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About the Project | Objectives
| Partners | MobLang
Website
Title |
Intercultural Dialogue & Linguistic Diversity
via MobLang
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Project |
Framework Lifelong Learning Programme / Transversal Programme
/ Key Activity 2: Languages (European Commission, EACEA) |
Project Start |
01/12/2009 |
Project Duration |
24 months |
Partner Countries |
CY, EL, ES, UK |
Project Summary |
Language barriers between individuals of different ethnic
groups living in the same country, or Europeans visiting other
countries for business or pleasure, hinder natural interaction.
Communication in a foreign language can hold back the development
of friendships and closer relationships, thus preventing fruitful
intercultural exchange and dialogue. Basic language knowledge
of one’s conversational partner is usually appreciated
and creates a comforting atmosphere. Today’s Europeans
are too busy to attend a language class. Exploiting technology
and especially the recently emerging developments in mobile
learning could offer a viable alternative. Mobile phones are
optimal learning tools that could enable people to learn any
time, anywhere, and at their one own pace, even during leisure
time.
The proposed project applies Mobile Assisted Language Learning
(MALL) to support minority and/or less-frequently used and
less-taught European languages (LWULT). The aim is to promote
intercultural dialogue especially in former European conflict
regions or regions with many minority groups through promotion
of linguistic diversity. The focus is in Cyprus (Turkish),
the Basque country (Basque), Northern Ireland (Gaelic), and
within as well as around Greece (Albanian, Turkish). The project
will develop the open-source mobile learning environment 'MobLang'
in which users can design and publish their own prototype
micro language courses. User specific micro courses will be
embedded in a social and cultural context, which will include
activities such as lectures, exercises, games, quizzes, as
well as access to a live tutor. Throughout the life of the
project and beyond, MobLang will be designed, developed, published,
and disseminated to children/pupils, teachers, parents, students,
business people, travellers, and individuals who want to build
strong and long-lasting friendships and relationships with
individuals from an ethnic minority group. |
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- To promote language learning and linguistic diversity
- To reinforce dialogue between cultures within the same country
as well as across Europe through the acquisition of basic conversational
language skills
- To improve learners' basic language competence, thus the individuals'
competitiveness
- To increase contact among ethnicities in the participating
countries
- To promote European cooperation by bringing together a group
of various types of organisations
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The project was managed and coordinated by
Cyprus Neuroscience & Technology Institute, under the
New Media Lab. Partners of the Project are University
of Cyprus, Elhuyar
Foundation, Luzia
Research, St Mary's University College, ANTIGONE,
DROMOS.
|
Address |
Cyprus Neuroscience & Technology
Institute (CNTI) - Cyprus
5 Promitheos
1065 Nicosia
Cyprus
|
Fax |
+357 22873821 |
Internet |
www.cnti.org.cy |
Contact Person |
Tatjana Taraszow |
Email |
tatjana(at)cnti.org.cy |
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CNTI's scope of projects involves the application
of technology towards social transformation as well as bridging
literacy, economic and digital divides. It is a supporter
of IT education, scientific research and peace in the three
continents around Cyprus. Moreover, CNTI aims at the sensitization,
enlightenment and development of an active civil society in
Cyprus. The organization implements the following related
projects: 3 projects on Safer Internet, 2 research projects
focusing on Web 2.0/Web 3.0 tools, a research project developing
a multimedia learning environment. CNTI has extensive experience
in coordinating, conducting, and supervising projects, trainings,
conferences, and workshops beyond national boundaries with
the use of modern technology for education. Its competencies
are development of new educational models based on cognitive
science and computing, world-wide operations focused on international
development, and enhancement of inter-ethnic and international
peace. |
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Presentation
of the Organisation |
|
Address |
University of Cyprus Language Centre
- Cyprus
29 Kallipoleos
P.O. Box 20537
1678 Nicosia |
Phone |
+357 22892901 |
Fax |
+357 22342118 |
Internet |
www.hum.ucy.ac.cy/LGC |
Contact Person |
Yiola Papadopoulou |
Email |
papadopoulou.yiola(at)ucy.ac.cy |
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Presentation
of the Organisation |
|
Address |
Elhuyar Foundation - Spain
Zelai Haundi kalea 3
Osinalde industrialdea
20170 Usurbil
BASQUE COUNTRY
|
Phone |
+349 43363040 |
Fax |
+349 43363144 |
Internet |
www.elhuyar.org |
Contact Person |
Josu Waliño |
Email |
j.walino(at)elhuyar.com |
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Elhuyar was created in 1972 aimed to join science
and the Basque language. Later its activity extended to the
normalisation of the status and corpus of the Basque language.
In 2002, Elhuyar gave an important step forward founding Elhuyar
Foundation.The main objectives of the Foundation are:
To collaborate and promote the social normalisation of
the Basque language and, with that aim, to promote and apply
research and development activities;
To stimulate, promote and collaborate in the integration
of Science and Technology in society;
To spread and report, in the Basque Country, as well as
beyond it, the development of the scientific and technological
research done in the Basque Country;
To promote the relationships between the education system
and the science and technology system through publications,
conferences, meetings, seminars, etc.
Our working team is formed by 110 professionals of the
areas of language specialists, scientific knowledge spreading
and educational publications. |
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Presentation
of the Organisation |
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Luzia Research - UK
Wenhaston House
St Peters Road
Upwell 75
PE14 9EJ
Wisbech |
Phone |
+44 870 3500 882 |
Internet |
http://luziaresearch.com |
Contact Person |
Alastrir Briggs |
Email |
al.briggs(at)luziaresearch.com |
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Luzia Research is specialized on educational
software for mobile phones. It is creating own products
and working with research institutions on projects to expand
the use of mobile phones in education. One of its products
is getawayphrases, software for mobile phone to help learn
a language for holidays. Different level games and other
activities cover all basic words and phrases to be needed,
such as greetings, numbers, and directions. It also teaches
basic phrases for use for restaurants, shops, hotels, transport,
emergencies. |
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Presentation
of the Organisation |
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Address |
St Mary's University College -
UK
191 Falls Road
BT12 6FE
Belfast
N. Ireland
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Phone |
+44 28 9032 7678 |
Fax |
+44 28 9033 3719 |
Internet |
www.stmarys-belfast.ac.uk |
Contact Person |
Gerard McCann |
Email |
g.mccann(at)stmarys-belfast.ac.uk |
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St Mary's University College is proud of
our reputation as a friendly, welcoming place where staff
and students work together and know each other as individuals.
In addition to the student teachers who have been the core
of St Mary for the past 100 years, our BA (Liberal Arts)
programme has brought new students with new career ambitions
and interests to give a new dimension to life in the College.
European Studies Department: "Europe" is a multi-dimensional
concept that means many different things and covers a number
of academic fields. This cross-disciplinary subject enables
students to explore various political, cultural and economic
concepts and consider them as contexts for future engagement.
Students will examine Europe as a political and economic
context, and as a cultural space. By doing so they will
be developing the life-skills for living and working in
a continent marked by great diversity yet increasing unity. |
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Presentation
of the Organisation |
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Address |
ANTIGONE - Greece
Information & Documentation Centre on Racism, Ecology,
Peace and Non Violence
Filippou 51
54631Thessaloniki
Greece
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Phone |
+30 2310 285 688 |
Fax |
+30 2310 222 503 |
Internet |
www.antigone.gr |
Contact Person |
Pavlina Lazaridou |
Email |
pavlina.lazaridou(at)antigone.gr |
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ANTIGONE is the Greek national partner for
the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights. It has a close cooperation
with several institutes and organisations aiming at combating
discrimination. Throughout the last five years, in in order
to feed the database of the EUMC with reliable data, ANTIGONE
has developed much theoretical and practical experience
in the crucial field of data collection. ANTIGONE has a
long experience of project management, has a long lasting
relationship with the European Union, has participated in
numerous trainings of youth programmes and has a very close
relationship and cooperation with the Pedagogic Department
of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. ANTIGONE's
experts have experience on the field from their involvement
on previous projects concerning educational matters, as
well as their engagement in multicultural environment, in
discrimination issues, in minority group matters and projects
where new technologies and approaches have been used. |
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Presentation
of the Organisation |
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Address |
Dromos
Group of Immigrants and Refugees - Greece
Baltadorou Str. 7
54631 Thessaloniki
Greece
|
Phone |
+30 2310 275493 |
Contact Person |
Vasiliki Slavidou |
Email |
vadimoula(at)yahoo.gr |
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DROMOS is a NGO established in 2008 in Thessaloniki.
DROMOS is a migrant based organized group of people acting
for the better living of them in the city of Thessaloniki.
Since its formulation, its base has been a vivid meeting place
for migrants, refugees and natives. Numerous live music events
have been organized, mainly on traditional and eastern sounds,
but also music from all around the world. Moreover, it is
a social open place every day for every person to read a book,
drink a tea/coffee, or discuss. Individuals offer books in
many languages, so small library has been formed. But the
most important of all, are the 8 free courses of the Greek
language. Teachers and university students offer their services
to migrants and refugees that are willing to learn the Greek
language and plan to live in Greece. Moreover, migrants and
refugees offer free courses to natives to learn Turkish and
Albanian among others. All activities are organized and carried
out by migrants and refugee. |
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Presentation
of the Organisation |
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