The English Language Self Access Centre assists and supports all students from a non-English speaking background in the University of Auckland. The self access centre provides students with a space to engage in work on their English language skills in their own time and at their own pace. It provides resources, equipment, activities and support in a number of ways to help students improve their English.
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| The ELSAC learning lab software environment provides access to learning resources and tracking through student's needs analysis and learning records. |
Atlantech has developed an Electronic Learning Environment that functions as a support tool for the students. It gives students access to a large number of language learning resources, information and materials. It also guides and helps them to carry out needs analyses, set goals and select appropriate learning materials and activities. In this way, it contributes to the development of skills for successful self-directed learning. Staff are available to provide assistance and, by appointment, language counselling.
There are over 1000 language learning resources, including cdroms, graded readers, dvds with subtitling, videos, dictionaries etc. In addition, a number of activities are organised to help learners gain confidence in using English. These include sessions focusing on presentation and discussion skills, essay writing, etc.
ELSAC and research
ELSAC is an excellent source for research purposes for postgraduate students doing research in topics such as self-directed learning, the use of computer-assisted language learning materials, and distance learning and teaching.
The Electronic Learning Environment gives students support for independent learning, tracks their use of materials and monitors their progress.
It also gives staff and researchers the opportunity to administer questionnaires electronically, either on the basis of specific learner profiles or to specific materials.
Elsac staff, together with staff from the Department of Applied Language Studies & Linguistics, actively participate in research projects and present their findings at international conferences. They also frequently publish in academic journals. Currently, the main research foci include: collaborative language learning, teacher education, language counselling, materials evaluation, and computer-assisted self-study.
For more information about learning centre software environments please contact Mike Hibbert mike@atlantech.co.nz