The Consultants-E SL - Blended CertICT

The blended Cert ICT covers exactly the same content as our fully online Cert ICT, but it is run part online and part face-to-face (f2f). Of the total 120 course hours, 50 hours are offered f2f either intensively or part-time (depending on location), and 70 hours are offered online over a further 10 weeks. The blended Cert ICT course has a maximum of 16 participants. The f2f component of the course takes place at the locations listed below.

The Blended CertICT: Certificate in Teaching Languages with Technology has been developed out of and replaces our ‘ICT in the Classroom’ course, which is highly regarded as an innovative example of good practice in the field of online teacher training, and was awarded a British Council Innovation Award (or ‘ELTON’) in February 2007.

WHO IS THE Blended CertICT FOR?
The CertICT: Certificate in Teaching Languages with Technology is a qualification for teachers and trainers of English (EFL, TESOL) and for teachers of other languages, who have already started their teaching careers and wish to further enhance their skills and expertise in using ICT (Information and Communications Technology) with their learners in the classroom. The Blended CertICT is suitable for teachers and trainers worldwide, whatever their level of experience with ICT - participants leave this course with a wealth of new ideas, tools, approaches and techniques to use ICT with their own face-to-face learners.

[ find out where our course participants come from with our participant map... ]

COURSE AIMS & OBJECTIVES
The Blended CertICT: Certificate in Teaching Languages with Technology aims to equip language teachers and trainers with the essential skills and knowledge to effectively use ICT (Information and Communications Technology) in their own teaching or training contexts. The aims and objectives of this qualification are as follows:

To develop and consolidate basic IT skills: word processing, manipulation of images, audio and video, email, file formats, online safety, security and virus protection.
To build a critical awareness of a range of commercially available ICT materials.
To consider ICT within the syllabus, and how to integrate ICT with regular classes.
To develop an awareness of the various contexts and cultural constraints in which ICT may be used by both teachers and learners.
To develop familiarity with search and evaluation skills for Internet-based resources.
To develop lesson planning and materials preparation skills for Internet-based resources.
To learn how to adapt and use current ICT tools with f2f learners, such as WebQuests, blogs, RSS feeds, chat (voice, video and text), podcasting, wikis, social bookmarking, online reference tools and electronic portfolios.
To develop an understanding of Web 2.0, VLEs, blended learning and m-learning, and how these could be used in the participant’s context.
To develop an understanding of the skills needed for working effectively with students and technology.
To consider how to integrate ICT and assessment (including online assessment).
To develop an awareness of how to continue the participant’s own professional development in ICT-related areas, and where and how to access this online.
To create, implement, and reflect on a final technology-based lesson plan or project.

COURSE STRUCTURE & SYLLABUS
Like the fully online CertICT, the Blended CertICTconsists of 3 modules, with total of 120 hours work for participants. The blended Cert ICT is run part online and part face-to-face (f2f). Of the total 120 course hours, 60 hours are offered f2f intensively over two weeks, and 60 hours are then offered online over 10 weeks. The online component of the course takes place after the f2f intensive component .

Module 01
Computer Skills [ 15 hours f2f ]
Email, file formats, word processing, working with images, audio & video, computer security, online safety issues.

Module 02
ICT (Information and Communications Technology) Tools in the Classroom
[ 35 hours f2f & 50 hours online = 85 hours ]
ICT usage and tools, Internet search techniques, evaluating websites, social bookmarking, planning and implementing Internet-based classes, WebQuests, voice, video & text chat, podcasting, blogs, RSS, wikis, online reference tools. Web 2.0, VLEs, blended learning, m-learning, electronic portfolios. Commercial ICT courseware, assessment, ICT in the syllabus, continual professional development online.

Module 03
Course Project [ 20 hours online ]
ICT Class Project: planning, implementation, review, reflection.

Click here to download a detailed course breakdown including timetabled video conferencing sessions, and the course breaks.

The f2f component of the blended Cert ICT

The f2f component of the course takes place in the locations listed above. Each day will consist of hands-on workshops and seminars, and participants are required to bring their own laptops, for the duration of the course. Each day will consist of practical workshops from 9am to 3pm Monday- Friday, with two 30 minute breaks. This makes a total of 5 hours work per day, and 50 hours over 10 days. Participants will learn to use the ICT tools in the course description during the hands-on workshops, as well as consider the pedagogical implications of each tool. Internet access will be provided. There are a maximum of 15 participants for the blended Cert ICT.

The online component on the blended Cert ICT

The online component of the course takes place in the learning environment Moodle. You don’t need to have any experience or knowledge of online learning or of Moodle before the course. You are expected to spend about 7 hours per week on online individual, pair and collaborative group work, including offline reading and reflection. Deadlines for task completion are weekly, and you can log on at any point during the week to work on the course. There are no 'fixed' times to be online, apart from regular timetabled online video-conferencing sessions; the dates and times of these are negotiated to suit everyone on the course.

The online part of the course is structured around weekly deadlines, so you are in constant contact with course colleagues and tutors in our course Moodle, for the duration of the course. Like the f2f part, the online part of the course is very highly tutor- supported: groups of 10+ participants have two online tutors.

KEY FEATURES OF THE ONLINE CertICT
The Consultants-E is the first provider to offer an online CertICT: Certificate in Teaching Languages with Technology for language teachers, fully validated and moderated by Trinity College London. The CertICT has been designed and developed exclusively by The Consultants-E in both a blended and fully online mode. We are one of the most experienced and highly-regarded online providers of quality online training for language teachers, and our Blended CertICT has several unique features which make it exceptional:

The CertICT is a new internationally recognized qualification, and provides a valuable asset to any language teacher wishing to develop his/her knowledge of technology and how to apply it to classroom teaching. It is also a valuable indicator to potential employers that the teacher is able to use ICT with learners effectively.
The Blended CertICT is hands on and practical in both the online and f2f components – you learn about and try out ICT tools during the course, with your own learners.
The Blended CertICT takes place in English, but is aimed at teachers of any language – we have trained not just English language teachers, but French, German, Italian, Spanish, Catalan and Japanese teachers in the past.
The CertICT is run in blended mode. As it includes a large online component, you save significantly on the accommodation fees, travel etc. associated with with af2f (face to face) training course.
You can continue to work while you take the Blended CertICT.
The online component of the CertICT takes place over 10 weeks, with a break, so you have time to try out new ideas and tools with your own learners in your own context while taking the course. Learning can be immediately applied to practice, and there is time to reflect on and digest the course content after the f2f component.
By taking our Blended CertICT, you have the opportunity to experience firsthand online learning in the hugely popular virtual learning environment Moodle during the online component.
Our course participants come from literally all over the world. Working closely with your course colleagues online, you meet and work with language teachers and trainers from a wide range of contexts and countries. See our past participant map!
Groups of more than 10 participants have two tutors. Our courses have one of the highest participant to tutor ratios of any online course available. Maximum group size is 15, so you are assured of individualised and constant tutor support.
Our tutors are highly qualified and experienced language teachers and trainers themselves, and they also have years of experience of (and are fully qualified in) online moderating. See here for more information about our tutors.
We are experienced online teacher training providers, having run our online courses since 2003, and receive consistently excellent feedback from our participants. See our past participant feedback here.
The Blended CertICT has been developed from our original flagship 50-hour ‘ICT in the Classroom’ course, which was quality-assured by Trinity College London, and won a 2007 British Council Innovation Award.
Our Blended CertICT looks at new Web 2.0 technologies and how these can be applied to language teaching. Special emphasis is placed on new technologies and blended learning for the language teacher / trainer, key areas of expertise in today’s competitive market.

Participants may be asked to provide documented evidence of these qualifications.

Language learners: Participants must have access to real language learners, either a class or one-to-one students, and either f2f or online, to implement the final course project.

English proficiency: Competence in written and spoken English, whether English is the applicants’ first, second or foreign language: successful applicants’ levels of competence in English must be of a standard sufficient to enable them to fully understand and complete the course work. The minimum level of qualification accepted is that of Trinity ISE II / Cambridge First Certificate / IELTS 5,5 / TOEFL 500 / CEF B2. In some cases, participants may be asked to provide documented evidence of an English language qualification. In the absence of a recognised language qualification, a telephone interview and/or a sample of a participants’ written work may be requested.

Group work: Participants must be willing to work co-operatively as members of a group, and to complete short pair and group work tasks online during the course.

INTERNETSKILLS & TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
The online component of the course takes place in the VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) Moodle. You won’t need any prior experience or knowledge of online learning, although basic experience of email and Internet is expected. Technical and pedagogical support is available for the entire duration of the course for both the online and f2f components.

You will need:

• A laptop computer to bring to the f2f component
• A headset (best is with a USB connection)
• An Internet connection at home/work (preferably broadband) for the online component
• A webcam is optional for the online component

You will use an online video conferencing platform for chats with course colleague and tutor(s) several times during the course - the exact time for this is negotiated with the group. To take part in a video conferencing session you will need a headset with microphone (headsets with a USB plug are the best option). If you have a webcam, you may want to connect that during the video conferencing session, but this is optional—you will be able to see and hear your tutor even if you only have a headset. Video conferencing sessions are always recorded which means that even if you can’t attend, you will be able to watch the recording later online, in your own time. Our video conferencing platform is accessed via a web page—you do not need to download or install anything to use it during the course.

ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES
Participants need to complete a minimum of 80% of the course work for Module 1 and 2 to an acceptable standard within the time frame of the course. Module 3 (the course project) consists of creating, implementing and reflecting on an ICT lesson, or series of lessons, with learners; 100% of this needs to be completed. An overall Pass or Fail grade is awarded for the CertICT. In order for participants to be awarded the Certificate, all 3 modules must be passed.

Participants who do not complete the minimum required course work within the stipulated course dates may still complete the course. However, they will not be awarded a Trinity College London Cert ICT Certificate, regardless of whether they have paid the Trinity external moderator fee. In some cases, a referral and subsequent completion of work to the required standard, normally within one month of the course end date, will be accepted.

ENROLMENT PROCEDURES & FEES
Please follow the links next to each course location to complete the enrolment procedure. Please note that fees are in € (Euros) for Seville and Bonn and in £ (GBP) for London. We use WorldPay as our secure payment service . WorldPay are part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC and are trusted World-Wide for Internet transactions. We do not store your credit card details in any way. This increases your privacy and makes your purchase more secure.

Under European Union legislation, you have the right to cancel within seven days of our contract with you. If you cancel your enrolment you will have your payment returned. To be refunded please provide full details of your enrolment including all reference numbers and WorldPay correspondence to enrolments@theconsultants-e.com.