Symposium
This is the natural successor to the traditional cassette-based language lab - except that the technology at each student position is a computer, rather than a cassette recorder. The teacher's console is replaced by a network server, on which the materials are stored, at the teacher's position, but the infrastructure is an independent layer of cabling, separate from the network cabling.
Audio is of the highest quality, and an audio matrix permits many-to many audio connections between the positions in the lab. This supports audio pairing and collaborative work.
Since the students have access to computers, this means that traditional audio exercises can be complemented by video content, and reading and writing exercises can be incorporated into the lab lessons as an addition to the listening and speaking. It also means that the fantastic resource that is the internet can be accessed live during lessons, and exercises built upon materials obtained in that way.
We have always felt that computers should be a means to an end - we would hate teachers to be coerced into working in an unfamiliar way just because the lab is based on pcs. Our pride is that the Syposium lab will support many different teaching styles, and that it is simplicity itself to take advantage of legacy materials on audio or video cassette, or even written materials in a much-beloved text-book!
Some systems may be daunting to those whose specialism is languages, but the Symposium environment is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly.
