The 'Virtual Language Lab' Virtually Painless, Simply Real

This paper discusses the technology that has inspired and guided the design of a ‘virtual language center,’ within the context of a major urban college. Specifically, a number of mobile and cloud-based resources will be proposed and discussed such as: Asynchronous writing computer-mediated communication; Collaborative publishing; Textbook specific technological assistance; Video interface; Virtual realities and cyber-real estate; social networking tools; and communication tools that function in tandem with other technologies. The present paper provides a detailed assessment of the implementation of a virtual language learning center at one institution alongside suggestions for implementing a host of similar technologies at other schools. The paper argues that portable technology in the language classroom is particularly beneficial to the student and the instructor, and how it brings the language classroom and curriculum into the realm of best practices for 21st-Century Learning.