Pilot a LaunchPad tool.
OUR TREAT.
WHAT ARE THE BLENDED LEARNING PILOTS?
The pilots are a chance for Flagship directors, instructors, and tutors to try out emerging, LaunchPad-vetted technologies in their curricula and lessons, free of cost. Alternately, instructors and tutors may choose to integrate an existing third-party tool they’ve been wanting to try into their lessons, with individualized Tech Center support. During the planning phase, the Tech Center coaches instructors as they prepare to integrate new technology into their lessons. During the pilot period, instructors will have a semester to use the technology with their students (Summer 2025). Instructors’ feedback will be used to improve participating technologies’ fit with best practices in language pedagogy. The pilots will begin with a short webinar on June 10th at 7:00 pm ET, where instructors can learn more about this year’s innovations.
3 Easy Steps
Step 1: Identify a challenge
Consider the instructional challenge or problem that you would like to address with the tool.
Step 2: Choose a tool to pilot
On Tuesday, June 10th, the Tech Center is conducting a short webinar on four innovative tools: Luduan, The Mimir, Voccent, and Pangea Chat.
Step 3: Register for the Pilots
The Tech Center will assist in the implementation by helping you with the logistics of setting up the pilot and the design of activities to test. You can also work with a mentor experienced in blended learning.
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So what does Blended Learning mean anyway?
We define blended learning as a student-centered approach that entails purposeful, appropriate, and sustainable integration of technology* which optimizes the use of face-to-face and online environments. Blended learning requires a measure of synchronous interactions between instructor and learners and offers some degree of learner control over time, place, path, or pace.
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* Gruba, P., Cárdenas-Claros, M. S., Suvorov, R., & Rick, K. (2016). Blended language program evaluation. London, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
2025 LaunchPad-vetted Choices
Adaptive learning platform for students, and AI assistant for educators that automates labor-intensive tasks like generating level-appropriate content and grading. 14 languages including Arabic, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian.
Research-based multi-media platform with AI tools to help learners practice listening, speaking, reading, and vocabulary building at their own pace and interests. Chinese, English, Spanish.
AI-powered oracy platform for language learning using teachers’ own content or built-in lessons to improve speaking, fluency and emotional expression. Any language.
Instant-messaging platform that allows students to learn a language while texting their friends. 2023 LaunchPad finalist, their platform now supports 11 languages including Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian.
Timeline
June 10, 2025: Blended Learning Pilots Kickoff Webinar
June 2025: Create a plan for your pilot, with Tech Center support
Summer 2025: Pilot implementation
August 2025: Summary report
August 2025: Presentation of pilot results
Contact Information
TECH CENTER
1890 East West Road
Moore Hall 256
Honolulu, HI 96822
(808) 956-5121
tech.center@hawaii.edu
