DIGITAL LIBRARY
WAYS OF ENRICHING FOREIGN LANGUAGE COURSES AT THE UNIVERSITY: DIGITAL BADGES AND MOBILE LEARNING
University of Pardubice (CZECH REPUBLIC)
About this paper:
Appears in: INTED2016 Proceedings
Publication year: 2016
Pages: 6729-6737
ISBN: 978-84-608-5617-7
ISSN: 2340-1079
doi: 10.21125/inted.2016.0586
Conference name: 10th International Technology, Education and Development Conference
Dates: 7-9 March, 2016
Location: Valencia, Spain
Abstract:
The aim of the paper is to present the specific experience with the use of e-learning and mobile learning, representing a desirable enrichment of English language courses taught at one of the technical faculties of the particular university in the Czech educational context, namely the Transport Faculty of the University of Pardubice. The conceptual framework of this paper is formed by the idea of the so called micro-credentials, which might be considered one of the potential scenarios of certifying skills and knowledge in the education of the future. Therefore, in the area of e-learning, special attention is given to the analysis of the potential of digital badges applied within the e-learning courses of English for specific purposes in LMS Moodle. The issues of mobile learning with regard to the concept of micro-credentials are addressed via the analysis of the impact of the language learning app Duolingo which is being used primarily in order to develop the students’ command of general English language. The analysis is based on the data collected by means of a structured questionnaire both in the groups of full-time as well as part-time students, including various levels of English language competence, i.e. covering the groups of beginners (up to the level A2 of Common European Framework for Foreign Languages), the intermediate groups (comprising the levels of B1 and B1+) and the upper-intermediate groups (the B2 level).