ST. PAUL, MN--(Marketwired - Nov 12, 2013) - EMC Publishing, a division of New Mountain Learning, today introduced the "Perform" layer of EMC Languages, an online environment for teaching and learning world languages in K-12 classrooms that is scheduled to launch in early 2014.
The EMC Languages learning environment has three layers that work in tandem. Students "Discover" languages and cultures, "Expand" their knowledge beyond the textbook and written test, and "Perform" what they've learned to achieve proficiency. "Perform" is the key to the helping students achieve fluency.
The underlying platform in "Perform" is Avenue, which allows an educator to conduct one-to-one assessments of students' performances via a video-based response and feedback system. Educators create custom tasks based on EMC's rich library of curricular media to capture, evaluate, archive and visualize progress.
Earlier this month Avenue research received the Outstanding Paper Award of E-Learn 2013. The award recognizes the best paper of the conference. Organized by the Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE) and co-sponsored by the International Journal on E-Learning, the conference is a forum for the exchange of information on e-learning.
Avenue was originally created for post-secondary American Sign Language classrooms. More than 25,000 students have used it to date. Students can record and submit their performances -- homework, midterms, in-class assignments, etcetera. Instructors can then easily record a short video response for each student, providing specific, visual pointers on how to improve -- cutting the lag time between performance and feedback dramatically so students receive individualized feedback and comments and put new strategies into practice the immediately.
EMC Languages was born out of a long-term collaborative partnership between EMC Publishing, a publisher with 60 years of experience in world language educational materials, and LT Media Lab in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota.
"EMC Languages empowers educators and excites students to ignite transformative learning, which is when learning becomes part of a student's personal narrative," said Charles Miller, PhD, associate professor, Learning Technologies, co-director, LT Media Lab. "The "Perform" layer is the final piece of the puzzle -- enabling students to speak and educators to assess in the target language."
The EMC Languages environment is part of a pilot program in schools this fall and it's scheduled to roll out in early 2014 for French and Spanish. German and Chinese will follow later in the year. EMC Languages' content is aligned with American Council on The Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) standards and includes cultural context from all countries where the target language is spoken.
"The third layer of the EMCL environment -- Perform -- is designed to 'virtually' move students from the back of the class to the front row," said Eric Cantor, chief executive officer of New Mountain Learning. "We're helping students create rich performance portfolios that they can reflect on and evolve as they develop their listening, speaking and comprehension skills."
About EMC Publishing
A division of New Mountain Learning, EMC Publishing is a recognized leader in world language solutions in classrooms throughout the nation. Founded in 1954, EMC publishes instructional materials, supplements, and assessments for the K-12 market, delivering print and digital solutions for world languages, literature and language arts, and computer applications and literacy. For more information, visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or on the web.
About The Learning Technologies Media Lab
Founded in 2010, the Learning Technologies Media Lab is an innovative design and research center located in the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) at the University of Minnesota. This lab is affiliated with the Learning Technologies academic program area in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction within CEHD, which is nationally known for developing innovative educational technology.