning.pdfDesarrollos en la Ciencia de Aprendizaje y Comités de Desarrollos en la Ciencia de Investigación, Práctica Educacional, Ciencias Sociales y de Comportamiento, Consejo Nacional de Investigación. Comisión Nacional de Evaluación y Acreditación Universitaria. Ministerio de Educación, Ciencia y Tecnología. Comisión Asesora de Educación a Distancia. (1997). Informe Final. Consejo de Europa. Marco Común Europeo para la Enseñanza de Lenguas Extranjeras. (2002) en: http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/Cadre1_en.aspOxford, R. (1990). Language Learning Strategies. What every teacher should know. New York: Newbury House Publishers. Simon, H.A. (1996) Observations on the Sciences of Science Learning. Paper prepared for the Committee on Developments in the Science of Learning for the Sciences of Science Learning: An Interdisciplinary Discussion. Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University. Stern, H. (2001), “Conceptos Fundamentales de la Enseñanza de Lenguas”. Gran Bretaña: Oxford University Press.Vygotsky, L.S. (1978), “La Mente en la Sociedad”. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.