In Global Peace Through The Global University System

2003 Ed. by T. Varis, T. Utsumi, and W. R. Klemm

University of Tampere, Hameenlinna, Finland

E-Learning ESL:

bringing the world together

Effie Dracopoulos

McGill University

Introduction

Without a doubt, today's world is knowledge-based and depends on the rapid exchange of information. Countries that are equipped with the technology and knowledge to participate in the new electronic world are major players in its socio-cultural and economic developments. Education is changing, too. With the advent of multimedia technologies and the Internet, it is now possible to reach people who would otherwise have no access to certain courses or educational opportunities.

Electronic learning, or e-Learning as it has come to be known, makes use of the Internet and digital technologies to deliver instruction synchronously or asynchronously to anyone who has access to a computer and an Internet connection. Although it is too early, and the research too little, to explore the strengths and weaknesses of e-Learning, it nevertheless appears that its advantages are many.

What exactly is e-Learning? What is a virtual classroom? What are virtual learning communities? What role does the English language play in the scope of global communication? How can English as a second language be taught virtually? Which elements form the framework for an e-Learning system? What is the rationale for lifelong learning? These are the questions that I attempt to answer in this paper.

The Globalization of English

By some estimates, between 800,000,000 and 1,500,000,000 people world-wide understand English. Approximately 350,000,000 people use English as their mother tongue (mainly in the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, and South Africa). Some 400 million use English as a second language (in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Pakistan, and the Philippines). At least another 150 million people use English with some degree of competence. Furthermore, it is an official language in more than 60 countries (Crystal 1992, p.121). With such a large number of people using English, it is not surprising that English has become the lingua franca of the modern world.

In the current state of affairs, the global dominance of English in commerce, science, and technology has created the need for an ever increasing number of people to learn to communicate in the English language. There is a market demand for English courses on a global scale, and the English language teaching industry is thriving.

As English is experienced across different linguistic contexts, it may be experienced primarily as a language of education, or higher education, as well as in official contexts, popular culture, and the local vernacular. It may be regarded as a language of social and economic advancement, or it may be seen as an imposition or a necessary evil. However it is seen, the English language is used across the globe in countless contexts to very different effects.

In a rapidly globalizing world, it is evident that English is the de facto international language of international communication today. The dominance of English serves to facilitate globalization, which as a concept refers to the "crystallization" of the entire world (Arnason 1990, p. 220). In situations where English dominates, non-English-speaking people are inevitably disadvantaged. They become, in a sense, deaf and mute and cannot fully participate in communication. In contrast, speakers of English are in a position to control communication to their own advantage, while those who cannot speak English fluently may be seen as incompetent or even inferior. Although this linguistic discrimination and social inequality cannot be ignored, reality dictates the use of one language over another in international communication.

Thus, proficiency in English is seen as essential for participation in the global arena, particularly in the economic domain, in which transnational corporations conduct business and trade beyond the national borders. In addition, the global spread of the English language is further facilitated by American media products of mass communication such as videos, music, news, magazines, TV programs, and so on. The dominance of English on the Internet reinforces the flow of international information in English, and affirms the structure of global communication. English is the most widely used and taught language in the world, and it is accepted easily almost anywhere.

The absence of a formal global language policy, on the one hand, and the convenience of one language as a means of international communication on the other have secured the position of English as the international language of communication. As such, it is imperative that the teaching of English as a second or foreign language be incorporated in a country's primary and secondary school curricula. While being taught their native language and culture, children should be given the opportunity to learn English at a young age so that as adults they may have an equal footing linguistically, socially, and professionally with their native English-speaking counterparts.

Globalization and information technologies have created the need for monolingual and monocultural societies to open their minds to the benefits of bilingualism, multilingualism, and multiculturalism. According to Ashworth, the benefits of bilingualism accrue to the individual, to the community, and to the nation.

To the Individual:

⁼ Maintenance of the first language,

⁼ Continued intellectual development while the student learns the second language,

⁼ Two channels for receiving and dispensing information,

⁼ A sense of personal identity and self-worth,

⁼ Increased educational and employment opportunities,

⁼ Broader cultural horizons,

⁼ Improved contact with people from other countries.

To the Community:

⁼ The maintenance and validation of all of the country's languages (to the extent that there is more than one language),

⁼ Citizens who can draw on ideas presented in more than one language,

⁼ Greater appreciation of other languages and other cultures.

To the Nation:

⁼ Access to information published in other languages,

⁼ Ability to do business abroad in the language of the country or in the dominating language,

⁼ Ability to engage in dialogue with other nations,

⁼ A sense that the national identity is inclusive, not exclusive (Ashworth 1988, p. 201-202).

Second-language acquisition and intercultural learning can be greatly facilitated through e-Learning. Elementary, high school and university class partnerships can be encouraged, and language learners can tap into linguistic and cultural resources that cannot be found locally, over the information network.

At present, e-Learning is itself becoming an important global business not only in the commercial sector, but also in the support that national governments are giving to educational institutions to increase their export income (Lea 2002, p.113). There is a drive for change brought on by technological innovation to which governments and institutions of higher learning are responding at a rapid pace.

Much of the change we are seeing is due to economic pressures from mounting costs and demands by the business world for graduates with the ability to function well in a knowledge society. Universities are responding to these changes and demands by turning to the use of the Internet to deliver courses to students at a distance, as well as to enhance educational programs that are delivered on campus. Information technology makes this possible because it has the potential to control costs, improve quality, focus directly on customer needs, and respond to competitive pressures.

In addition, information technology has enabled global communication in even the most remote locations, and much of this communication takes place in English. The use of a common language creates a sense of community among people who use it. Those who are learning English as a second or foreign language form a learning community because they have a common goal. Learning is their raison d' etre.

If communication is viewed as a means of creating culture, then those who are engaged in virtual learning are involved in creating a virtual community, one that extends beyond physical borders and cultural distinctions. In a sense, virtual instruction can create multicultural learning communities, unlimited by space or time (Feyten 1999, p. 4).

Virtual Learning Communities

A learning community is viewed in terms of social networks rather than spatial location, and the strength of community is in the strength of relationships regardless of the geographic distance between members. According to Wenger:

"Viewed as an experience of identity, learning entails both a process and a place. It entails a process of transforming knowledge as well as a context in which to define an identity of participation. As a consequence, to support learning is not only to support the process of acquiring knowledge, but also to offer a place where new ways of knowing can be realised in the form of such an identity...The transformative practice of a learning community offers an ideal context for developing new understandings because the community sustains change as part of an identity of participation"  (Wenger 1998, p. 215).

The creation of a learning community supports and encourages knowledge acquisition. The collaboration involved in learning together creates an excitement and passion for learning and working together. The power of community is great, and the power of a learning community is even greater as it empowers the newly developing sense of self, and supports the intellectual and personal growth and development of its members (Palloff, 1999, p. 163).

According to Feyten and Nutta, a virtual learning community:

- collectively creates knowledge, using computer-mediated communications and global resources;

- enables individuals, regardless of their race, gender, or class, to produce, access and interact with information in ways that are compatible with their needs;

- embraces the characteristics of each culture represented and includes them in the new cultural fabric;

- respects different perspectives and promotes diversity of thought;

- seeks and develops commonalities in experience and purpose (Feyten, 1999, p. 4).

Learners have a sense of identity within and a sense of belonging to their virtual community. In a virtual learning environment, the sense of community plays an integral role in education by minimizing the feelings of isolation that learners may experience. Gloria Mar (Tschang, 2001, p. 257) describes three objectives associated with what she calls the Social Web - an environment in which interaction takes place, and which could function as the infrastructure for the environment of virtual learning communities.

- enrichment of social life in a community: a Social Web can offer the opportunity for people to co-enjoy new forms of culture, entertainment, and leisure;

- creating and sharing knowledge in a community: a Social Web can help to organize the exchange of the wealth of knowledge and experience in local and world-wide communities outside of market mechanisms;

- reducing social isolation in a community: a Social Web can support people in finding others with similar interests, needs, and goals, thereby expanding a person's social radius independent of geographical bounds (Tschang, 2001, p. 257).

Access to basic information, knowledge and learning should be a right for every individual. The principles needed to build and maintain a virtual learning community are the promotion of human relationships, the affirmation and recognition of students' input; the provision of opportunities for students to develop a sense of cohesiveness, maintaining the group as a unit, and helping members work together in a mutual cause. By extension, these same principles can be applied in virtual learning communities to bridge cultural, religious, political and socio-economic boundaries that segregate the less privileged peoples of the world.

Globalization has given way to a restructuring of the social order. Schooling must now perform the functions of socializing youth into a global society. It must help children and young adults develop an understanding of inter-group relations and an awareness of and respect for the individual and group differences and similarities. E-learning platforms can provide the venue for teaching all youth the knowledge, abilities, dispositions and sensitivies necessary for maintaining social justice and democratic political processes.

The initiative undertaken by the Global University System (GUS) to create a telecommunications infrastructure that will allow access to international educational resources to learners in remote and/or rural areas is a very noble and noteworthy undertaking. GUS aims to provide higher educational institutions in remote and/or rural areas of developing countries with the capacity for online learning by forming partnerships with institutions around the world that have the ability to provide distance education. Learners in remote/rural areas will have access to online courses that are provided by member institutions world-wide and that lead to a GUS degree. As a member institution in support of the ideals and initiatives of GUS, McGill University proposes Dr. David Levy's and Dr. Takeshi Utsumi's Corporate English as a Second Language Training Program conceived for Japanese businessmen. This program focuses on the delivery of ESL training in a content-specific domain. The framework for the proposed project is discussed in a subsequent section. In addition to this, McGill University is planning to carry out the conception, production, and transmission of a pilot virtual ESL classroom for beginner, intermediate and advanced speakers of English. This program will also be available to GUS students.

ESL Through Virtual Instruction

The Internet is an international network that links one computer to another. With the increasing popularity of the Internet, distance learning has taken on a new meaning. The World Wide Web (WWW) has become one of the most popular methods of disseminating distance learning programs. Virtual instruction takes advantage of this technology to provide a wide range of educational opportunities at all levels.

The Internet provides the course designer, the instructor/tutor, and the learner with a variety of tools for the design of instruction and the acquisition of English as a second/foreign language. Information stored on a Web site can include hypermedia (such as clips, animation, sound effects, music, voiceovers, photographs, drawings, and documents), hypertext (documents and static graphics), and unlinked text or graphics. Learners can complete basic coursework by using information and resources linked through the Web, and they can use additional educational tools available to them through Internet services.

Electronic communication comes in several forms including email, public electronic forums, bulletin board systems, two-way video-conferencing, and electronic network chatting. These forms of communication pertain to the face-to-face communication that occurs as we attempt to build a community. Communication can be synchronous or asynchronous, that is, the instructor and learner do not have to be engaged at the same time in the teaching/learning activity.

An important element of e-Learning is the notion of interaction. This is an essential component of virtual instruction because it differentiates it from other types of distance learning such as correspondence courses. The key elements of e-Learning are (1) computer-mediated communication, (2) active-learning type interactions, (3) instruction taking place at a distance, and (4) synchronous or asynchronous communication. E-learning differs from distance education in that the latter encompasses correspondence courses, one-way satellite television, video-taped instruction, or closed-circuit or educational TV courses. These types of courses lack the key elements of interaction and active learning.

Synchronous systems enable people to collaborate at the same time. An advantage of synchronous communication in terms of social information is the immediate feedback that partners can receive, as well as the ability to affirm implicit assumptions in conversation. People can view, write and edit documents online collaboratively, as well as share data and audio, text-based, and video communications.

A more informal means of communication on the Internet is through chat rooms, which are very popular for multi-person conversations. Chat rooms are essentially living transcripts of events: who is present, who enters, who leaves, and who has said what to whom. A chat room simulates the idea of a social gathering such as a cocktail party, where people have chance meetings and conversations. Private rooms are also available in chat rooms when the conversation becomes more intimate.

Discussion forums offer an arena for discussion around a number of themes. Users can filter contributions of other users, and can receive updates on what is new since their last visit. Meeting rooms help users distinguish different discussion topics. Some discussion forums enhance the learning experience through facilitators, who coordinate online face-to-face meetings, integrate new members, and guide the discussion.

MUDs (multi-user dungeons) offer chat room functionality, and provide spatial navigation and text-based interaction with other users and the environment. People establish MUD identities and interact with the objects to be found in the diverse rooms of the dungeon. MUSEs (Multi-User Simulation Environments) are used for a variety of educational purposes such as interactive experiments.

Asynchronous systems do not provide for the context in which the social information is presented. E-mail is considered an asynchronous medium; however, if the transmission is fast enough, two people can communicate almost synchronously.

Distribution lists are a means for people to broadcast their business, or opinions; anyone can speak to a gathered crowd, and can have access to the most current information. Newsgroups provide a forum for leisurely, social or political topics. Shared workspaces store documents in publicly shared folders, then retrieve them so they can be worked on either in the public workspaces, or on one's desktop.

Team rooms are a combination environment that provides both a synchronous and asynchronous means of communication by the persistence of objects and an awareness mechanism that informs who is working in which room. An example of a virtual office environment called DIVA employs metaphors of rooms and desks. It provides support for communication, cooperation and awareness as a replacement for the standard graphical user interface desktop.

Virtual Classrooms provide the setting for learning and combine both synchronous and asynchronous systems. The virtual classroom should include the following:

- a community area where group members can interact on a personal level, apart from course material;

- course content areas, organized according to the way the syllabus was constructed;

- an area devoted to reflections on learning through electronic means;

- an area devoted to evaluation of the class, which can be posted initially or added to the course site as the course progresses;

- a separate area for assignments and exams or for posting assignments as discussion items, depending on the course structure (Palloff, 1999, p.102).

An advanced ESL conversation course, for example, can be organized around weekly discussion topics based on selected readings that can be downloaded from a separate section of the course website. Yet another form of organization might be open-ended topics with no timelines attached. Students may use conferencing to form peer learning groups to engage in collaborative learning at any time or place of their individual choosing. Instructors may easily deal with facilitating multiple small groups of learners by being able to track student peer group discussions in separate conferences at a time convenient to them. Students may take advantage of network resources to explore areas of interest or gain individual help and tutoring. Instructors can facilitate and encourage generative type group projects within these network-based learning groups. Placement tests and other evaluative measures can be administered online. Each student can progress through each course according to his or her level of ability and motivation, and learning can occur around the clock and throughout the year. A gamut of ESL courses can be offered to the student from basic survival English to pronunciation courses and proficiency-level writing courses.

Virtual instruction is not without its disadvantages however. It is not the preferred mode of instruction for all students, because they have to spend more time on a course taught in this mode than they do on traditional courses. Students may find it more demanding in general since they have to play an active part in the work of the class through discussion forums and online chats in addition to the regular workload of the course curriculum. Motivation may drop if a student is not self-disciplined or is prone to procrastinate.

From the instructor's perspective, being a virtual professor is more demanding on one's time and energy, because there are constant demands from students for assistance. Nevertheless, it provides a better opportunity for the establishment of close mentoring relationships, because it allows for one-on-one interaction.

In a virtual classroom, there is a great deal of room for students to explore content collaboratively or to pursue their own, related interests. The instructor may continue to define course content and drive the course, but there is no longer the unidirectional imparting of knowledge by an "expert" on a particular topic. A course need no longer be confined to a twelve-week semester as there is no longer the necessity for a course to be place or time based. What is key to the learning process, and this cannot be emphasized enough, are the interactions among students themselves, the interactions between faculty and students, and the collaboration in learning that results from these interactions.

A Framework for Implementation

An e-Learning system must meet the needs of the environment with which it interacts, whether that environment is geographical, political, economic, technological, cultural or educational. The e-Learning system depends on the context of the environment, but also on its goals and objectives. Who is the e-Learning system for? What is it for? How long will it last? These factors should be considered during the planning stage.

The Elements of the Context

Geographical factors: the ground

the population distribution

Geopolitical factors: ideology

the role of government

Cultural factors: ethnic minorities

influence of foreign cultures

Educational factors: the clientele

the priviledged levels

program development

Economic factors: the percentage of revenu allotted to education

sources of financing

Technical factors: means of production and transmission

The Components of the System

Pedagogical functions:

Conception: the programs, the choice of media, the development of instructional material;

Student Support: the type of tutorial, the training of tutors or counsellors, the establishment of bidirectional communications, the evaluation of learning;

Non-pedagogical functions:

Production: instructional material production, available resources;

Distribution: stock-taking, delivery of material, possibilities of transmission, media access

Logistics: administration, marketing, admission and other policies, number of students (DeschÍnes 1995, p.16/17).

An approach to language learning referred to as content-based language learning assumes that students acquire a language not by studying its structure, but rather through employing the new language in rigorous, sophisticated ways with a view toward learning a specific content-area. The instructional designer must balance subject-matter learning requirements with sound second language development. E-learning networks offer a richly motivating context for content-area learning while enhancing language development. E-learners can take advantage of the asynchronicity and the greater time available for reflection and revision, and they can capitalize on assistance from native speakers of English locally and internationally. Recall the earlier example of content-area learning is Dr. David Levy's and Dr. Takeshi Utsumi's proposed Corporate English as a Second Language Training Program for Japanese businessmen (Levy and Utsumi, 2002). Dr. David Levy is the English Language Program Director at McGill University's Centre for Continuing Education (CCE), and Dr. Utsumi is Chairman of GLOSAS/USA and Founder and V.P. for Technology and Coordination of Global University System (GUS).

The creation of an English language training program for Japanese corporations to be offered online through an e-learning methodology has been proposed to be offered as part of the GUS initiative. The program will combine Japanese cutting-edge laptop/notebook technologies and broadband wireless Internet with the advanced web-based education platform and content of North America. The scheme will proceed in three stages:

1. A comprehensive review of current global corporate communication practices requiring English language proficiency, with special attention to conceptual differences in the business routines of Japan and North America.

2. The development of a language training program to teach mastery of the language skills required to handle those situations. The material will be offered on-line and will include the use of all basic language structures, common lexical items as for example: "eye contact," "upwardly mobile," "first impression," "go public," "start up costs," the different meanings of terms such as "office worker" in Japan and the U.S.A., and the language of hierarchical relations, meetings, negotiations, presentation of proposals both to one's corporate colleagues and associates, and to individuals outside one's organization, particularly those in overseas countries, etc.

This web-based e-learning method will be applicable to a range of other subjects, thus realizing "Education for All" (UNESCO's motto) anywhere, anytime, and at any pace.

3. Thorough testing of the methodology prior to full implementation to gauge effectiveness, eliminate bugs and possibly permit predictions of time required for mastery -- an important consideration.

In light of globalization and the Information Technology (IT) Revolution, Japanese organizations now face the urgent need to overcome the difficulties of professionals unable to acquire adequate competence in English, particularly conversational skills. With English as the recognized global lingua franca, it is necessary to give this matter top priority.

Content will give special attention to organizational-linguistic skills necessary to facilitate real creative collaborative communication for corporate decision-making. The materials will include activities such as the management of difficult business conversations, the topic of a seminar series developed at Harvard University (Harvard University, no date). In this series, business executives learn strategies to deal with a number of difficult work-related situations such as giving a critical performance review, confronting disrespectful or disruptive behavior, expressing one's own strong feelings, and the like. This content-based method of learning is at the heart of the instructional design of Corporate English as a Second Language Training Program mentioned above, whose objective is to provide as realistic an environment as possible.

The advantages of an online or e-learning method are that it is self pacing, interactive, and customized, providing a perfect fit of learner motivation and target language environment anytime and anywhere with immersed environment of the language and the language's culture. Traditional distance education involved three components: (i) broadcast, (ii) text, (iii) face-to-face tutorial. All three can be offered within the framework of an online scheme that will provide immediate feedback, monitor students as they work through the materials, and respond to questions. Moreover, the scheme will build in one-on-one and small group practice sessions, all within the learning model we propose.

The pedagogical model will be an approximation of the one used with such success in the Everyday English series that aired in China from 1987 to 1992, given that the goal is largely the same: to improve practical aural-oral skills. Everyday English reached a learner population of over 20 million. Its official textbook was in such short supply that some learners had to purchase it in the black market! It was tremendously successful because it provided what was needed: a radio series, in sitcom format, that was pitched at adult, intermediate-level learners reasonably familiar with the sounds of contemporary English. The series provided (i) a rich variety of speech samples and (ii) pronunciation practice along with aural comprehension work.

In addition, the series incorporated the study of cultural differences across Canada, from the Maritimes to British Columbia, through references to Canadian artists, writers, and athletes such as hockey players. This reference to culture was the key to the success of this program and is another good example of content-based learning. Today, with wireless broadband Internet in remote/rural areas, learners can be provided with multimedia (e.g. audio/video, DVD, etc.) versions of such cultural studies thus giving the learners a first-hand experience of a particular culture at a distance.

The proposed method will employ visual skills with videoconferencing via Internet to augment aural-oral proficiency, an approach validated by Everyday English success. Activities will include pronunciation drills, comprehension checks, repetition drills, dictation exercises, role plays, etc.

1. The web learning platform which the learner accesses via broadband wireless Internet at 128 Kbps for 24 hours and 7 days will have the capabilities of multimedia Web accessing, e-textbook with DVD to assemble text, images, audio and video files into sophisticated electronic documents (e.g., http://www.nightkitchen.com/), whiteboard, PowerPoint slides, chatting, computer conferencing, synchronous audio and video conferencing, etc. The DVD which will contain cultural background of language and be hyperlinked with web, will promote learners' motivation.

2. The format will involve situational dramatizations featuring characters, who will re-appear from unit to unit.

3. Japanese translations of English language utterances will always be available.

4. There will be an introductory practice lesson for the series, in Japanese, to explain how to use the material during the face-to-face meeting at the start of course semester at appropriate settings either in Japan or in North America for one to two weeks.

5. In addition to upgrading corporate communication, the project would provide the selected Japanese corporation with the basis for developing on-line language training software for which there is a world market.

The proposed research team is a distinguished one. The members of the team have enjoyed considerable success in implementing global on-line distance education projects in general and the teaching of English by distance education methods in particular.

More recently, a new initiative under my direction has been taking shape at McGill University's Center for Continuing Education (CCE)/English Language Program. Our unit is in the planning phase of the development of a pilot online ESL program that will run parallel to but separate from the regular in-class ESL Evening Certificate Program (ECP). McGill's ESL courses will be available through broadband Internet to any learner regardless of his/her location or time constraints. A content-specific beginner English course, which is to be the first in a series of courses, is being designed using the cognitive perspective of learning as well as the latest technology. Digital audio and video files, mini-movies, games and animation are a sample of the learning tools to be incorporated into the design of the program. Videoconferencing, text and voice chats, email exchanges and discussion forums will provide learners with the opportunity for synchronous and asynchronous communication. The scope of the pilot project is to provide ESL training at the beginner level via a virtual classroom. The long-term goal is to produce a series of online courses that will take the learner from the beginner to the proficiency level.

Conclusion

The need for knowledge presents the rationale for life-long learning. In a technological society, work environments change continuously, as do the ways we conduct our daily lives. We are no longer unfamiliar with words such as online banking, e-shopping, telemedicine, and virtual learning, and new words are added to our vocabulary on a continual basis. Society must keep up with technological development to respond to the changing needs that are brought about by it. Learning will also probably shift, to modular, personal, needs-based lifelong learning for everybody.

E-learning English as a Second/Foreign Language in the new millennium could be a fascinating journey of discovery of self and of construction of knowledge. It can provide the arena for the construction of (learning) communities in which cohesive relationships are formed among strangers dispersed throughout the world. Culture, values, traditions, and beliefs can be exchanged within the context of the virtual ESL community. A virtual ESL classroom instantaneously makes available a multicultural community to an otherwise mono-cultural one. Through e-Learning, there is interaction at every level: local, regional, national, and international. It has the potential to enhance the blend of knowledge, community and conversation that is the essence of virtual ESL instruction.

Providing education and training for the burgeoning population of the developing world is not only a challenge for the countries concerned (Daniel 1996, p. 5). Daniel suggests that the security of mankind may well depend on it. Fifty percent of the world's population is less than 20 years old, and in developing countries the proportion is much higher. If vigorous action is not taken, many of these young people will grow up to be unemployed. According to Daniel, education and training are a primary route to responsible citizenship.

E-Learning can address this issue. It can be used by educational institutions, such as public or private schools from preschool to graduate school. It can provide materials in a single medium or multiple media and in different formats to meet different learners' preferences in learning styles, needs, and abilities. It offers learning opportunities to people anywhere the technology can reach, at any time, and usually at a reasonable cost. Education is no longer the privilege of a few; it is a lifelong process through which everyone can benefit and gain experience and knowledge. E-learning ESL in the 21^st century can be a realizable goal for anyone anywhere. With dedicated educational institutions, learning a second or foreign language will soon be a real possibility to the learner of even the most remote village. When the appropriate infrastructure is in place, e-Learning English as a second/foreign language as a means of communicating with the different peoples of the world might prove to be a good starting point for bridging cultural and linguistic distances. Perhaps then, when the world is brought together in goodwill through the spirit of learning and progress, the bridging of societal differences will not be far away.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Dr. David Levy, English Language Program Director at McGill University, for his guidance during the writing of this paper, and for his belief in my ability to carry out the e-Learning projects for our unit at McGill University. I am forever grateful to him for the opportunities he has provided.

I would also like to thank Dr. Takeshi Utsumi, Chairman of GLOSAS/USA and Founder and V.P. for Technology and Coordination of Global University System (GUS), for the time he took to carefully edit this paper and for his most helpful suggestions.

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Author Biographical Sketch

Effie Dracopoulos ESL Lecturer/E-Learning Specialist English Language Program Center for Continuing Education McGill University 688 Sherbrooke W., Suite 1325 Montreal, Quebec H3A 3R1 CANADA Tel. (514) 398-8800 ext.09100 E-mail: efstathia.dracopoulos@mcgill.ca

Effie Dracopoulos has been an ESL lecturer at McGill University since 1990. Her teaching career began in 1984 with the Ste. Croix School Commission in Montreal. In 1986, she founded and directed the Academy of Modern Languages, a private language school that catered to an international as well as local adult clientele.

In 1988, she completed production of two self-instructional distance education courses using the medium of video: English Between Us and Le Francais Entre Nous. In 1990, she participated in the first Canada-Japan Study Abroad Fair in Tokyo and Osaka, Japan.

Since then, she has designed and delivered specialized courses both through distance and traditional methods to distinguished clients that include litigation lawyers from Hydro Quebec, engineers from Soprin/ADS, the president of the Montreal Catholic School Commission, the General Director of the Montreal Police Force and the Commander of the Special Tactics Unit, diplomats from various consulates and embassies, as well as delegates from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to name a few.

Her responsibilities at McGill University include coordinating Fifth Level Conversation activities, and teaching in both the Special Intensive and Evening Certificate Programs at the proficiency level. She has been engaged in studies, research and instructional design in the last few years, focusing on the production and delivery of online ESL courses. She is currently working on the development of an online ESL program for her department at McGill University.

Effie is happily married to Bob and has two wonderful daughters, Faye and Tina. When she is not working, she loves to cook, swim, tend to her garden, dance, and spend time with her family. In addition, she serves her community by sitting on her municipal councilor's committee as vice president. She believes that anything is possible in life, and her motto is: think happy thoughts and daydream happy dreams!