From 13th – 16th June, 2015 Dr. Susan Garton, the Chief Coordinator of the Tempus project DeTEL visited Voronezh. The purpose of her visit was to monitor the results achieved by the VSU Tempus work group within the framework of the project.
On 13th June Dr. S. Garton held a meeting with the members of the VSU Tempus work group. During the round table meeting the representatives of Voronezh State University presented the contents of the modules developed in VSU, discussed the Master’s programme “Teaching languages with the use of online technologies”, and exchanged views on the next stages of the project (purchase of equipment, textbooks and software, publishing new textbooks for the Master’s programme).
Dr. Susan Garton expressed her satisfaction with the work done at VSU for the project.
On 15th June Dr. Susan Garton took part in a meeting with the rector of VSU Prof. Dmitry Endovitsky as a part of the official programme of the visit. The meeting was attended by the Vice-Rector for Economy and International Cooperation Prof. Oleg Belenov, the Vice-Rector for Research and Informatisation Prof. Vasily Popov, and the Dean of the Faculty of Romance and Germanic philology Prof. Vladimir Titov.
The participants of the meeting discussed the role of VSU in the Tempus project and the opening of the new Master’s programme “Teaching languages with the use of online technologies”. The programme was developed by the Tempus project participants and is based on the newest tendencies in language teaching. Particular attention during the meeting was paid to the prospects of cooperation between VSU and Aston University (Birmingham). As a result, a number of important agreements concerning the prospects of cooperation and opportunities for students’ participation in the double diplomas programmes were achieved.
During the visit, Dr. Susan Garton met the First Vice-Rector – the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Elena Chupandina and the VSU Tempus project coordinator, the Vice-Rector for Research and Informatisation Prof. Vasily Popov.
On 15th June Dr. Susan Garton also took part in a conference meeting with graduates of the humanities faculties of VSU, and university and secondary school teachers of the city of Voronezh. The meeting was headed by Prof. Vasily Popov. The participants of the meeting represented the target audiences, and showed a great interest in the use of new information and communication technologies in language teaching. They consider the possibility to study within the framework of the new Master’s programme in this field essential.
The participants of the conference meeting were also welcomed by the First Vice-Rector – the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs, Prof. Elena Chupandina. She stressed the innovative and long-term nature of the practice-oriented educational programmes, which are the result of international cooperation and focus on the use of new information technologies. She emphasised that all these characteristics apply to the new interfaculty Master’s programme “Teaching languages with the use of online technologies”.
Then, Dr. S. Garton delivered a detailed lecture on the unique experience of implementing distance and blended learning Master’s programmes at Aston University in the UK.
Member of the Tempus work group, Prof. Natalia Fenenko presented the results of the Tempus project the main of which is the new MA programme “Teaching languages with the use of online technologies”.
Member of the Tempus work group, Marina Shcherbakova made a presentation of a new in-service training programme for teachers which has the modules developed in the framework of the Tempus project as its pa
