News - Students Transported Abroad at the Click of a Button
Language students will feel like they've been transported abroad during their studies thanks to a new state of the art multimedia digital suite.
It integrates the latest learning resources, bringing together listening, speaking, reading and writing materials in a slick and interactive way so students can improve their language skills with ease.
The digital lab will also provide greater flexibility about what, when and where to study and replace the University's analogue facilities, enhancing the quality of sound and imagery.
Chelo de Andrés, Spanish lecturer and Teaching Fellow, received the University's Business School Entrepreneur of the Year Award for her role in driving the digital project forwards after the School of Hospitality and Tourism - which has Languages under its remit - was given University funding to upgrade the current facilities.
Chelo, who will use the digital lab to enrich and enhance her students' learning experience, said: "Through digital media, authentic material and easy communication around the world is now just a few clicks away.
"This will significantly transform the language learning environment, allowing students to be in contact with real-world resources, which will be fun and engaging for them.
"In a global economy, having another language - and with it, international work experience - is an increasingly valuable skill, enhancing career opportunities."
Students will be able to access learning materials online, contributing to the University's sustainability values by reducing paper use and travel. It also ticks the internationalisation box, by providing an opportunity for larger numbers of students to add a language to their degree title or top up their skills by taking a language elective.
A pilot of 20 students from the Plymouth Business School will be testing the new digital suite during this academic year, prior to it being rolled out to the next intake of students in 2011.