Comments on: About http://yongesonne.edublogs.org Semi-Developed Thoughts on Authentic Learning with Technology. Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:22:19 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Jessica Lewinstein http://yongesonne.edublogs.org/about/comment-page-1/#comment-1826 Jessica Lewinstein Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:40:38 +0000 #comment-1826 I’m getting in touch to give you advance notice of a news announcement Livemocha (www.livemocha.com), the world's largest online language learning community, released this morning. I’ve included a copy of the press release below but if you are interested in setting up a briefing with a Livemocha spokesperson, please let me know. I'd greatly appreciate your response either way. Thanks for your interest, Jessica W. Lewinstein Atomic PR *** PRESS RELEASE*** Livemocha and Pearson Announce Partnership for Online Language Learning Industry Leaders Join Forces to Address Direct-to-Consumer Market SEATTLE, WA and BOSTON, MA – March 10, 2009 – Pearson, the world’s leading education company, and Livemocha, the world’s largest online language learning community, announced today a strategic agreement to co-develop a new, direct-to-consumer, conversational English language learning experience available on Livemocha’s online platform with a global community of over two million members. Under the terms of the agreement, Livemocha and Pearson will build a series of online conversational English courses. Pearson’s English language learning content will be integrated with Livemocha’s innovative, collaborative approach to language learning, which integrates practice of a foreign language with native speakers. “In an increasingly global economy, the growing demand for English language skills is one of the most important trends in education,” said John Fallon, Chief Executive of Pearson’s international education company. “At Pearson, we have a long tradition of producing instructional materials that help students of all ages learn English. But we know we can make the learning experience more widely available, more engaging and more effective by integrating our content with assessment, digital services and interactive communities. This partnership with Livemocha is a part of that strategy.” “Pearson is an ideal partner for Livemocha,” said Shirish Nadkarni, CEO of Livemocha. “We are delighted to align with an industry leader that shares our vision and commitment to providing language learners with world-class content and innovative learning tools. This partnership will further transform the language learning marketplace, empowering and engaging anyone across the globe who wants to learn English.” “Livemocha has built the leading global community for online language learning,” said Bill Anderson, President, Global ELT, Pearson Education. “Pearson’s partnership with Livemocha will enable us to meet the worldwide demand from anyone who is seeking to improve their conversational English language skills. By joining forces with an industry leader like Livemocha, we’re able to address a broader range of language learners beyond the institutional markets we traditionally serve.” Pearson is a global leader in English language teaching, helping people around the world through products and services ranging from textbooks and software to assessment and teacher development. Around the world, more than 20 million students annually learn English through programs developed by Longman, Pearson’s English-language teaching imprint. In addition to global and local publishing franchises for every key market segment from K-12 through to adult, business and exam preparation, Pearson Longman owns the “Learning” chain of language schools in China and is developing a portfolio of digitally-deliverable products for both institutional and individual customers. Since its launch in September 2007, over 2 million people around the world have joined Livemocha for a fun, engaging, and highly effective language learning experience. Livemocha members connect with native language speakers online with structured web-based exercises, IM, audio/video and other learning activities. Currently, the site features courses in 12 popular languages – English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Hindi, Italian, Icelandic, Japanese, Russian, Korean, German and Mandarin Chinese—with additional languages to be launched in the very near future. The first products developed jointly by Pearson and Livemocha are scheduled for launch in August 2009. For more information on the partnership between Livemocha and Pearson, please visit www.livemocha.com or www.pearson.com. About Livemocha Livemocha is a Seattle-based company that is redefining language learning by combining dynamic online lessons with the world's largest community of native language speakers. Livemocha is a free service that allows its members to become conversationally proficient in an ever-growing number of popular languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Icelandic, Italian, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Russian. Since launching in September 2007, the Livemocha community has already grown to over 2 million members, a clear indication of the growing demand for an engaging, collaborative approach to language learning. The British Council estimated that there will be 2 billion people worldwide learning English as a foreign or second language by 2020, fueled by rapid globalization, immigration and travel. For more information about Livemocha, please visit www.livemocha.com. About Pearson Pearson (NYSE:PSO), the global leader in education and education technology, reaches and engages today’s digital natives with effective and personalized learning, as well as dedicated professional development for their teachers. This commitment is demonstrated in the company’s investment in innovative print and digital education materials for preK through college, student information systems and learning management systems, teacher professional development, career certification programs, and testing and assessment products that set the standard for the industry. The company’s respected brands include Pearson Longman, Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, Addison Wesley, Benjamin Cummings, SuccessNet, MyLabs, PowerSchool, SuccessMaker and many others. Pearson’s comprehensive offerings help inform targeted instruction and intervention so that success is within reach of every student at every level of education. Pearson’s commitment to education for all is supported by the global philanthropic initiatives of the Pearson Foundation. Pearson’s other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information, go to www.pearson.com. I’m getting in touch to give you advance notice of a news announcement Livemocha (www.livemocha.com), the world’s largest online language learning community, released this morning. I’ve included a copy of the press release below but if you are interested in setting up a briefing with a Livemocha spokesperson, please let me know.
I’d greatly appreciate your response either way.

Thanks for your interest,

Jessica W. Lewinstein
Atomic PR

*** PRESS RELEASE***

Livemocha and Pearson Announce Partnership for
Online Language Learning

Industry Leaders Join Forces to Address Direct-to-Consumer Market

SEATTLE, WA and BOSTON, MA – March 10, 2009 – Pearson, the world’s leading education company, and Livemocha, the world’s largest online language learning community, announced today a strategic agreement to co-develop a new, direct-to-consumer, conversational English language learning experience available on Livemocha’s online platform with a global community of over two million members.

Under the terms of the agreement, Livemocha and Pearson will build a series of online conversational English courses. Pearson’s English language learning content will be integrated with Livemocha’s innovative, collaborative approach to language learning, which integrates practice of a foreign language with native speakers.

“In an increasingly global economy, the growing demand for English language skills is one of the most important trends in education,” said John Fallon, Chief Executive of Pearson’s international education company. “At Pearson, we have a long tradition of producing instructional materials that help students of all ages learn English. But we know we can make the learning experience more widely available, more engaging and more effective by integrating our content with assessment, digital services and interactive communities. This partnership with Livemocha is a part of that strategy.”

“Pearson is an ideal partner for Livemocha,” said Shirish Nadkarni, CEO of Livemocha. “We are delighted to align with an industry leader that shares our vision and commitment to providing language learners with world-class content and innovative learning tools. This partnership will further transform the language learning marketplace, empowering and engaging anyone across the globe who wants to learn English.”

“Livemocha has built the leading global community for online language learning,” said Bill Anderson, President, Global ELT, Pearson Education. “Pearson’s partnership with Livemocha will enable us to meet the worldwide demand from anyone who is seeking to improve their conversational English language skills. By joining forces with an industry leader like Livemocha, we’re able to address a broader range of language learners beyond the institutional markets we traditionally serve.”

Pearson is a global leader in English language teaching, helping people around the world through products and services ranging from textbooks and software to assessment and teacher development. Around the world, more than 20 million students annually learn English through programs developed by Longman, Pearson’s English-language teaching imprint. In addition to global and local publishing franchises for every key market segment from K-12 through to adult, business and exam preparation, Pearson Longman owns the “Learning” chain of language schools in China and is developing a portfolio of digitally-deliverable products for both institutional and individual customers.

Since its launch in September 2007, over 2 million people around the world have joined Livemocha for a fun, engaging, and highly effective language learning experience. Livemocha members connect with native language speakers online with structured web-based exercises, IM, audio/video and other learning activities. Currently, the site features courses in 12 popular languages – English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Hindi, Italian, Icelandic, Japanese, Russian, Korean, German and Mandarin Chinese—with additional languages to be launched in the very near future.

The first products developed jointly by Pearson and Livemocha are scheduled for launch in August 2009.

For more information on the partnership between Livemocha and Pearson, please visit http://www.livemocha.com or http://www.pearson.com.

About Livemocha
Livemocha is a Seattle-based company that is redefining language learning by combining dynamic online lessons with the world’s largest community of native language speakers. Livemocha is a free service that allows its members to become conversationally proficient in an ever-growing number of popular languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Icelandic, Italian, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin and Russian. Since launching in September 2007, the Livemocha community has already grown to over 2 million members, a clear indication of the growing demand for an engaging, collaborative approach to language learning. The British Council estimated that there will be 2 billion people worldwide learning English as a foreign or second language by 2020, fueled by rapid globalization, immigration and travel. For more information about Livemocha, please visit http://www.livemocha.com.

About Pearson
Pearson (NYSE:PSO), the global leader in education and education technology, reaches and engages today’s digital natives with effective and personalized learning, as well as dedicated professional development for their teachers. This commitment is demonstrated in the company’s investment in innovative print and digital education materials for preK through college, student information systems and learning management systems, teacher professional development, career certification programs, and testing and assessment products that set the standard for the industry. The company’s respected brands include Pearson Longman, Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, Addison Wesley, Benjamin Cummings, SuccessNet, MyLabs, PowerSchool, SuccessMaker and many others. Pearson’s comprehensive offerings help inform targeted instruction and intervention so that success is within reach of every student at every level of education. Pearson’s commitment to education for all is supported by the global philanthropic initiatives of the Pearson Foundation. Pearson’s other primary businesses include the Financial Times Group and the Penguin Group. For more information, go to http://www.pearson.com.

]]> By: Bruce Schauble http://yongesonne.edublogs.org/about/comment-page-1/#comment-1669 Bruce Schauble Tue, 06 Nov 2007 23:59:33 +0000 #comment-1669 The classroom is all about interpersonal dynamics. Learning can, and often does, take place in the isolation of one's study or library carrel or over ones laptop, but there is something about being engaged in discussion, collaboration, and personal interaction that engages not just the brain but the spirit. When I show up to class each day, I'm not really so much interested in gettting my course content across as in spending time with these students, these human beings, posing and answering questions together, getting to know one another, arguing some, laughing some, creating a kind of community which honors quality and makes an attempt to create value. It's not that I don't value content area skills, I do. But I think you've said it very concisely: "A social network does create a sense of community amongst many people, but it the bonds forged are not immediate. They take time and tending. In face-to-face communication, it is easy to see the worthwhile. It is easy to recognize excellence." I suppose I could offer my course online and forgo the interactions with kids, but why in the world would I want to do that? Some quotient of online interaction is fine, and I can it's obvious that technology _can_ enhance learning. (I am one of a group of teachers at my school planning next year to explore the use of Moodle to assist in "blended learning.") But the heart of what matters to me as an educator is not in the information, but in the air between us. The classroom is all about interpersonal dynamics. Learning can, and often does, take place in the isolation of one’s study or library carrel or over ones laptop, but there is something about being engaged in discussion, collaboration, and personal interaction that engages not just the brain but the spirit. When I show up to class each day, I’m not really so much interested in gettting my course content across as in spending time with these students, these human beings, posing and answering questions together, getting to know one another, arguing some, laughing some, creating a kind of community which honors quality and makes an attempt to create value. It’s not that I don’t value content area skills, I do. But I think you’ve said it very concisely: “A social network does create a sense of community amongst many people, but it the bonds forged are not immediate. They take time and tending. In face-to-face communication, it is easy to see the worthwhile. It is easy to recognize excellence.”

I suppose I could offer my course online and forgo the interactions with kids, but why in the world would I want to do that? Some quotient of online interaction is fine, and I can it’s obvious that technology _can_ enhance learning. (I am one of a group of teachers at my school planning next year to explore the use of Moodle to assist in “blended learning.”) But the heart of what matters to me as an educator is not in the information, but in the air between us.

]]> By: Steve Hargadon http://yongesonne.edublogs.org/about/comment-page-1/#comment-609 Steve Hargadon Fri, 16 Feb 2007 22:59:16 +0000 #comment-609 Would love to talk to you about School 2.0, maybe even interview you as part of my series (see http://edtechlive.wiksipaces.com/recordings+list). Anyway, just wanted to make contact. Steve Would love to talk to you about School 2.0, maybe even interview you as part of my series (see http://edtechlive.wiksipaces.com/recordings+list). Anyway, just wanted to make contact.

Steve

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