Abstract:

The European Commission has a lifelong Learning Programme which enables people at all stages of their lives to take part in learning experiences, as well as helping to develop the education and training. With a budget of €7 billion for 2007 to 2013, this programme finances a range of actions such as exchanges, study visits and networking activities. Projects are intended not only for individual students and learners, but also for teachers, trainers and all others involved in education and training. Governments are making an enormous effort to spread out knowledge and professional skills worldwide. In this sense, the ability to integrate knowledge, skills and attitudes in a practical way to solve problems in a variety of contexts is a high task to accomplish.

Blended learning (b-learning) is defined in Wikipedia as a “mixing of different learning environments. This approach to teaching and learning combines traditional face to face classroom methods with more modern computer-mediated activities. This strategy creates a more integrated approach for both instructors and learners.”

The authors consider that, with the educational innovation project proposed, it is possible to create a multi-cultural, -disciplinal forum where the students can present and discuss their positions on pharmaceutical chemicals topics of interest. This could be a convenient way to encourage the use of language as a tool for resolving issues, specifically using English as a universal language.

Learning to communicate is a way of establishing links with others, and approaching to other cultures. Thus, linguistic competences are essential not only in the resolution of conflicts but also in learning to peacefully expose our own points of view.


References:

1. http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc78_en.htm. Retrieved on 2011-07-11.
2. http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/B-learning. Retrieved on 2011-07-11.
3. Heinze, A., C. Procter and Scott, B. (2007). "Use of Conversation Theory to underpin Blended Learning." International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies 1(1 & 2): 108–120.
4. http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/67/07879729/0787972967.pdf. Retrieved on 2011-07-11.

Keywords:

b-learning, multicultural forum, linguistic competences.