Future Learning Environment Research Team of the Media Education Centre, University of Helsinki

Seppo Tella (Professor of Media Education, team leader)
p. (09)191 8131, seppo.tella@helsinki.fi
Marja Mononen-Aaltonen (Lecturer in foreign language education)
p. (09)191 8119, mononena@cc.helsinki.fi
Anna Lintula (Research Assistant)
p. (09) 191 8190, aksaarin@cc.helsinki.fi
Sanna Vahtivuori (Research Assistant)
p. (09) 191 8190, sanna.vahtivuori@helsinki.fi

Theoretical background

Tella, S. & Mononen-Aaltonen, M. 1998. Developing Dialogic Communication Culture in Media Education. Integrating Dialogism and Technology. Department of Teacher Education. Media Education Centre. University of Helsinki. Media Education Publications 7.

Research Plan for the Academic year 1998­1999

1. Integrating the Future Learning Environment (FLE) learning concept into secondary level teacher education through
   a) the subject-didactic research seminar conducted by Marja Mononen-Aaltonen and
   b) portfolios under supervision by Anna Lintula and Marja Mononen-Aaltonen with a special emphasis on developing the future FL teachers' scientific, pedagogical, and subject-focused (subject-didactic) thinking.

2. Evaluating the technical and pedagogical qualities of the FLE groupware from t he perspective of teacher education, media education, and foreign language education.

3. Reporting the experiences of the Media Education Centre Team to the FLE steering group.

Research interest 1 (Anna Lintula): Constructing the virtual FLE community through dialogue

The study aims at finding the virtual FLE community and the social reality of the learners which is created when acting through language.

Stage 1
15.9. 1998 - 31.12.1998
Interaction and communalism in a text-based multimedia learning environment

Stage 2
15.9.1998 - 31.12.1998 and 1.1.1999 - 31.5.1999
Learners, teachers and tutors as virtual text

The study aims at implementing and developing collaborative and communal models and means of action for scientific inquiry.

Stage 1
15.9. - 31.12.1998
Networking for scientific inquiry in FLE communities

Stage 2
15.9.1998 - 31.12.1998 and 1.1.1999 - 31.5.1999
Sharing expertise and initiating experiential knowledge between the FLE learners and communities

Stage 1
15.9. - 31.12.1998)
Supporting the teacher/tutor and her students in appropriating the FLE learning concept and in acquiring the FLE skills.

Stage 2
15.9.1998 - 31.12.1998 and 1.1.1999 - 31.5.1999)
Developing communal models of studying and multifunctional communal and dialogic learning tasks for FLE.

Stage 3
15.9.1998 - 31.12.1998 and 1.1.1999 - 31.5.1999)
Creating a set of general pedagogical and didactic principles to promote good FLE practice.

Conceptual framework:

Cohen, E. 1986. Designing Groupwork: Strategies for Heterogeneous Classrooms. New York: Teachers College Press.

Kitaigorodskaja, G. A. 1992. Intensivnoe obuchenie inostrannym yazykam: Teoriya i praktika. (Intensive foreign language teaching. Theory and practice). Moscow: Russki yazyk.

Sharan, S. (ed.) 1994. Handbook of Cooperative Learning Methods. London: Greenwood Press.

Sharan, S. & Sharan, Y. 1992. Expanding Cooperative Learning through Group Investigation. New York: Teachers College Press.