Today's modern technologies offer a wide range of options when it comes to implementing a foreign language lab , and Robotel is among the world leaders in the development of digital foreign language labs, adding numerous features and benefits to the SmartClass by Robotel digital language teaching platform in the last 2 years.
Below are some questions you should consider before starting to implement a foreign language lab :
- Who is part of the project team responsible for implementing the laboratory?
- What are the school requirements?
- What types of laboratories are there on the market?
- What is the content that will be used in the lessons?
- What funds can you use to finance your laboratory?
- Teacher training and education
In the following, we will answer each of these questions, giving you more clarity on the implementation process of a foreign language lab, and analyzing the advantages and disadvantages.
Who is part of the project team responsible for implementing the laboratory?
If your school needs a language lab, the first thing you need to consider is assembling a team of staff who will be responsible for researching the market and evaluating available options. A successful team should include language teachers, IT staff, school administration, and, depending on the funding source, a representative from the city hall or school inspectorate to which the school belongs.
What are the requirements for implementing a foreign language laboratory?
The next step is to identify the lab requirements, which will be extremely important for all teaching staff to be able to effectively use the system. Focus on the top 10 requirements of the school, taking into account the specific needs of the activities carried out.
Here are some examples:
- Are the activities live/based on self-study or a mix of the two?
- What types of activities are essential for a subject and what types of activities would you need to implement?
- Do you want a dedicated lab, set up in a classroom, a portable one, one where you can use students' devices, or a virtual one?
- Will it be a laboratory exclusively for teaching foreign languages or a multidisciplinary one?
- What devices will the students use? What about the teacher?
- What kind of network will the system use?
- What is the budget?
- What is the plan for installation, training and commissioning?
What types of laboratories are there on the market?
Foreign Language Laboratory - Traditional classroom, dedicated to learning foreign languages
It is the most widely used option in schools today. Labs of this type offer greater flexibility in system configuration because the graphics stations are usually connected to the network via cable and benefit from the best sound quality.
Foreign languages laboratory - Traditional classroom, dedicated to learning foreign languages but also to teaching other subjects
There are classrooms where teachers can teach foreign languages but also mathematics, computer science, chemistry, biology or physics. The main advantage of such a multidisciplinary approach is the budget savings, as the same hardware equipment can be used by several departments.
Foreign Language Laboratory - Mobile
For schools where it is not possible to dedicate a classroom exclusively to foreign languages or other subjects, mobile laboratories that can be transported on wheels or moved from one room to another are a viable solution. A disadvantage of this option is the inefficient use of time for moving the devices, thus limiting teaching time and decreasing productivity.
The most popular types of mobile laboratories are:
- Carts: These are cabinets that store up to 40 tablets or 30 laptops or Chromebooks for students. More sophisticated carts also have built-in battery chargers and support for simultaneous synchronization of device configurations. They can also store the teacher's graphics station, wireless network equipment, or student headsets.
- LLIAB (Language Lab in a Box): This type of mobile lab does not typically include individual computing devices. Instead, students use phone-like terminals that serve as a connection point for their headsets and also include some interactive controls.
Laboratory solutions - BYOD (Bring-Your-Own-Device) type
Many schools opt for such an option where students use their own mobile devices (smartphone, tablet or laptop) and which has advantages for both the teacher and the IT staff or administrators. In these cases the school does not have to buy and maintain dedicated hardware equipment, students are the only ones responsible for their devices and have access to them at any time.
Laboratory solutions - 1 to 1
These solutions assume that each student receives a laptop, tablet or Chromebook from the school. In this case, all students benefit from the same platform and the IT staff will have less work, operating with a single type of device. In this case, you just need to consider the support received for the Windows, Mac, Android, iPad platforms, make sure that students can use them both in live activities and when they have to study alone and that the network used meets the minimum operating requirements such as connection.
What is the content that will be used in the lessons?
Robotel's SmartClass has ready-made content for English, German, Spanish and Arabic. In addition, it includes a set of copyrighted tools that allow teachers to easily create activities for students, personalized and dedicated to individual study in their free time. A set of templates is also included to create various types of recording and text response activities.
The activities use a combination of video clips, audio clips, images, text and pdf documents as stimuli. These media files can be imported from almost any source, as long as their use is authorized for educational purposes. The SmartClass by Robotel platform also allows for the sharing of exercises between teachers from the same school or from other schools.
What funds can you use to finance your laboratory?
After identifying the needs and establishing the laboratory options suitable for the school's requirements, you can request an online demonstration of the platform from the ELTEK Store team, which is an opportunity to clarify potential ambiguities. Regarding potential funding sources, you can check the programs offered by the Ministry of Education or the Ministry of European Funds.
Teacher training and education
SmartClass by Robotel comes to the aid of teachers, facilitating the use of the digital platform, offering extensive training and support through online courses with the SmartClass Academy.
If you are ready to take the next step and learn more about the SmartClass Foreign Language Laboratory and the foreign language teaching software platform, their content, the service and support that Robotel offers, request to be contacted by ELTEK Store specialists!
