Learning through exploration, autonomy, collaboration, and simulation: The 'all-in-one' virtual school of the Hellas Alive!© online, language-learning platform

Abstract

The Hellenic American Union (HAU), in Greece, in collaboration with the Academy of Electronic Media at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, in the USA, has developed Hellas Alive!©, an online language and culture learning platform for teaching Greek as a Foreign Language with emphasis on interactivity for language learning, cultural awareness, and communication. The platform comprises the Virtual School component, the Virtual City component and the cultural Playspaces component. Language learning takes place in the Virtual School which supports autonomous exploration, simulation, representation and collaboration, with rich multimedia content and synchronous and asynchronous learning tools. Its interface includes an expandable playlist that provides users with all the tools necessary for effective language learning. Such tools include unlimited options to read text, to listen to audio, to watch video or to see images, to record, to submit audio and text, to perform 23 different types of exercises with instant automated error feedback, to chat with other users, and to share material with other users. The platform also includes a variety of interfaces with additional information on language and vocabulary. Users can activate them every time they encounter the corresponding grammatical item or word. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.