Scope and approach

Overall strategy and general description

The survey of these dialogues will be supported by a set of key players: internationally known media companies, pan-European e-learning portals and publishers, social partners, universities, vocational training institutions and public bodies. Special focus will be given to unexplored areas (new EU countries, informal learning and disadvantaged youth).

The field of language learning through social media requires an open approach, due to its novelty and high potential in language pedagogy. Although teaching and learning through social media is a reality (although at different levels and with differing impact in Europe), there is a lack of a systematic approach as to practices, methods, approaches and challenges at European level. Our network responds to this need by gathering data on existing practices, methods and approaches and disseminating them to the general public.

The scope of the network is to bring together and foster interaction between different types of players. This does not simply mean bringing together key players with a long tradition in ICT for language learning and teacher training, developers of educational content and public bodies that compose the network. The real challenge of the network is to engage a dialogue (crucial for the network, therefore included in its title) between experienced key players and the world outside, to enhance interaction with people who would not benefit from exchange if the network approach were less inclusive.

The key findings of every key dialogue will be published in EN, FR, DE, ES, PL, FI, LV & RO. Network impact is guaranteed through the dissemination potential of partners and especially big media companies actively engaged in the network.

Originality of the approach

The originality of our approach lies in the following features:

• making expert knowledge available to the general public and, more importantly, getting feedback and exchange on this issue from and with individuals (experts or not) in the broad sense of knowledge sharing;
• making knowledge available to people attending the debate in situ, and also giving people not physically present the opportunity not only to benefit from the debate but also to contribute actively to the discussion;
• covering the different aspects of the language learning-social media relationship;
• documenting and providing tangible data on the use of language learning through social media in Europe as a means of removing ambiguity from the picture of emerging technologies in Europe.