Language On-line Portfolio Project (LOLIPOP)
13 December 2004

Mr. Charlie Daly, School of Computing, Dr. Jenny Bruen, Ms. Juliette Péchenart, Ms. Veronica Crosbie, School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies

Ms. Veronica Crosbie, Dr. Jenny Bruen and Ms. Juliette Péchenart of the School of Applied Language and Intercultural Studies and Mr. Charlie Daly of the School of Computing Studies in Dublin City University have been awarded a significant grant by the European Commission for their European project `Language On-Line Portfolio Project' (LOLIPOP). The project, which runs for three years (2004-2007) has an approved budget of €562,033 of which 75%, €421,525, is financed by the EC under the Socrates, Lingua II Programme.

The focus of the project is the creation of a multilingual, on-line, interactive version of the European Language Portfolio (ELP) with an enhanced intercultural dimension, the ELP itself being a document, developed by the Council of Europe, and designed to assist and support the language learner. It contains three elements, a passport, biography and dossier and uses the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages as a reference point for learning and assessment.

The on-line portfolio is an innovative language-learning tool which will support the development of learner autonomy, as well as the processes of self-assessment and reflection on language and intercultural learning in a Higher Education context. The project will facilitate the sharing of best practice in language and intercultural learning as lecturers and students across Europe engage in this joint venture. It will ensure an enhanced understanding of the ELP as well as facilitating a more dynamic engagement with it for larger numbers of students at a substantially reduced cost.

DCU is lead partner in this project of a consortium of twelve Higher Education Institutions across Europe. These are as follows: Waterford Institute of Technology, Ireland; Technical University Dresden, Germany; University of Granada and University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain; Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Télécommunications de Bretagne, France; Paris-Lodron University of Salzburg, Austria; Telemark University College, Norway; Public Service Language Centre, Latvia; School of Economics and Administration, Kielce, Polish Association for Standards in English, and Poznan University of Technology, Poland.

The principal activities include needs analysis, team-building and training in the use of the virtual learning environment, Moodle, within which the project will operate. The project will develop interactive software, with particular emphasis on foreign language pedagogy and intercultural learning, and pilot the on-line portfolio in the target institutions with a subset of the student populations. Following evaluation, the results will be disseminated through publications, seminars and presentations at international conferences.

The first LOLIPOP partner meeting takes place 20-22 January 2005 when the project will be officially launched.

For further information on the European Language Portfolio please visit the Council of Europe website at http://culture2.coe.int/portfolio

For further information on the LOLIPOP project, please contact veronica.crosbie@dcu.ie