Hellas Alive©
The Hellenic American Union, in collaboration with the Academy of Electronic Media at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (USA) has developed Hellas Alive©, a state-of-the-art, pedagogically innovative, web-based Modern Greek language learning program.
Hellas Alive© is a rich multimedia platform that combines technology with the latest theories of learning and teaching and provides you with:
- Flexibility in learning pace
- Emphasis on real-word outcomes and adaptability
- Authentic language presented through over 2,000 videos and other media
- 3D environment and cultural playspaces
- Interaction with tutors and other learners using a variety of tools (audio messages, text-based chat, bulletin boards)
- Self-assessment and practice through activities and exercises
- Grammar and vocabulary learning using images, video and audio
Learners can proceed at their own pace, as they can access course content anytime and from anywhere.
Conceptual & Pedagogical Framework
The language-learning component of the Hellas Alive© Project uses advanced methods of course structuring, collaborative learning and tutoring support to enable learners to learn Greek in a rich supportive learning environment while at the same time facilitating communication among its network of learners.
The conceptual framework of the project is that of simulated learning. Learners are introduced to real world situations and interactions with the use of authentic texts and a variety of exercises and activities that are presented and done on-line. Learners are also immersed in a contemporary Greek and Greek-American cultural context enhanced by a variety of media such as pictures, sound files and videos.
The pedagogical framework follows the communicative approach to foreign language learning. There is emphasis on real communication through the use of real tasks in a variety of language exercises. The learning material is highly interactive with an integration of all four skills (speaking-listening-reading-writing). Grammar and vocabulary are also presented in a stimulating and communicative context.
Innovation
The innovative nature of Hellas Alive© is not so much the particular components of the on-line learning system, nor the interactive 3D learning environment and the cultural playspaces per se, but rather the integration of a broad and highly varied range of web-delivered, feedback-rich, interactive language-learning and cultural-awareness components within a highly stimulating learning environment.
Features
The Hellas Alive© learning environment is characterized by:
- Immersive 3D world (Greek cityscape) that is easy to navigate
- Cultural playspaces
- Rich multimedia content
- Tutor feedback for student work
- Student–student and student–tutor on-line collaboration
- Self-assessing exercises
- Hyperlinked and integrated grammar and vocabulary components
The language and cultural components within the 3D learning environment are available in a multi-purpose workspace that includes:
- Immersive 3D world
- Cultural playspaces (game-like interactive cultural and communicative language-learning activities)
- Communication Bar, for tutor feedback and student collaboration
- Lesson Playlist, for self-paced and independent learning
- Text and Exercise Area, with communicative and integrated learning situations and self-assessment opportunities
- Language (grammar) index: Multiple screens (triptychs) with general and/or specific grammar content
- Vocabulary index: Multiple screens (triptychs) with general and/or specific lexical content
Navigational, screen, and other functionalities:
- Buttons: play, pause, listen, record, submit, back, quit, scroll-down, exercises, 3D world, language (grammar) index, vocabulary index, contact tutor (external application), chat (external application), volume, help, lesson menu, delete, previous screen, next screen, navigate
- Screen features: text typing, text appearing, image appearing, video appearing, multiple screens, rollovers
- Screen types: Expandable playlist (lesson menu), expandable text, video, image, workspace (exercises), title, instructions, hyperlinked text, 3D images
- Links from screen to: screen, audio, video, image, external applications
- Features: text highlighting, automatic correction by system, drag and drop of text, drag and drop of image, clicking
The Material
Hellas Alive© has been designed in such a way to enable learners immerse in simulated environments which allow remote control of real equipment to learn hands-on language skills. Upon completion, the on-line program will expand in five different levels of difficulty from beginning to advance. Each level is organized in fifteen different thematic units. Each unit consists of four lessons. The content of this material does not only serve language-learning needs but also provides multi-media resources within the language-learning material to acquaint learners of Modern Greek—both in Greece and abroad—with the cultural achievements, history and society of Greece, past and present.
Each unit consists of the following parts:
- Warm-Up
- Reading and Listening Texts
- Reading and Listening activities and exercises
- Play roles: speaking and writing practice
- Grammar, Syntax, and Vocabulary presentation
- and Grammar Practice
- Extra Practice
General Folders:
- Dictionary Folder (translations-synonyms-sentences)
- Grammar and Syntax
- Class work and homework folders
- Contact with Tutor and Chat
- Immersion Folder (Playspaces)
In this section:
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