This is the discussion list of the IATEFL Computer Special Interest Group.

NEW: The Computer SIG has been renamed to "LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES SIG"


The Learning Technologies (LT) SIG is one of the largest and the oldest of the IATEFL SIGs. It began as the COMPUTERS SIG in the mid 1980s and now has around 500 members. This reflects the growing interest in new technologies.

The SIG is concerned with the applications of new technologies to English language learning. The SIG includes among its interests the use of corpora and concordancers, multimedia, computer mediated communication, text-based software, authoring, the WWW, Interactive Whiteboards and also the more technical issues Any and all of these, of course, have powerful uses in the many contexts which are EFL, from Young Learners, Independence, ESP, Business English, Teacher training, and indeed for all of the other SIGs.

What are the aims of the Learning Technologies Sig?

§ to raise awareness among ELT professionals of the power of learning technologies to assist with language learning

§ to contribute to the knowledge base as to how learning technologies can be used for English language learning

§ to develop members' expertise in the myriad of uses of learning technologies with their language learners

What are the benefits of joining the Learning Technologies SIG?

The Newsletters:- a high quality newsletter with three issues per year. This includes the latest information on applications of computers to ELT, software reviews, Internet sites, and research related issues.

Training Events: there at least three per year, both in the UK and abroad.

Conferences:- The SIG organizes the computer track at the main IATEFL conference. Other conferences are often organised both in the UK and abroad.