Boot Camp Manual

Welcome to Boot Camp!

I am currently working to bring back the boot camp manual, but because I am currently on the tenure track I had to put the project on ice. In 2009 I left Pomona College for a position at Rhodes College, and I’ve had other priorities in the following years. But boot camp has always been on my mind, and now it’s time to bring it back!

The Idea

Whenever I talk to language educators about using technology, I hear that they don’t know where to start. That they’d like to see the benefits and start incorporating technology, but are overwhelmed by the many choices,the jargon, and the rapid development.The situation is only complicated by what the media reports and what vendors try to sell at conferences. If this is you, you’ve come to the right place.

Whenever I train new educators, they are not intimidated by the technology, but they often do not know how to use these tools in an effective and pedagogically sound way. If this is you, you’ve come to the right place.

Whenever I talk to language center/lab directors and those who train faculty and teachers, they often wish they had a clear structure and a guidebook for their training programs. If this is you, you’ve come to the right place.

Whenever I talk to people new to the field (“congratulations: you will be running our language center!”), they often don’t know where to start. If this is you, you’ve come to the right place.

If the manual is not enough…

The manual is supposed to only be a first stepping stone. It will only help so much. If you are looking for someone to conduct a workshop at your institution, give a presentation in person or via video conference, or if you are searching for a consultant to advise you on building or redesigning a language center or making changes to your curriculum, please do not hesitate to contact me – I’d be happy to help you find someone in your area or help you myself.

The 2008 beta version is still available here: Click here to download the old manual. It’s a bit outdated, so it may no longer be useful. I hope to bring back boot camp soon, so please subscribe to the blog to get notified when it’s ready.