Brno Texts: 1) Laura: VC learning experience In this essay, I am going to express my opinion on the [INS: ‘Videoconferencing in English’ :INS] lessons [DEL: of :DEL] [DEL: Videoconferencing in English :DEL] , based on my experience of it. [DEL: In :DEL] [INS: = :INS] [DEL: c :DEL] [INS: C :INS] ompare[INS: d :INS] to normal English language lessons, many differences could be [DEL: fi :DEL] [INS: fou :INS] nd, but I will only show three of them[EL1] . [INS: :INS] Firstly, the number of people in the VC group was noticeably lower than in normal English classes, leading to better understanding of the discussed topics.[EL2] More chances to express own opinions and speak[DEL: were also able to be find there, :DEL] [INS: . :INS] [DEL: and l :DEL] [INS: L :INS] ast, but not least the professor could pay [INS: more? :INS] attention to every one of us and help us to improve. [INS: :INS] Secondly, [INS: we had :INS] the chance to [DEL: be :DEL] speak[DEL: ing :DEL] with people of other countries and cultures[DEL: was given to us :DEL] [EL3] [DEL: , :DEL] whereas in normal English classes, usually [INS: there are :INS] only people [DEL: with :DEL] [INS: of the :INS] same nationality or similar language[DEL: are to be find there :DEL] [EL4] , because they need to understand the teacher[DEL: , :DEL] [EL5] who is explaining the curriculum. This leads me to the third point. [INS: :INS] [DEL: Thirdly, :DEL] [EL6] [DEL: d :DEL] [INS: D :INS] uring the normal lessons, often only grammar or tenses are taught[DEL: there :DEL] , while in VC lessons, we had the chance to learn more. Academic writing and how to do it correctly was one of these things[DEL: , :DEL] [INS: . :INS] [DEL: also w :DEL] [INS: W :INS] e were [INS: also :INS] [INS: [EL7] :INS] [INS: :INS] given the chance to communicate through videoconference and discuss some really interesting topics[DEL: , :DEL] [EL8] [DEL: :DEL] which concern our society nowadays. [INS: :INS] To summarize[DEL: it :DEL] , [INS: the :INS] VC lesson is more productive and interesting than normal English lessons [INS: ( :INS] that are[INS: ) :INS] [EL9] offered to us in the school. We are able to learn more[DEL: here :DEL] , because of the teacher´s attitude and communication [DEL: chances :DEL] [EL10] [INS: opportunities :INS] [INS: [EL11] :INS] .[DEL: :DEL] [DEL: :DEL] [DEL: :DEL] [DEL: :DEL] [DEL: :DEL] 2) Issis An Innovative Way for Learning Enrichment Lately technology has become a lot more developed and refined, [DEL: being able to make possible :DEL] [INS: enabling :INS] many different activities people could not have dreamed [DEL: about :DEL] [INS: of :INS] [INS: a :INS] couple years ago; for instance, talking to someone who might be miles away from a specific area. The effect of this [DEL: are :DEL] [INS: is :INS] that teaching practices have had to change and advance according to the new tools [DEL: use :DEL] the world offers. Hence, [DEL: the :DEL] [EL12] [DEL: :DEL] videoconferencing, as one of the new technological strategies for education especially language learning, offers a variety of advantages for students including time/travel flexibility and international diversity, targeting mainly the improvement of students’ abilities within their field of study[DEL: plus :DEL] [EL13] [DEL: other skills :DEL] . As internet usage nowadays[EL14] , videoconferencing enables [DEL: the :DEL] [EL15] communication [DEL: to be possible :DEL] [EL16] between different subjects[EL17] without the interference of [DEL: :DEL] time, distance or expenses barriers;[EL18] promoting -within education- [EL19] [DEL: to share :DEL] knowledge[INS: -sharing :INS] from different parts of the globe,[DEL: even though, there is no actual physical presence while doing so :DEL] . [EL20] Thus, through this strategy [EL21] countries such as Honduras, Georgia, South Korea[EL22] , Czech Republic [DEL: and among others :DEL] can gather together to discuss important matters in real time and miles away from each other without paying a single euro other than the expect[INS: ed :INS] cost of the internet provider. Besides the lack of expense[DEL: s :DEL] [EL23] , the diversity of cultural learning [EL24] is an experience that provides great motivation for an upcoming scholarship [EL25] in students, as it is a stimulating[EL26] way of receiving classes. Moreover, videoconferencing enhances [INS: not only :INS] [DEL: other skills besides :DEL] [INS: the :INS] knowledge that we are [DEL: pursuing :DEL] [EL27] [DEL: :DEL] [INS: aiming :INS] to develop but also performance skills such as speaking in public, which becomes much easier in a videoconferencing setting since the impact of emotional reaction [DEL: are :DEL] [INS: is :INS] less powerful from the screen than [DEL: the :DEL] [INS: an :INS] actual physical presence. Therefore, an introverted person may feel less intimidated by the picture projected on the screen than [DEL: the :DEL] [INS: a :INS] real life [DEL: pressure :DEL] [INS: audience :INS] . Furthermore, [EL28] not only gaining self-confidence by speaking exposure, but some other benefits, videoconferencing is comprised of a great number of advantages including technological knowledge, cultural diversity, sharing for a broaden enrichment of scholarship intended to be acquired, overcoming time and space barriers to provide students with the necessary motivation from an interconnected educational world experience[EL29] . [DEL: :DEL] 3) Sasa The course [INS: ‘ :INS] Videoconferencing in English[INS: ’ :INS] provided [INS: a :INS] unique combination of theory and practice, where one did not dominate the other, but [DEL: they :DEL] rather complimented each other – a[DEL: n :DEL] [DEL: occurrence :DEL] [INS: result :INS] aspired to in many courses, but seldom actually achieved.[INS: :INS] T[INS: he t :INS] heoretical part had [DEL: a :DEL] [INS: the :INS] usual form of a lecturer transferring knowledge, but what set it apart from most courses is that [INS: the :INS] student input was always requested and valued. This allowed students an attempt to find their own solutions to the problem before them, and whether they succeed[INS: ed :INS] or failed, it enhanced their interest in the material, as well as [INS: their :INS] levels of [DEL: its :DEL] [INS: familiarity and :INS] [DEL: :DEL] understanding [INS: of it :INS] [DEL: and memorizing :DEL] . The variety of teaching materials[EL30] used[DEL: , :DEL] [INS: - :INS] mainly oral lectures, written exercises and video material[INS: - :INS] [INS: [EL31] :INS] [DEL: , :DEL] not only helped [DEL: the :DEL] [INS: to :INS] further increase [DEL: of :DEL] [INS: attention :INS] levels [EL32] [DEL: of attention :DEL] , but also corresponded[EL33] with different individual learning styles and [INS: student :INS] preferences [EL34] [DEL: of the students :DEL] . Furthermore, the knowledge gained [DEL: in :DEL] [INS: on :INS] this course is not limited to this course [DEL: only :DEL] [INS: alone :INS] [INS: [EL35] :INS] , rather, it is applicable [DEL: in :DEL] [INS: to :INS] academic and as well as less formal uses[EL36] [DEL: of English :DEL] .[INS: :INS] [INS: The :INS] [DEL: P :DEL] [INS: p :INS] ractical part of the class is unlike any other both [DEL: I :DEL] [INS: i :INS] n terms of topics discussed and the [INS: discussion :INS] environment [DEL: of the discussion :DEL] . Rather than artificial, monotonous classroom exercises, this course provided real life communication challenges in nearly all aspects of language: speaking, listening and writing. Speaking was a challenge due to differences in [DEL: levels of :DEL] [INS: participant :INS] [INS: :INS] language proficiency [INS: levels :INS] [DEL: between :DEL] [EL37] [DEL: the :DEL] [DEL: participant :DEL] [DEL: s :DEL] , as well as time limitation[INS: s :INS] ; listening was a challenge due to [INS: pronunciation :INS] variations [DEL: in pronunciation :DEL] and fluency levels and, occasionally, prior [INS: subject :INS] knowledge[DEL: of the subject discussed :DEL] ; writing was a challenge due to specific [INS: formal academic style :INS] requirements [DEL: of formal academic style :DEL] . Discussions themselves offered a valuable experience in terms of general knowledge and overcoming stereotypes through raising awareness of practices and beliefs of different cultures, not only Asian, but also European[DEL: ones :DEL] [EL38] . Participants had an opportunity to [DEL: get :DEL] [EL39] [DEL: :DEL] acquaint[DEL: ed :DEL] [INS: themselves :INS] with several very different countries and practices by being presented both with personal and traditional values, whether through moral questions, different ceremonies, recipes or social roles. [INS: :INS] Another very useful aspect of this course was [INS: the :INS] constant feedback, whether it was spontaneous[DEL: , :DEL] [INS: through the facial and verbal :INS] [INS: [EL40] :INS] [INS: :INS] [INS: reactions of the Aberystwyth students :INS] [DEL: while in a conversation with Aberystwyth students by :DEL] [DEL: their :DEL] [DEL: facial and oral reaction :DEL] [DEL: s :DEL] , or deliberate[INS: and more elaborate as :INS] [DEL: , :DEL] provided by the teacher[DEL: and more elaborate :DEL] . Furthermore, a unique [DEL: trait :DEL] [EL41] [DEL: :DEL] [INS: characteristic :INS] of this course is the fact that the videoconferences were recorded, which provides the students [INS: with :INS] an opportunity to self-evaluate [INS: ( :INS] their behaviour[INS: ) :INS] , [EL42] be their own judges and determine their strong and weak points.[INS: :INS] To conclude,[DEL: the :DEL] [DEL: course :DEL] Videoconferencing in English [INS: course :INS] provided knowledge not only specific to the academic environment, but also everyday life; not only about other cultures, but our own; not only about other people, but ourselves[INS: and therefore was a highly valuable :INS] [INS: learning :INS] [INS: :INS] [INS: experience :INS] [INS: [EL43] :INS] [INS: ? :INS] [DEL: . :DEL] [DEL: :DEL] [DEL: :DEL] [DEL: :DEL] 4) Lucie Videoconference – an innovative way of learning English The [INS: ‘ :INS] Videoconferencing in English[INS: ’ :INS] [INS: course :INS] provided a unique opportunity for the attendants to [DEL: meet with :DEL] [INS: encounter :INS] a nonstandard way of learning the language through videoconference sessions with students from another [INS: overseas :INS] [INS: [EL44] :INS] university[DEL: abroad :DEL] , more specifically from [DEL: the :DEL] Aberystwyth University, Wales. Concerning the [DEL: formal criterion :DEL] [INS: :INS] [INS: participation :INS] [INS: criteria :INS] , the course was destined [EL45] for all students with no distinction in relation to the type[EL46] and the domain of their studies[EL47] . Moreover, no precise [INS: English language :INS] level [DEL: of the English language :DEL] was [DEL: requested :DEL] [INS: required :INS] for the attendance[EL48] . What is of [DEL: the :DEL] significant importance[INS: is that :INS] [DEL: , :DEL] the course was offered not only to official [INS: Masaryk University :INS] students [DEL: of the Masaryk University :DEL] , but also to the exchange and Erasmus students. This enabled the participants to compare their experiences, forced [EL49] [DEL: them :DEL] [DEL: to speak only in :DEL] [INS: communication in :INS] [DEL: proper :DEL] English (because [INS: the :INS] majority of the audience [EL50] had different mother tongues) and broadened their knowledge of [DEL: the :DEL] [INS: different :INS] cultural background[INS: s :INS] [DEL: of others :DEL] (including traditions, different accents or famous persons[EL51] ). The working group was [DEL: formed by :DEL] [INS: comprisws :INS] students not merely from Europe (primarily [DEL: the :DEL] Ukrainians, [DEL: the :DEL] Lithuanians and [DEL: the :DEL] Slovaks) but also from more distant Central America. What is rather interesting is the fact that only one student came from the home country (the Czech Republic). During the course, the attendants drew attention, besides other things, to the formal aspects of English. In writing assignments, they attempted to improve their level of academic English with proper pronunciation and adequate style vis-à-vis [EL52] the particular audience and circumstances. The reading tasks [DEL: were :DEL] mainly focused on searching for appropriate background information for later class discussions. Even though the writing and reading tasks were important, the course [INS: structure? :INS] was [DEL: due :DEL] [INS: related :INS] to the videoconference sessions [INS: being :INS] principally oriented to speaking and listening[EL53] . Concerning speaking[INS: skills :INS] , students expressed their opinions and ideas not only in spontaneous discussions but they also had to prepare some general information [DEL: relating :DEL] [INS: related :INS] to [DEL: earlier :DEL] [INS: pre- :INS] specified topics. Moreover, one of the tasks was to conduct the whole videoconference session with [DEL: the :DEL] Aberystwyth University, including the choice of [DEL: the :DEL] topic, preparation and [DEL: then :DEL] its [INS: subsequent :INS] [INS: [EL54] :INS] presentation and discussion. Regarding listening[INS: skills :INS] , students were obliged to concentrate and [DEL: to :DEL] adapt to specific accents of other participants (mainly to those coming from Asia which may [INS: sometimes :INS] prove [DEL: to be :DEL] difficult[DEL: sometimes :DEL] ) and be ready to respond[EL55] . Nevertheless, the main contribution of the course [INS: was most :INS] certainly [DEL: was :DEL] the intercultural exchange between the attendants. Coming from different cultural and social surroundings, they could present their opinions and possibly change[EL56] the point of view of the others on some controversial topics. Although it is not always easy to accept an[INS: other’s :INS] opinion [DEL: of another :DEL] [DEL: person :DEL] , it certainly helps to [DEL: improve the :DEL] [INS: increase/promote :INS] tolerance and mutual respect [DEL: between people :DEL] which is more crucial than the factual knowledge of English and proves that courses like this are of significant importance these days[EL57] . Konec formuláře 5) Justinas The aim of this paper is to compare the lessons of Videoconferencing in English to normal ones and [INS: to discern/describe/outline :INS] [DEL: what are :DEL] [INS: the former’s :INS] advantages and disadvantages[DEL: of it :DEL] . The text will be based on my own experience [DEL: at :DEL] [INS: on :INS] this course. First of all, there seems to be no reason to argue that nowadays while technologies are being improved very fast, it is obvious that typical lessons [DEL: became :DEL] [INS: have become :INS] [INS: [EL58] :INS] more boring and people want[DEL: s :DEL] to include some “smart” things[EL59] into [INS: their :INS] [DEL: studying :DEL] [INS: studies :INS] . Some of these new technologies have been found in [INS: the/our ‘ :INS] Videoconferencing in English[INS: ’ :INS] lessons. It is necessary to mention that [INS: the :INS] opportunity to talk with students from [INS: the :INS] United Kingdom during video call sessions was great[EL60] [INS: ( :INS] assuming that [INS: the :INS] video and audio quality was better than expected[INS: ) :INS] . This[EL61] implies that the lessons went smoothly, [INS: were :INS] exciting[DEL: ly :DEL] and not so boring. Secondly, communicating with other people who are not [DEL: English :DEL] native [INS: English :INS] speakers puts forward the view [EL62] that it is a good experience for getting use to their accent and trying to speak fluently. Another relevant point is that working [DEL: in groups :DEL] and communicating [INS: in groups :INS] [DEL: to each other :DEL] makes people flexible and [INS: more :INS] able to solve problems. Also, it persuades students to focus on [DEL: things :DEL] what others says, [INS: thus :INS] increas[INS: ing :INS] [DEL: e :DEL] the[INS: ir :INS] level of attention. What is more, videoconferencing lessons[INS: , :INS] unlike the normal ones, include[DEL: s :DEL] more practical aspects, not only writing and reading. That is to say, oral lectures were the main thing[EL63] [DEL: at :DEL] [INS: on :INS] this course, whereas [INS: on a :INS] normal English grammar course [INS: written exercises :INS] [DEL: have :DEL] [INS: form a large part :INS] [DEL: a very big part of :DEL] [DEL: writing exercises :DEL] . In addition, comparing videoconferencing lessons to normal ones, [DEL: the :DEL] [INS: another :INS] difference was [DEL: an :DEL] [INS: the :INS] amount of students. At VC most[DEL: ly :DEL] of [INS: the :INS] time [INS: there :INS] were from four to eight students unlike [INS: in :INS] normal English grammar lessons where[INS: there are :INS] usually [DEL: it is :DEL] about twenty. Th[INS: is :INS] [DEL: e :DEL] experience [DEL: ap :DEL] proves that [DEL: at :DEL] lessons [DEL: where are :DEL] [INS: with :INS] fewer people,[INS: make :INS] it [DEL: is :DEL] easier to focus on [INS: the :INS] topic[INS: and :INS] [DEL: , :DEL] concentrate[DEL: on your own minds :DEL] . [DEL: As a :DEL] [INS: In :INS] summary, [INS: the ‘ :INS] Videoconferencing in English[INS: ’ :INS] course is mostly about practical learning[INS: , :INS] [DEL: what :DEL] [INS: which :INS] is very useful. I[INS: t i :INS] s clear from the above that this kind of lecture[DEL: s :DEL] [DEL: are :DEL] [INS: is :INS] more attractive to students to learn and for teachers to teach as well[EL64] . Considering [DEL: about :DEL] my own experience, it is clear that lessons like this are [INS: the :INS] future of studying[EL65] . 6) Michaela Videoconferencing is a modern method of communication in the 20th -[EL66] 21^st century. [DEL: The l :DEL] [INS: L :INS] earning methods [EL67] are changing [DEL: by the :DEL] [INS: every :INS] year[DEL: s :DEL] and using [DEL: the :DEL] “VC” is just [INS: the :INS] next step [DEL: to :DEL] [INS: in :INS] mak[INS: ing :INS] [DEL: e :DEL] our lives easier. Videoconferencing uses audio and video system[INS: s :INS] to bring people at different sites together.[INS: :INS] The videoconferencing lessons composed of different cultural groups at our university. During the lessons we had an opportunity to meet new international students and get to know their cultures, habits and statements[EL68] . Personally, [INS: from time to time :INS] it was [DEL: from time to time :DEL] difficult to differentiate [INS: between the :INS] foreign accents and [DEL: consequently emerged :DEL] misunderstandings[INS: consequently emerged :INS] . But in my opinion it was great experience in my life. Videoconferencing is[INS: the :INS] future for everybody from our lesson and our generation[EL69] . 7) Iryna Videoconferencing Learning Experience Videoconferencing has been used at Masaryk University for years[EL70] , but now it is gaining more popularity and[DEL: :DEL] [INS: this particular course :INS] [DEL: makes :DEL] [INS: made :INS] it possible to meet, learn and work with fellow students from Aberystwyth University and around the world[DEL: . :DEL] [INS: Other advantages are tha :INS] [INS: t :INS] videoconferencing not only enables meetings that would be otherwise impossible due to travel expenses, but also increases learning productivity, motivation and promotes teamwork[EL71] .[INS: :INS] Unlike traditional classes, videoconferencing abolishes geographical borders. In an instant the course [INS: ‘ :INS] Videoconferencing in English[INS: ’ :INS] made it possible to gather students of more than ten nationalities and cultures [DEL: at :DEL] [INS: in :INS] the same [INS: virtual ‘ :INS] classroom[INS: ’ :INS] . Due to the fact[DEL: , :DEL] that there are considerably [DEL: less :DEL] [INS: fewer :INS] people in class, videoconferencing engages everyone with no exceptions in a discussion. Thus, while participating in a videoconference students learn to articulate their thoughts more clearly and practise their public speaking skills. On the other hand, such cultural diversity creates certain challenges[INS: ; :INS] [DEL: - :DEL] students are exposed to a variety of accents, which vary among representatives of every country. [DEL: Being :DEL] [DEL: not :DEL] [INS: Not :INS] [INS: being :INS] used to the speed and manner of speech of each other, learners employ note-taking, which promotes active listening and helps to record and summarize information for future reference[EL72] .[INS: :INS] One of the other obvious benefits of videoconferencing classes at Masaryk University in comparison to traditional ones is the fact that videoconferences are always recorded[EL73] . This gives students an opportunity to go back [EL74] and observe the typical mistakes they make while communicating in English at a later date. Furthermore[EL75] , feedback is immediately provided by the teacher after every class, which allows students to critically assess their progress. [INS: :INS] All things considered, the course [INS: ‘ :INS] Videoconferencing in English[INS: ’ :INS] provided a unique opportunity to participate in collaborative activities with students coming from different cultural as well as educational backgrounds. [DEL: Conjoining :DEL] [INS: Conjoined :INS] efforts of the people engaged along with the usage of audio and visual contact have served as a powerful tool for improving English [INS: language skills :INS] and developing cultural awareness[EL76] . 8) Olga I want to share with you [DEL: some :DEL] [INS: an :INS] experience I’ve recently had. For the last 3 months nearly [DEL: each :DEL] [INS: every :INS] week I [INS: have :INS] had [EL77] a videoconference with exchange students [DEL: in :DEL] [INS: at :INS] one of [INS: the :INS] British Universiti[DEL: t :DEL] es. [DEL: However :DEL] [EL78] [DEL: :DEL] first it’s[EL79] useful to start with some pre-course information. [INS: :INS] Being an exchange student I had to choose several subjects which correspond to my home studies. To tell the truth, this subject had nothing to do with them[EL80] – they were quite an innovation for me – and this was what attracted me most. Consequently I chose this VC course, having not even [DEL: a :DEL] [INS: the :INS] slight[INS: est :INS] [DEL: vision :DEL] [INS: idea/clue :INS] of how it [DEL: can :DEL] [INS: might/could :INS] work.[INS: :INS] I would like to admit that I liked the first class a lot! Although I was in [INS: a :INS] panic looking for the room, as a famous proverb goes, the end [DEL: justifies :DEL] [INS: justified :INS] the means. Finally[INS: , :INS] I found the room and it looked so professional! Believe it or not, [DEL: at once :DEL] I [INS: at once :INS] started longing [DEL: for :DEL] [INS: to :INS] study[DEL: ing :DEL] . The table, the curtain, the screen, the camera – all the facilities looked so inspiring. Then[DEL: , :DEL] [INS: ( :INS] don’t consider it as[DEL: a :DEL] flatter[INS: y) :INS] [DEL: , :DEL] I heard a professor’s speech – and it invigorated me even more. His speech sounded so confident and so British that I even tried to copy it (of course without success).[INS: :INS] [DEL: With :DEL] [INS: From :INS] the first session of Videoconference I understood that it’s very important not only to speak articulately, but to behave properly and to [DEL: have :DEL] [INS: keep :INS] an eye on your personal movements [EL81] [DEL: during the speech. :DEL] [INS: whilst talking. :INS] Moreover[INS: , :INS] I realized that my style of speaking was far from[DEL: being :DEL] perfect. [EL82] Certainly I was disappointed – but it only motivated me to further practice.[INS: :INS] Furthermore, I liked the opportunity to speak [DEL: on :DEL] [INS: about :INS] essential topics such as women’s rights, euthanasia, governmental policy and others – topics [DEL: on :DEL] [INS: about :INS] which I am not sure I have [INS: even :INS] had a conversation[DEL: even :DEL] in my native language[EL83] . Communicating on these mature issues makes people more responsible, reliable and rational. If not [DEL: to take :DEL] [INS: taking :INS] into consideration my [INS: own :INS] personal speaking[INS: skills :INS] , I was pleased to have an opportunity to listen to other students. The farther they were from my culture – the more interesting it was[EL84] . Although[INS: , :INS] unfortunately, it wasn’t always understandable [DEL: what :DEL] [INS: when :INS] they spoke (I hope this was due to technical reasons), some students were very straight[DEL: - :DEL] forward and very persuasive. Several times I even thought to myself that I have more things in common with [DEL: those :DEL] [INS: the :INS] Asian people rather than with Europeans – and it was a very surprising discovery. Frankly speaking, the best thing about participating in videoconferencing is that you can take a look at yourself and judge your speech no strings attached. To cut a long story short, I appreciate the course a lot and I am grateful to the professor for conducting such international conferences[EL85] . 9) Dovile VIDEOCONFERENCING LEARNING EXPERIENCE [INS: ‘ :INS] Videoconferencing in English[INS: ’ :INS] is an extraordinary course that provides [INS: a :INS] great opportunity for the students to participate in diverse methods of [DEL: learning :DEL] foreign language[INS: learning :INS] . First of all, the aim of this course is to advance students speaking skills with other students from Aberystwyth University (UK) via videoconference session[INS: s :INS] . Enrolled international students bring different backgrounds, interests and experience[INS: (s) :INS] to this course. Attendants [EL86] introduce each other’s cultures, participate in discussions that are prepared in advance and thus improve their speaking [DEL: style :DEL] [INS: skills? :INS] . What is more, students usual[INS: ly :INS] work in groups that help them to go around with [EL87] students from Lithuania, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Slovak, Honduras, Bosnia, Georgia, South Korea and Japan. Second, this course is slightly different and more innovative than any other regular course that can be [DEL: thought :DEL] [INS: found :INS] in universities these days. For example, discussion topics are posted online, on a special Facebook group that is created for this course. Every week students meet in [INS: a :INS] small classroom that is equipped with higher-quality cameras, [INS: a :INS] large screen, and faster compression[EL88] for sending the video signal, allowing for two-way interaction. Besides[INS: this :INS] , every session is recorded [DEL: as follows :DEL] [INS: which allows the :INS] opportunity [INS: to :INS] listen [DEL: for :DEL] [INS: to :INS] the sessions again, [INS: and :INS] notice and learn mistakes that were made. Given these facts demonstrate [EL89] videoconferencing in English is a course that enlightens students in a different way than regular lessons. [DEL: There is :DEL] [INS: It is important to :INS] [DEL: need to be :DEL] mention[DEL: ed :DEL] that [DEL: gained :DEL] [INS: the :INS] skills [INS: gained :INS] [INS: [EL90] :INS] will assist students in [INS: their :INS] future social life and academic environment[EL91] . 10) Karin "Videoconferencing Learning Experience[EL92] ” [INS: The :INS] [DEL: C :DEL] [INS: c :INS] ourse [DEL: » :DEL] [INS: ‘ :INS] Videoconferencing in English[INS: ’ :INS] [DEL: « :DEL] give[EL93] me [INS: a :INS] totally new perspective of how [INS: a :INS] course could be held. I really like[INS: d :INS] the way how was come to an end[EL94] .[INS: , :INS] [DEL: That :DEL] [INS: which :INS] was [INS: that the onus was :INS] mainly on us to choice[EL95] topics for the next week. We pick[INS: ed :INS] topics that [DEL: usually :DEL] you do not [INS: usually :INS] think about [DEL: them :DEL] in private or free time. Conse[DEL: n :DEL] quently[INS: , :INS] we need[INS: ed :INS] [INS: [EL96] :INS] to creat[DEL: ed :DEL] certain opinion according to the[DEL: held :DEL] [INS: chosen :INS] topic for homework .This created opinion we shared with other[DEL: s :DEL] schoolmates[EL97] and co-speakers. This demand full participation. And the result of full participation is getting [INS: as much as you can :INS] from [INS: the :INS] course[DEL: as much as you can :DEL] . [INS: :INS] [INS: :INS] We discuss [DEL: about :DEL] [EL98] different social, cultural and historical questions. One of the first topics after our short introduction [DEL: were :DEL] [INS: was :INS] [INS: [EL99] :INS] national and cultural heroines. This was[INS: an :INS] interesting, unusual topic that took some searching, because usually heroes tend to be masculine [INS: in :INS] gender. Guessing about Justinas[INS: ’ :INS] heroines Rūta Meilutytė was surprising. [EL100] Everybody though[INS: t :INS] that she is student fighter [DEL: :DEL] for woman rights, [INS: an :INS] actress or [INS: a :INS] singer. But she is [INS: a :INS] Lithuanian swimmer.[DEL: Definitely :DEL] [INS: , :INS] I will [INS: definitely :INS] recognize and remember her now. [INS: :INS] [INS: :INS] After this topic followed [INS: a :INS] discussion about access to our privacy by [INS: the :INS] gover[INS: n :INS] ment[INS: , about whether :INS] [DEL: . Should :DEL] [INS: the :INS] gover[INS: n :INS] ment [INS: should :INS] be able to enter into our private service[EL101] for security needs. Opinions [DEL: have :DEL] [INS: were :INS] [DEL: been :DEL] different. Some of us were of the opinion [EL102] that if you do not have [DEL: nothing :DEL] [INS: anything :INS] to hide there should not be concern for any of us. Others were of the opinion that every human being has [INS: a :INS] right to their privacy. [INS: :INS] [INS: :INS] On one of [DEL: the :DEL] our courses we [INS: also :INS] argue[INS: d :INS] [DEL: also :DEL] about animals rights and if plastic surgery should be banned. Almost everyone were opinion that there is no need to ban plastic surgery advetisements[EL103] . We should respect everyone's taste and it is [DEL: on our own :DEL] [INS: up to :INS] [INS: us :INS] to do [INS: as we wish :INS] with our [INS: own :INS] bod[INS: ies :INS] [DEL: y what we want to do :DEL] . Also[INS: , :INS] about animals we had more or less [INS: the :INS] same opinions. Animals can[DEL: :DEL] not speak for themselfs, [EL104] so [INS: it :INS] is our duty to treat them nicely and [INS: ensure :INS] that they are not exploited for capitalistic[EL105] purposes. [INS: The following :INS] [DEL: Next :DEL] hours spending together nice debate has developed about euthanasia and abortion[INS: and whether they :INS] . [DEL: S :DEL] [INS: s :INS] hould they be allowed as a human right. [INS: :INS] [INS: :INS] [INS: In :INS] [DEL: Course :DEL] conclusion[INS: , :INS] [INS: the Course :INS] [DEL: was made by a :DEL] [INS: involved :INS] lively debate. [DEL: And b :DEL] [INS: B :INS] eacuse[EL106] we [DEL: have been :DEL] [INS: were :INS] filmed during videoconferencing [DEL: is :DEL] [INS: we :INS] now [INS: have a :INS] great opportunity to analyze how we behave and react in front of the camera.[DEL: :DEL] This course will [DEL: be :DEL] stay in my memory[EL107] . ________________________________ [EL1]Clear indication of content. [EL2]You could join these two sentences with, for example, due to increased opportunities to express... [EL3]Although not inaccurate grammatically, stylistically, it is more concise and natural to use the active voice here, especially in reflective pieces where the 1st person is more common, indeed, encouraged. [EL4]ditto [EL5]This is a defining relative clause (adding important information) not a non-defining relative clauses (adding extra information) so no comma is needed. [EL6]You've already said this in your transition in the previous sentence. [EL7]Also at the beginning sentence acts as a discourse marker to add information. However, placing it in its other possible position (before the item it qualifies), it acts as a focusing adverb. In the sentence before you state 'we had the chance to learn more', so 'We were also given the chance to' adds another chance you were given. [EL8]See my note before about relative clauses. [EL9]Optional – a reduced relative clause. [EL10]It is more frequent to use noun + opportunity and adj + chance or chance to +verb. Have a look here: http://www.just-the-word.com/main.pl?word=opportunities&mode=combinations [EL11] Overall, your writing is easy to follow and well-structured Laura and it was interesting to know you enjoyed the multicultural aspect of these lessons. In terms of aspects to work on, try to be more concise in your style, and check the use of relative clauses and the passive voice. [EL12]When talking in general, you don't need the. [EL13]This is redundant as you've said mainly so it is clear there are other skills too. [EL14]This is not a complete clause as there is no verb phrase, e.g. As internet usage is increasing nowadays. Or do you mean, As with internet usage, videoconferencing enables... [EL15]As above. [EL16]enables already has this idea so this is not needed. If you want another word, try facilitates/promotes/allows; all of these collocate with communication. [EL17]This word has a scientific connotation; perhaps interlocutors. speakers might be more appropriate. [EL18]To use a semi-colon, you need two independent clauses. The second here is a participle clause beginning promoting so you need only use a comma or ... , which promotes... [EL19]I'm not sure why you have added dashes here. Is it parenthetical? If so, I think this advantage is relevant also to the business world. [EL20]You don't need this as the idea is, I think, clear in the previous sentence. [EL21]Videoconferencing would be bettter described as a technology/tool. [EL22]I'm interested to know why you have chosen these specific countries!? [EL23]expense = an amount of money that you spend in order to buy or do something expenses = money that you spend as part of your job that your employer later gives back to you [EL24]Do you mean the multicultural learning environment? [EL25]Do you mean prospective students? [EL26]Maybe add why you think it is stimulating. [EL27]Pursue + noun. Aim to + verb. This might be useful: http://www.just-the-word.com/main.pl?word=pursue&mode=combinations [EL28]I think this is a conclusion not another point, so use To sum up, or another such phrase. I think it could be alot more concise by writing: To sum up, advantages of vc include expanding technological knowledge, experiencing cultural diversity, enriching scholarship and overcoming time/space obstacles, all of which offer students clear motivation and enhance the learning experience. Note that these are all in gerund form to give the paragraph a sense of uniformity. [EL29] Your writing is well-structured Issis and your point about reduced anxiety is a very interesting one. Be careful with the use of the definite article (the) and being more concise. Also, I feel that although you very successfully highlight the advantages and disadvantages of VC in general, as a reflective piece of writing, it would be more appropriate to write in the 1^st person and describe the benefits and challenges you experienced yourself as a user. [EL30]methods? Tools? Do you mean ways of teaching or things used to teach? [EL31]Use dashes or brackets to parenthesise this information. [EL32]You can be more concise in your writing style by using noun + noun and adj + noun phrases. [EL33] cater for is commonly used with learning styles. [EL34]adj + noun phrase is [EL35]not limited to X alone is a fixed phrase. [EL36]? situations? [EL37]Some noun phrases can become quite big! [EL38]Not inaccurate but can be omitted. [EL39]Not inaccurate but less formal, get is often avoided in favour of Latinate forms. [EL40]Verbal applies to things that are put into words, whether written or spoken, while oral pertains to the mouth, to medications taken by mouth, and to things that are spoken. Cf: http://grammarist.com/usage/oral-verbal/ . An obvious exception to this is oral exam. [EL41]trait is usually used to describe people's personalities. http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/trait [EL42]Kind of implicit I would say but not incorrect. [EL43] You write very clearly Sasa and your observations about increased personal as well as academic awareness are astute. In terms of language, you could review the use of the definite article the and also, try to build more adj+noun and noun+noun phrases to make your writing more concise. This is quite a useful ppt you could peruse: http://www.baleap.org.uk/media/uploads/conferences/nottingham-2013/papers-slides/S-Bolton-Secret-ag ents.pdf [EL44]This gives the chance to make an adj+noun phrase. [EL45]designed? [EL46]Do you mean level (of study)? [EL47]their subject specialism? [EL48]To be more concise, you could say there was no prerequisite English level. If you add precise, it implies there was a kind of minimum level require but it was flexible. I don't know if this is the case!? J [EL49]A bit strong in connotation, what about necessitated or [EL50]Participants? [EL51]Social and linguistic? Just to use more formal terms? [EL52]Nice phrase J [EL53]A suggestion. I'm not sure, without asking you, if this is what you mean. [EL54]Just a little more formal. [EL55]Such useful skills in a multilingual academic community! [EL56]Do you mean they actually changed their point of view about the participants, perhaps breaking stereotypes, or do you mean they exchanged different points of view on controversial topics? [EL57]Very interesting thoughts Lucie and your ideas are well-expressed. Something to think about might be making your writing more concise by looking at word order and adj+noun/noun+noun phrases. Word choice is never wrong but sometimes a more suitable word is possible, due to common collocations. Have a look at combinations on this website to check for what words commonly collocate in English: http://www.just-the-word.com/ [EL58]They have become boring over time, so you need the present perfect simple tense to show this. [EL59]Try to avoid things as it is too imprecise for academic writing, even reflective academic writing. Try aspects/elements/components when talking about courses. [EL60]What about more formal expressions like much appreciated/very welcome? [EL61]What does this refer to? The video/audio quality or the opportunity to talk? [EL62]Usually somebody puts forward a view, try using creates the opportunity to become accustomed to... [EL63]Word choice? [EL64]You haven't mentioned this point before. Try not to add new ideas in a conclusion. [EL65]Wow – that's a prediction! It is really interesting to read your experiences on this course Justinas. Your ideas are expressed clearly and although there are a few sentences when your meaning is not 100% clear, most errors do not affect comprehension. Areas to work on might be expanding your academic vocabulary to allow you to express your ideas in a more formal style. [EL66]I'm not sure it was that popular then!? [EL67]When speaking in general, use the plural form of the noun (if possible) and omit the. [EL68]? do you mean opinion/perspectives? [EL69]I think the idea, Michaela, of dealing with different accents is a very pertinent comment, especially as academic communities become more globalised. It is tricky and something we will all face as members of an internationalised community. I think the misunderstandings are part of the learning experience and we use them as opportunities to develop our problem-solving/diplomacy skills. I'm glad, despite these issues, you found the programme interesting. I would have been interested to read some of your suggestions on how these misunderstandings could be confronted! J [EL70]Ok, but in academic writing, try to be more precise and say how long. [EL71]These two sentences need to go together as the final sentence acts as an outline, introducing your main ideas to the reader before you move on to explain them in more detail. [EL72]That is a really interesting point that speed promotes note-taking! By manner, do you mean intonation? [EL73]Nice noun phrase! J [EL74]Fine but what about revisit? [EL75]It would have been interesting to tell me some examples of what you discovered about your own English J You have a wide range of vocabulary Iryna and your control of grammatical structures is very good. [EL76]; you often make precise word choices suitable to the topic you are writing about and generate several complex-compound sentences. It was nice to read that you found the course rewarding both in terms of cultural as well as linguistic learning. [EL77]Using present perfect tense for recent events. [EL78]Not needed as you are not contrasting anything here. [EL79]If you want to write more academically/formally, [EL80]I can see that you've chosen a very informal style for your writing which is ok for reflective writing. However, for academic reflective wriitng, you might want to think about changing some of the more colloquial expressions (keeping the 1st person I, my, me). [EL81]Do you mean body language? [EL82]I would have liked to have known how you thought your speech was 'far from perfect'. Being more specific here in your reflective writing might allow you to take more clearly-defined steps to improvement. [EL83]This is a very good point and this must have meant you needed more time to formulate your ideas? [EL84]I would have loved to have seen an example here! J [EL85]A really interesting, very personalised response to the experience Olga. In terms of your language, see my comments about colloquial vs academic/formal language choice but in terms of content, I really enjoyed reading your reflections. [EL86]Usually you attend a meeting/conference and participate in a seminar/discussion. Clearly, participants might take a much more active role than when only an attendant. [EL87]Do you mean interact with? [EL88]internet capabilities? [EL89]You can't use both of these together. Your choices are: - Given these facts, it can be said that VC in English is... - The aforementioned advantages/points demonstrate that VC in English is... [EL90]This is a reduced relative clause: the skills which were gained > the skills gained (subj and obj of verb gain are the same – skills- so it can be reduced. [EL91]You write clearly Dovile and your ideas and I was interested to read about how useful listening to the recordings again enabled you to notice your mistakes. I would have been interested to read what some of these were! J In terms of language, it might be useful to work on expanding academic collocations. [EL92]The first thing I notice Karin is that it would be useful to add some paragraphing to this work to make it easier to read and show where the structure is. Let's see... I will show you where you could have added them J [EL93]Tense? [EL94]Do you mean it was organised? [EL95]This is the noun, you need the verb choose [EL96]If you are thinking about a past experience, remember to use a past tense. I'll let you look for the rest! J [EL97]fellow students would be more appropriate for university students. [EL98]Discuss [DEL: about :DEL] but talk about. [EL99]One of the topics was [EL100]Nice for me to see an example here. [EL101]Do you mean private lives/private matters/private business? [EL102]Nice phrase. [EL103]Spelling [EL104]spelling [EL105]perhaps commercial might be more suitable? [EL106]spelling [EL107]Karin, thanks for writing in so much detail; it was interesting to find out about the topics you discussed. You make interesting comments about students being responsible to choose their own topics making them more motivated, which I think is a really insightful comment. In terms of language, careful with basic errors; try to proofread your work for subvject-verb agreement, plurals and spellings before submitting, or even get a trusted friend to have a quick look! J