FRENCH ONLINE A DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM
The method has been prepared by the French Cultural Center Islamabad (Alliance Française d’Islamabad) under the aegis of the Cultural Section, Embassy of France in Pakistan. This program has been prepared over a period of three to four years. It took nearly two years to establish partnerships with organizations in France and Pakistan and especially to develop the concepts of learning, the objectives and the contents of the lessons. A team of experienced teachers, computer specialists and programmers worked on the contents.
“French Online” differs from the classical classroom situation as it offers its learners a great degree of independence due to its medium of communication i,e. the Internet. The students are independent but not isolated. A fortnightly session or tutorial meeting is held to help them with pronunciation and conversation practice. The students can keep in touch with their tutor via E-mail. They may send their work to their tutors for corrections.
FRENCH ONLINE AT ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY
The AIOU has collaborated with the Embassy of France and the Alliance Française d’Islamabad to offer French Online program to its students in Pakistan. For the time being the course is being offered in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Peshawar.. But afterwards it would be offered in other cities also because the aim of this program is to offer the opportunity of learning French language in the areas of Pakistan where the French learning language institutions are not available. So,this program seeks to reach people who cannot attend the conventional classes.
At first the French online course was offered to the students of Computer Science (BCS/BIT) at Allama Iqbal Open University as an optional subject. And now it is being offered as Certificate course to the general public (in autumn semester 2003).
French Online is a multimedia program. A PC and connectivity to Internet is a must. The students have the access to the following site:
www.frenchonline-af.org.pk
But the access to the whole material is possible only when the students get enrolled and after their enrollment they get a password. Without a password access to French Online material is not possible. Minimum qualification for getting admission in French Online Certificate course is Intermediate (at least 2nd division).
A package of 8 modules (i,e. 8 lessons) is offered for the Certificate course (duration: one semester i.e, 6 months). These modules (or lessons) are prepared by the Alliance Française d’Islamabad and are available only on website. They will not be available in book form. The students of French Online Certificate course are also provided with a student workbook along with an audio CD that are also prepared by Alliance Française d’Islamabad.
The students are required to spend at least 3 hours a week on Internet. They have to study one module in two weeks. After every two weeks they have to attend a tutorial class. This is the only face-to-face contact with the tutor. During the tutorial sessions the tutor is going to give students activities that will help them practice pronunciation, conversation and oral comprehension. To be able to take part in these activities it is very important that the students prepare and study the module at home.
The students are also going to complete two assignments. First assignment is to be submitted after the completion of first four modules. The second assignment is to be submitted after the completion of eight modules.
The students of French Online have to appear for a mid-term exam (after first four modules) and for a final exam (at the end of the semester). The students will not be allowed to appear for the final exam if they do not submit both their assignments within due date and obtain at least 50% marks collectively in the assignments.
Prospectus and Admission forms are available at Regional Offices and at Main Campus, Block No.4, Sector H-8, Islamabad. For getting prospectus and admission forms by post, send Rs.40/- extra as postal charge alongwith the prescribed price of the for, (Rs. 100/-) through bank Draft in favor of Treasurer, Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad. The form and the fee are to be submitted in the approved bank branches (mentioned in the prospectus). The fee for French Online Certificate course is Rs.2350/-
At the completion of the course the students will be awarded a joint certificate of Allama Iqbal Open University and Alliance Française d;Islamabad.
For information about the course and enrollment contact:
info@frenchonline-af.org.pk
