English UK campus
English UK works in association with Macmillan English Campus (MEC) to provide English UK Campus. This new English UK initiative enables member centres of any size to experiment with MEC's effectiveness as a learning tool. Under the new agreement, Members can purchase as few as ten passwords directly from English UK, without having to negotiate a separate contract based on a high number of passwords with Macmillan.
Why choose MEC?
MEC is the favourite choice for study directors wishing to implement blended learning solutions into their schools. Currently in use by over 100,000 students worldwide, a new version of MEC was launched at the end of 2007. Easy to administer and largely intuitive for students and teachers alike, the new edition has been a great success. However, until this year, minimum number requirements made it difficult for smaller UK institutions to contemplate a contract with Macmillan. The new agreement provides UK schools with a very cost-effective entry into blended learning.
MEC vs. other software on the market
For those readers unfamiliar with the programme, the key difference between MEC and other software on the market - whether online or CD-ROM based - is that MEC is a 'granular' rather than a 'linear' product. In other words, it's a collection of free-standing individual interactive exercises and reference tools which can be used as the teacher sees fit, rather than a self-teach programme which follows a predetermined course. MEC content sits on a 'platform' or MLE (Managed Learning Environment) which enables teachers to track and give appropriate feedback on learner progress and performance. The MLE also gives students instant feedback on their online practice activities - one reason why MEC is a consistent hit with learners.
Blended Learning
By putting the teacher (and learner) in the driving seat, MEC is particularly suited to blended learning. The teacher decides which resources each student actually needs and can modify practice input according to student performance. Teachers can also choose one or more of the ready-made 'courses' or resource folders which come pre-loaded with selected interactive exercises to match specific ability levels (including CEFR), selected Macmillan course books or Business English. Additional specialist areas in the programme offer targeted exam practice, flexible test compilation tools with a separate suite of test resources at all levels, and reference materials, including interactive grammar reference and the Macmillan English Dictionary Online.
Innovation
MEC is now being used in a number of innovative ways. Apart from the standard approach - that of incorporating MEC into a blended learning programme - it is also being used for post-course language maintenance. Few schools have established mechanisms for maintaining contact with alumni once they have left the UK. Extending MEC access beyond the course provides a neat way of doing this, continuing the connection between school and former student whilst providing a great tool for maintaining (or even improving!) their English. Some schools using MEC have even used it effectively as the basis for complete distance learning programmes, with teacher-student contact maintained via regular SKYPE or virtual classroom sessions.
To find out more about the English UK Campus service, please contact the Professional Services Officer at training@englishuk.com or call +44 20 7608 7960.
