Coaching-oriented Online Resources for the Autonomous Learning of LSP Erasmus Project

Project Title

Coaching-oriented Online Resources for the Autonomous Learning of LSP

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2019

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Pedagogy and didactics; Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Teaching and learning of foreign languages

Project Summary

The importance of autonomous learning is of particular significance in educational policy documents with an emphasis on competences for autonomy that can be developed at all educational levels and ages. A survey-based study involving more than 1,400 students identified the low level of autonomous learning skills of Hungarian students at BBS as a skill gap in 2017. Teachers at the BBS Department of Languages for Business Communication have been trying to tackle this problem in the following ways:
– A professional dialogue was initiated with colleagues from other departments of the University including a round-table discussion at the Day of Applied Sciences at BBS in 2018.
– Opportunities for international comparison were sought after, and an adapted version of the questionnaire was completed at partner universities among students of LSP. Pinpointing the international dimension of this problem, the results showed clearly that besides the differences, some areas were challenging for all participating students.
– Research on international solutions was carried out and a growing number of European universities have been found to enhance autonomous language learning in (online) self-access centres. Besides providing materials and a language learning environment which promotes autonomous language learning indirectly, some centres offer direct support for autonomous learning in the form of advising or coaching. However, no transnational project has been found that would offer open educational resources promoting the autonomous learning of LSP.

The objective of the CORALL project is to launch a transnational initiative − developed in the framework of a strategic partnership − to fill the aforementioned gaps by supporting students in becoming more autonomous learners and supporting teachers of LSP in helping learners to become more autonomous. A further objective is to create intellectual outputs to support autonomous language learning, which will not only be available for the language teachers and students of each participating institution, but will also constitute open educational resources. Our aim is to support learners’ language development in LSP through the development of their autonomous language learning skills in an online environment. Teachers of LSP will benefit from the partner institutions’ practices and expertise, while the overall project will promote lifelong learning and contribute to the universities’ strategic aim of internationalization.

The CORALL project involves the coordinator of BBS’ previous KA2 project, the Czech Technical University in Prague. It also brings on board new partners to BBS, namely:
– Beuth University of Applied Sciences
– Instituto Politécnico da Guarda, and through IPG the Association of Language Centres in Higher Education in Portugal (ReCLes.pt)
and it involves BBS’ partner universities in Erasmus+ with whom there was no previous contact between LSP teachers:
– Haaga-Helia University of Applied Sciences
– and the University of Economics in Bratislava.

Partners were carefully chosen by the applicant based on the participants’ complementary expertise and needs identified to be common.

The project follows and develops the structure of the ICCAGE project further, implemented successfully in a different thematic area (intercultural communication) between 2015 and 2017. After the design of a conceptual framework (O1) in the initial phase of the project, the partners will develop resources (O2) to support students’ autonomous learning of LSP (in English, German and Spanish), as well as sample materials and modules (O3) for self-study and to integrate into LSP classes or LSP related projects to enhance autonomous language learning skills. Case studies (O4) will be written to facilitate the future use of the resources and, in the final phase of the project, modules (O5) for language teacher development to support autonomous learning will be created. The transnational joint staff training is expected to contribute to the success of the development of the outputs, and a blended mobility for students will be an added value of the project. Dissemination is carefully planned in order to ensure that all the target groups are reached effectively.

BBS will channel the CORALL project results in the design of a new study programme in LSP, including the design of an interdisciplinary subject especially aimed at improving students’ autonomous language learning skills, and all partners will implement practical learning strategies into their existing practices, which will spark intrinsic motivation in students and encourage them to take control over their learning process. The strategic partnership aims at long-term cooperation among LSP educators of the participating organisations, which, in each case, contribute substantially to their respective institution’s strategic development goals.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 261713 Eur

Project Coordinator

BUDAPESTI GAZDASAGI EGYETEM & Country: HU

Project Partners

• BEUTH-HOCHSCHULE FUER TECHNIK BERLIN
• INSTITUTO POLITECNICO DA GUARDA
• HAAGA-HELIA AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY
• EKONOMICKA UNIVERZITA V BRATISLAVE
• VYSOKA SKOLA CHEMICKO-TECHNOLOGICKA V PRAZE