Open European Languages and Cultures Network (OPENLang Network)
OPENLang Network - Open European Languages And Cultures Network (2018-2021) is funded by the European Commission in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme, KA2 - Strategic Partnership in the field of Higher Education. The OPENLang Network aims specifically at developing 'The OPENLang Network', which envisages to connect all the Erasmus+ KA1 Mobility Participants (HE students and staff, VET (at least 1 month mobility), Adult and School education staff, Youth learners, Youth Workers, Youth Entrepreneurs) in an OPEN informal and highly interactive online environment which could support more efficiently their effort to develop their language skills of the target mobility EU languages. The project is a transnational partnership between the University of Macedonia (coordinator, Greece), the Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus), the Open University (United Kingdom) and Pixel (Italy).
Project Summary
Mobility is one of the cornerstones of European society according to both the Council of Europe and the European Union. Though the lack of language competences is still one of the main barriers to participation in European education, training and youth programmes. With 4 million mobility participants by 2020, Erasmus+ is a unique opportunity to study, train, gain work experience or volunteer abroad (EU press, 2014). As languages are the heart of mutual understanding and comprehension, it is essential to promote language learning for Erasmus+ KA1 mobility participants.
OBJECTIVES:This project aims specifically at developing 'The OPENLang Network', which envisages to connect all the Erasmus+ KA1 Mobility participants (HE students and staff, VET (at least 1 month mobility), Adult and School education staff, Youth learners, Youth Workers, Youth Entrepreneurs) in an OPEN informal and highly interactive online environment which could support more efficiently their effort to raise language awareness of the target mobility EU languages and to develop European intercultural knowledge. The project also aims at language teachers joining this network and voluntarily supporting this initiative. As a reward for their participation they will have the opportunity to get certified professional training on creating, sharing and using Open Educational Resources (OERs). This network will also supplement and enhance the formal Online Linguistic Support (OLS) European service by offering a truly informal and authentic language learning experience which will address the language needs of every European.
ACTIVITIES: Any registered member in the platform will be able to find an e-tandem language partner which the system will automatically recommend based on his/her profile. In this way each member of the OPENLang Network will be able to practice the target language(s) of his/her choice with a native or near native speaker using either a desktop PC or a mobile device. The volunteer language teachers, who will also join the network, will have the possibility to attend the MOOC offered by the OPENLang Network, to participate in a number of activities which will broaden their professional network and get certifications. More specifically, a number of multiple innovative services and interactive material will be integrated in the OPENLang platform in order to address all educational/training needs: 1) the E-Tandem 24 EU Languages Learning Matching Service, 2) Qualified Assessment Tools for 24 EU languages, 3) An Open & highly interactive Forum, 4) A Personal Member’s Dashboard, 5) An open and interactive database of Language Open Educational Resources (OERs), 6) An OERs e-Toolkit including a quality framework for Language OERs, 7) An Open Educational Practices (OEPs) e-book, 8) A language teachers' training MOOC on the creation, sharing, use and reuse of multilingual OERs.
PARTNERSHIP: The OPENLang Network will be carried out by a transnational consortium composed by 4 partners: the University of Macedonia (GR), the Open University of UK (UK), the Cyprus University of Technology (CY), and the international education and training institution Pixel (IT). Each partner brings a different expertise to the project but they all have active engagement with Language Learning and/or OERs, MOOCs, Mobile Adaptive/Personalized and/or Collaborative Learning & Assessment, Learning Analytics, etc.
DURATION: 3 years.
PROJECT STEPS: The total workflow of the project will be articulated in 6 'macro-phases' (a final brief overview report will be developed after the completion of each phase): 1) Preparation Phase; 2) Production Phase; 3) Implementation Phase; 4) Data collection & Evaluation phase; 5) Dissemination Phase; 6) Sustainability Phase. The project will produce 11 Intellectual Outputs (the main OPENLang Network E-Platform including). In addition, the project will develop many dissemination activities: a project’s Website, two Webinars promoting the Language Teachers' Training MOOC, the Pan European Contest on Open Educational Practices (OEPs), 3 local and 1 international Events, 11 Dissemination Tasks (one per Output), a Guide and a Tutorial Video presenting the E-Platform services, as well as a Sustainability Plan.
It is envisaged that more than1200 adults (Erasmus+ KA1 mobility participants and language teachers) across Europe will be initially benefited by the OPENLang Network.
The project will deliver benefits that will endure in time thanks to the large variety of OPEN access services and materials offered free for use and reuse which will remain available for at least 5 years after the lifetime of the project. The OPENLang platform aims to become a milestone in Erasmus+ KA1 language preparation in view of mobility exchanges.
Mobility is one of the cornerstones of European society according to both the Council of Europe and the European Union. Though the lack of language competences is still one of the main barriers to participation in European education, training and youth programmes. With 4 million mobility participants by 2020, Erasmus+ is a unique opportunity to study, train, gain work experience or volunteer abroad (EU press, 2014). As languages are the heart of mutual understanding and comprehension, it is essential to promote language learning for Erasmus+ KA1 mobility participants.
OBJECTIVES:This project aims specifically at developing 'The OPENLang Network', which envisages to connect all the Erasmus+ KA1 Mobility participants (HE students and staff, VET (at least 1 month mobility), Adult and School education staff, Youth learners, Youth Workers, Youth Entrepreneurs) in an OPEN informal and highly interactive online environment which could support more efficiently their effort to raise language awareness of the target mobility EU languages and to develop European intercultural knowledge. The project also aims at language teachers joining this network and voluntarily supporting this initiative. As a reward for their participation they will have the opportunity to get certified professional training on creating, sharing and using Open Educational Resources (OERs). This network will also supplement and enhance the formal Online Linguistic Support (OLS) European service by offering a truly informal and authentic language learning experience which will address the language needs of every European.
ACTIVITIES: Any registered member in the platform will be able to find an e-tandem language partner which the system will automatically recommend based on his/her profile. In this way each member of the OPENLang Network will be able to practice the target language(s) of his/her choice with a native or near native speaker using either a desktop PC or a mobile device. The volunteer language teachers, who will also join the network, will have the possibility to attend the MOOC offered by the OPENLang Network, to participate in a number of activities which will broaden their professional network and get certifications. More specifically, a number of multiple innovative services and interactive material will be integrated in the OPENLang platform in order to address all educational/training needs: 1) the E-Tandem 24 EU Languages Learning Matching Service, 2) Qualified Assessment Tools for 24 EU languages, 3) An Open & highly interactive Forum, 4) A Personal Member’s Dashboard, 5) An open and interactive database of Language Open Educational Resources (OERs), 6) An OERs e-Toolkit including a quality framework for Language OERs, 7) An Open Educational Practices (OEPs) e-book, 8) A language teachers' training MOOC on the creation, sharing, use and reuse of multilingual OERs.
PARTNERSHIP: The OPENLang Network will be carried out by a transnational consortium composed by 4 partners: the University of Macedonia (GR), the Open University of UK (UK), the Cyprus University of Technology (CY), and the international education and training institution Pixel (IT). Each partner brings a different expertise to the project but they all have active engagement with Language Learning and/or OERs, MOOCs, Mobile Adaptive/Personalized and/or Collaborative Learning & Assessment, Learning Analytics, etc.
DURATION: 3 years.
PROJECT STEPS: The total workflow of the project will be articulated in 6 'macro-phases' (a final brief overview report will be developed after the completion of each phase): 1) Preparation Phase; 2) Production Phase; 3) Implementation Phase; 4) Data collection & Evaluation phase; 5) Dissemination Phase; 6) Sustainability Phase. The project will produce 11 Intellectual Outputs (the main OPENLang Network E-Platform including). In addition, the project will develop many dissemination activities: a project’s Website, two Webinars promoting the Language Teachers' Training MOOC, the Pan European Contest on Open Educational Practices (OEPs), 3 local and 1 international Events, 11 Dissemination Tasks (one per Output), a Guide and a Tutorial Video presenting the E-Platform services, as well as a Sustainability Plan.
It is envisaged that more than1200 adults (Erasmus+ KA1 mobility participants and language teachers) across Europe will be initially benefited by the OPENLang Network.
The project will deliver benefits that will endure in time thanks to the large variety of OPEN access services and materials offered free for use and reuse which will remain available for at least 5 years after the lifetime of the project. The OPENLang platform aims to become a milestone in Erasmus+ KA1 language preparation in view of mobility exchanges.
