Background
Danish Online was originally supported by the European Commission as part of its policy to promote the acquisition of Lesser Used and Spoken Languages in Europe.
Aims and objectives
Danish Online is published by Pendragon Educational Publishers, who have been developing both print and eLearning products for many years. Our experience brings together vast experience from publishing and technology development. The course provides everything necessary to meet the needs of both learners and teachers.
At every stage we have endevoured to create resources that are appropriate to as many people as possible, regardless of their previous learning biography. Danish Online provides an effective way to learn a new language.
Danish Online is based on sound pedagogical and technological standards and follows a recognised syllabus. It caters for both academic and non-academic learners.
Learning a language – Current situation
Many existing online langiuage learning courses tend to attach importance first and foremost to vocabulary, structures and grammar. In other words, they adhere to traditional concepts and use outdated language learning methodologies. They also frequently neglect the ever more important aspect of cultural awareness.
Many online eLearning courses rarely progress beyond “books on screen”. These courses are frequently presentational. The learner needs to bring considerable cognitive and analytical skills to the job of learning a language. Few people have the time or academic skills to learn successfully with such products.
Pedagogical approach
The idea of learning as knowledge construction has been expressed for many years by academics and language learning experts. However, it has rarely been implemented in the instructional design of the materials.
The pedagogical approach of DanishOnline.Eu can be described as a cognitive constructivist approach to learning, in particular language learning. This approach sees learning, as does Common European Framework of Reference, as an active process and learners as active meaning makers. Learners are guided by a task-based approach through a series of units, modules and steps to acquire Danish. This approach is particularly suited to non-academic learners and vocational learners who are not in full-time study.