Boo Hever and Graciela Nielsen
bhr@netg.se, graciela@statvoks.no
SIMULAB is a concept that involves WWW-based communication between language students across national borders, around a specific problem or SIMULATION.
Simulations are problem solving role-play situations in which students have to communicate to negotiate an issue on the basis of a fictional but realistic manuscript. The concept allows for a great flexibility in the length of the activity, the theme and the number of participants, but it does depend on a predetermined structure. The simulations scripts can be adapted to different languages, themes, levels or specific language needs.
Even though individual, isolated students engaged in ODL activities can and will participate in simulations, most simulations will be based on a network of classroom groups. Ideally these groups will be placed in different nations, but will have the target language in common.
All student groups (preferably not more than 3 or 4 in each simulation) are presented with a problem that has to be solved by the whole network. Each group gets a "group identity" that will differ from that of the other groups. Within each group the students will then have to choose and define their own personal identity, which will be identical with the role they play in the simulation. Since both the group's and the individual identities will be placed within the frame of the culture pertaining to the target language, students will be faced with the need to find relevant information about that culture, thus enhancing the language learning. During this phase, most of the activities will be centred around discussions in class. Computer communication will be used only as a source of information.
Once the individual identities have been established, the students will start the communication with the other groups in the network, by introducing themselves in their new personalities. The second phase of the activity can then start: the students in each group will discuss among themselves what will be their first suggestion for a solution of the problem presented to the network. Once they have agreed on a strategy, they will communicate it to the other groups. On the basis of those suggestions negotiations can begin. Because the student groups have spent some time discussing the problem, they "own", psychologically speaking, the suggestion that their group presents. The need for "fighting" for their solution, that will surely arise during the negotiation phase, will create the basis for real communication. But discussions of this type could go on forever. There is a need for a good structure and a firm guidance by the teachers involved, if the activity is to be successful.
The TELSI software, created by the SIMULAB project under the TELEMATICS in Education and Training programme, makes it possible for the teacher to structure and control the simulation process. A user friendly environment provides the teacher with the necessary authoring tools to create users, documents, mail accounts and mailing lists. Both the teacher and student interface contain step-by-step instructions and context sensitive helpfiles. The TELSI software will be available for commercial use from October 1998. Users will be able to rent simulation spaces for a minimum period of six months. SIMULAB will provide additional services such as:
The password for all levels is "guest".
SIMULAB is a flexible system that constitutes an ideal pedagogical environment for the teaching of languages for special purposes. The SIMULAB consortium is planning an application to the Leonardo program, for a project whose aim would be to create, validate and make publicly available a series of specially designed scripts for the sectors of Commercial studies and Health & Care.
Further information:
http://www.statvoks.no/ssimulab
http://www2.echo.lu/telematics/education/en/projects/files/simulab.html
http://oyt.oulu.fi/telsi-info/telsipresentation.htm
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