http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ A search of MERLOT materials Copyright 1997-2013 MERLOT. All rights reserved. Thu, 23 May 2013 22:45:20 PDT Thu, 23 May 2013 22:45:20 PDT http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/images/merlot.gif http://www.merlot.org:80/merlot/ 44 34 http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=346341 This site explores the stories of nine young Chinese living in the fast-paced Chinese society of modern times. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=240941 Cultural case studies featuring American and Brazilian executives who speak  openly about their experiences working with each other. Effective for International Business courses as well as Advanced Business Portuguese courses. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=244582 Cultural Interviews with Japanese-Speaking Executives is a compilation of brief video clips in which Japanese and Japanese-speaking executives discuss cultural issues that are of interest to North Americans. The objective of the interviews is three-fold: First, provide practical cultural information about business topics. The opinions represent those of real people. At times they are even contradictory, but they are designed to be a catalyst for discussion, not a definitive answer about some stereotype. Second, the interviews provide vocabulary in areas within a professional setting. The interviews present diverse vocabulary within the context of each individual's comments. Third, these materials provide non-native speakers of Japanese with multiple examples of natural speech, illustrating the way that speakers really talk. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=396781 Beth Landers, Professor of Foreign Language (University of Missouri St. Louis), discusses her experience of transforming the foreign language courses on her campus. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=349109 American Sign Language faculty member Bill Vicars(California State University Sacramento) discusses his experience of integrating technology into his teaching in order to enhance the quality and increase the accessibility of his courses. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=475252 Interviews with Foreign Language Exchange Students is a compilation of brief video clips in which Japanese and non-native speaking Japanese language students discuss various topics. The conversations are not rehearsed and show authentic interchange between students and an interviewer who is a native Japanese speaker. Transcripts are also available. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=422993 The MoodleReader Module is a freeware, open-source module has been developed over the past two years as a means for teachers of English as a second language to share a database of quiz material for “Graded Readers” and to make them easily accessible to their students. The module went online in April of 2008 and is currently being used by over 5000 students worldwide. Until this module was developed instructors had no means of testing, in an electronic form, their students’ comprehension of this reading material as a means of verifying that they had actually read the claimed material. The sheer bulk of graded readers available precluded any teacher or school from developing a comprehensive set of online tests for their library of graded readers. Some publishers maintain websites with downloadable quizzes in PDF format, but these are not secure and are in a single, fixed format, which is conducive to cheating. The Reader module allows quizzes to be randomly generated from a larger set of items for each book. The module allows teachers to easily install the module on their own Moodle system, download the quiz material for those textbooks in their graded reader library and configure its operation to their own preferences. The database is password protected to keep the contents out of the reach of students, and currently contains quizzes for some 500 popular titles, including all of the Oxford Bookworms series from Starter through Stage 6. Other publishers represented include Cambridge, Macmillan, Cengage/Heinle and Penguin. Student target goals can be set by points (1 point per book of average length) or by word count. The student report page displays a table showing all books read with their word and point count, as well as a colored progress bar showing the number of words read. For teachers who do not have their own Moodle available, free courses that include the module are available on the moodlereader.org site. Contact the maintainer, Tom Robb for access. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=85079 Stanford's website is a repository for the ongoing study and exploration of the fragmentary remains of the Forma Urbis Romae, also known as the Severan Marble Plan of Rome. This was an enormous map of Rome made between 203-211 A.D. and covered an entire wall inside the Temple of Peace in Rome. It depicted the groundplan of every architectural feature in the ancient city, from large public monuments to small shops, rooms, and even staircases. Most of the Forma has been lost and the site contains drawings of the map made when more pieces were extant and photos of the extant fragments. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=85080 An in-depth repository for the ongoing study of the uban center of this ancient Roman city, the Forum in Pompeii. View the a map of the forum, 3-d reconstructions of the buildings with overlays and links to photos of the extant remains. Self-described as a "collaborative research venture" it is an up-to-date and evolving site. The goals are to provide the first systematic documentation of the architecture and decoration of the forum, to interpret evidence as it pertains to Pompeii's urban history, and to make wider contributions to both the history of urbanism and contemporary problems of urban design. Links to Pliny's famous letters and other photo repositories of Pompeii. http://www.merlot.org/merlot/viewMaterial.htm?id=490912 BNU / BFSU case study - Visual Learning - This case study outlines the two eELT training projects that the University of Nottingham developed, in collaboration with Beijing Normal University and Beijing Foreign Studies University. This case study outlines the two eELT training projects that the University of Nottingham developed, in collaboration with Beijing Normal University and Beijing Foreign Studies University. Both sets of material supported self-study and small group work online that is scalable throughout HE in China. Also, both projects used a wide range of media and technologies that were matched to learning and teaching needs.