1. Virtually immersed: Integrating language and culture online
KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning

2. KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning
Virtually immersed
Interfacial
Interactional
Subliminal
Umwelt-changing
KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning

3. KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning
Virtually immersed
Interfacial
Overall design
Color(s)
Typeface(s)
Text/image
Flash, etc features
KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning

4. KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning
Virtually immersed
Interactional
“power distance” and institutionalism
User friendliness
High v. low context
Navigability
Accessibility
To practical, institutional information
To specific course information
To coursework
KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning

5. KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning
Virtually immersed
Subliminal
Beneath our consciousness
Suggestive
Flitting and fleeting
Able to instill familiarity
Able to breed comfort
KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning

6. KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning
Virtually immersed
Integrating the real
Genuine: Conceived/developed by experts in the field, imbued with their perspectives
Real-time: Flux as it happens
Familiar: Start with known, go to unknown
Customized: Tailored for each student’s needs
Changing: Always, in all ways
KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning

7. KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning
Virtually immersed
Free and simple Umwelt-changing ideas
Use what’s out there in social networks
E.g. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Ning…..
Use everything that is free
E.g. blogs, wikis, Open Course Ware, Open Source everything
Use other people’s materials and thank them
Network within and beyond your discipline, your institution, your country
Use the news – much of it is free; a lot of it is relevant
KA Watson, Coastline Distance Learning