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Archive for the ‘all-languages’ Category

Multilingual WordNet search interface

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Covers a subset of the languages supported by the LRC. Based on Wordnet which is rather than a dictionary for human consumption, a machine-readable semantic network, but here is one of its machine-generated applications.

New keyboard shortcuts for diacritics on LRC Teacher PC

  1. The US international keyboard layout that has come with MS-Windows for many years (though – except in the LRC – not set as default, you need to enable it in the control panel) greatly facilitates typing of characters for most languages that use Roman script with common diacritical marks, but does not cover Pinyin and similar diacritical marks.
  2. Carly from Carleton, as avid a language teacher as a technologist,  had the great idea to extend Microsoft’s US-international keyboard so as to include all the Pinyin tone marks (and other accents useful for linguists). Here is the upshot, extracted  from her  instructions, but excluding  what (either shortcut or (use of common accents within Pinyin is now covered also below) purpose) has not changed from the shortcuts of the non-extended US-international keyboard  that used to be the default in the LRC:
  3. What you want Which keys you press (before comma  is “dead” key = no result until after next key) Example

    acute accent, pinyin 2nd tone

    ‘(=apostrophe), vowel

    á é í ó ú

    grave accent, pinyin 4th tone

    `(=grave), vowel

    à è ì ò ù

    macron accent, pinyin 1st tone

    hyphen, vowel

    ā ē ī ō ū

    pinyin 3rd tone

    %(=shift+5), vowel

    e.g. ǎ ě ǐ ǒ ǔ

    ü with pinyin tones

    Accent, double-quote

    e.g. ǖ ǘ ǚ ǜ

    letter with dot below

    ; (=shift+period), letter

    e.g.clip_image001

    letter with double acute

    : (=shift+;) , o or u

    ő, ű, Ő, Ű

  4. We are offering the extended US-international keyboard this as an optional keyboard on the teacher and student PCs with Windows 7.
    1. To select the new keyboard layout, use the language toolbar, click on 2nd option:
    2. image
    3. To explore the new keyboard layout use the Windows On-screen keyboard which will let you peek ahead after your pressed a dead key.
    4. To bypass a special dead key (= get the normal behavior of the key), press SPACE after it.

How teachers can conduct a 1-on-1 student oral assessment in their office using Sanako Lite Recorder

  1. If you need to conduct an OPI or other one-on-one oral exam instead of class-size oral exams we offer in the LRC,
    1. we have conducted 1-on-1 speaking assessments using the Sanako headsets and Student Recorder in the LRC.
    2. However, since this setting does not offer much privacy (and also because it blocks  the LRC classroom ), we would recommend conducting such exams in faculty offices. For this scenario, teachers can use:
      1. one of the headsets that can now be checked out by faculty, and in working condition,
      2. the Sanako LITE or standalone recorder – which could not be rolled out by IT on all teacher computers, but I programmed a workaround installer – and is friendlier (for recording and listening/grading) than Audacity. Sanako recently provided a useful guide for one-on-one examinations with the Study Lite recorder here (you do not need a desktop microphone like shown here, it is sufficient to position the headphone appropriately on the desk instead).

How to record and submit a photo presentation assignment

A step-by-step explanation how Moodle/PowerPoint allow

  1. a student
    1. to create a photo album from their photos (remind them that they need to be able to download their photos onto the LRC computers), we will load this from their computers analogous to this: How to create a visual cue exam file using Insert Photo album in PowerPoint
    2. to narrate the photoalbum
      1. In the LRC with 2007: https://thomasplagwitz.com/2013/01/22/how-students-can-record-their-picture-or-photo-presentations-with-powerpoint-2007/
      2. or if they use 2010 outside of the LRC, https://thomasplagwitz.com/2013/01/17/recording-student-picture-presentations-with-powerpoint/
    3. To refine their presentation:
      1. Do not edit your audio – not  good language learning  pedagogy.
      2. Rather redo your entire presentation, paying extra attention to the weaknesses you observed when reflecting on your last recorded attempt . You will learn more foreign language this way than if you learn how to edit digital audio. Before you re-record your narration, clear the existing narration from PowerPoint, or save into a new file to be able to compare the Before/After.
    4. to submit: How a student takes a Moodle Single file upload assignment.
  2. a teacher
    1. to prepare:How a teacher creates a Moodle Single file upload assignment, with optional attached file
    2. to grade (reviewHow a teacher grades a Moodle Single file upload assignment):
      1. Save the Moodle file submission assignment
      2. Double-click the PPSX  file to play the file in PowerPoint.
      3. Use the Moodle grade book to grade and provide other feedback.

LRC learning resources Moodle metacourses: Our list

2013/01/18 1 comment

UPDATE: The LRC Metacourses are being rolled over to MOODLE2. Metacourses having only an OldID are currently still unavailable in Moodle2. And the student enrollment needs to be updated manually until the end of add/drop. On the upside, teachers do not need to make course available to students anymore. The LRC can do this (Metacourses for languages saying #Ref are waiting to be rolled over, tell me if you need them)..

The following LRC Moodle metacourses for teaching materials are available to LCS and ELTI  (including LRC-Resource  with training materials for using language learning technology in and outside of the LRC, as well as for independent study languages).

The naming scheme follows the course abbreviations taught in the departments that the LRC supports:

These courses appear in the Training branch of the Moodle-courses tree-menu on the left (for all study programs you teach in):

moodle-tree-resource-courses_thumb

The metacourse for a language (or field of study)  is accessible to all students studying this language during the term of their study.

LRC online language learning materials: the list

2013/01/17 2 comments

Below you can find a scrollable and searchable list of LRC learning materials in Moodle metacourses  (of which you can find a standalone list here).

You can filter this LRC Excel Web App using the column header dropdowns. You can click on the language in the leftmost column to go to your language’s metacourses and in its folders easily locate the resources in the right columns.

Languages that do not have their dedicated metacourse are LCTL/independent study and can be found in the LRC metacourse.

Note that the material you are looking for are not necessarily in this list, as there are other containers for language learning materials used on campus, including individual Moodle courses, textbook publisher applications, often based on Quia, like for Hybrid 1st-year Spanish, and the library ereserves.

Larger view here. UNCC-LRC Editors click here.

 

How students can record their picture or photo presentations with PowerPoint 2010

  1. The screencast shows the necessary steps:
    1. inserting a photo album,
    2. presenting while recording the presentation with narration
    3. saving as a show (.ppsx) – make sure you have ribbon:”Slide show”/ “Play narrations” checked: image
  2. to prepare an assignment for a Moodle single-file-upload (How a student takes a Moodle Simple file upload assignment).

How to re-enroll in MyLanguageLab/MyGermanLab in a new term in the LRC

  1. Bring:
    1. Valid Email Address
    2.  Student Access Code – packaged with your text or available standalone at the bookstore. 
    3.  Your Instructor’s Section/Course ID  ___________ (Note: The Course ID must be entered exactly as it is provided to you including typing the hyphen “-“ and using all capital letters.)
  2. Open Internet Explorer, go to goo.gl/JUSUC.

Ø  Click Sign in under “Sign in” image006

 

Ø  Enter the username and password you created as part of registration.   

 

Ø  In the new window, under Your Courses and Products select the link with the title of your required text.

Ø  Click Enroll in Course

Ø  Enter Course ID (provided by your instructor)  (Note: The Course ID must be entered exactly as it is provided to you including typing the hyphen “-“ and using all capital letters.)

 

Done!

Or not: IMPORTANT NOTICE for Returning Users who:

·         used a MyLanguageLabs course with your textbook in a previous semester

·         purchased 24-month access

·         received the following error after entering the Course ID you received from your instructor

If you get this error image007, go to www.mylanguagelabs.com and under Sign In click “Problems with your Course ID? Click here.”

(adapted for the LRC from How to Enroll in a New Semester Handout )