A Rich Heritage

The Language Learning Laboratory & Resource Center, in its current modern incarnation, is the result of literally decades of evolution and development. It has existed to assure Texas Tech's language programs are top flight—the additional learning and skills refinement that occurs in lab facilities are crucial to many programs, and crucial to many types of student learners.

Over the many years of Texas Tech's history, one strategic goal common to all languages programs has been that there should always be a well-developed, robust language lab at Texas Tech University.

Technology Driven, Excellence Inspired

From its earliest beginnings decades ago, Texas Tech's "Language Lab" has always been driven by the technology of the time, and a pursuit to continually improve—to always remain current and abreast of late-breaking innovations. Emerging techologies in equipment and educational resources have been a part of its fundamental operation, from early reel-to-reel recorders, to today's modern digital sound files and computerized speech recognition..

Language laboratory facilities are commonly described as bearing a level of capability and service, such as Level I, II, and so on. As is likely the case at many institutions, TTU's Language Laboratory has evolved through all levels, starting as a Level I operation many years ago, and ending today at the highest Level IV.

The Evolution of the LLL&RC

The earliest dawning of the modern day Language Learning Laboratory & Resource Center occurred in the late 1950s, when Tech's first Language Laboratory director, Dr. Harley Oberhelman, purchased reel-to-reel tape players so that students could listen to language training tapes. The language department at the time was in the Administration Building, and space was allocated in the basement to house the equipment.

During the mid 1960s, while designing the current Foreign Languages Building, the University specifically included plans for a well-thought-out and permanent lab facility. The new "Foreign Languages / Math" building was completed in 1969, and the carefully designed Language Laboratory began serving students. The original lab facility included what is now the Central Practice Theatre (which was outfitted with 56 student cubicles, arranged in rows), a central control center (in what is now the HelpDesk), the Private Booths, the Equipment Room, the Service Bay, and a recording studio.

Over the years, the facility has grown as additional space has been annexed to the central facility, and a few areas not diretly adjacent to the original facility are now part of the LLL&RC.

A very significant upgrade of the LLL&RC occurred during 1986-1987, when Director Greg Geiss initiated sweeping updates to the facility. The core of the updgrades included replacing an aging reel-to-reel tape system with a Sony language lab console and student cassette recorder stations. This allowed the facility to offer "Language Lab Level III" student service. The teacher control console was relocated amidst the new cubicle arrangement, allowing the instructor to be much closer to their students. A room adjacent to the Central Practice Theatre was annexed to become the "Computer Lab," providing a completely new teaching/learning area with Apple and IBM computers (computers then still an emerging language teaching technology).

Other updates included the addition of a soothing blue and gray color pallette, most notably anchored in new carpet, covering the vast expanses of tile floor. (Carpet is very important in language facilities due to the obvious noise buffering it provides.) The student cubicles were repainted dark blue, and stylish new graphics were added to the facility (all actually made by Director Geiss and his staff), completing the updated, modern feel of the facility.

During the early 1990s, the facility invested a great deal in maintaining its central lab services, and invested heavily in developing a full score of educational media services. The video and other educational materials collection was more than quadrupled in size, a professional materials accessioning system was adopted, and the entire facility was networked and began using a customized data information system.

During 1997-1998, another sweeping change occurred for the LLL&RC—the existing student cubicle system was replaced with the exceptionally advanced ASC DI8, an incredibly powerful "digital-analog hybrid" system. The 60-station ASC DI8 continued to provide traditional tape-based services (albeit the individual recorders were controlled by on-board computers, and the supervisory system was completely computerized), while allowing integration and expansion into full digital services (another emerging technology for the time). The system also featured "dual instructor" capability, which meant that two separate classes could work in the Lab simultaneously, while still more students worked independently. The finishing touches came in the form of new student cubicles and the system's large dual-instructor console, finished in a soothing soft gray-blue color. As it turned out, Texas Tech's ASC lab system was the largest of its kind and capabilities ever built.

The profound change in the facility's capabilities was startling. Scores of problems with the old system and its dated technology evaporated overnight, and the advanced features of the ASC system brought almost limitless pedagogical improvements. (To say the LLL&RC bridged a chasm is an understatement—the new technology was vast and beyond comparison to anything TTU had before that point.)

Other additions during this time included expanding the Equipment Room and adding a new Instructional Media Processing area.

During 2006-2007, the ASC Esprit was upgraded to the ReLANpro, from ASC Direct, and the facility entered yet another new realm of modern computerized capability. The new system allows the facility to work with all types of digital media files, including audio, video, presentation and document files. The system allows integrated exercises, tests or other assessments to be "pushed" out to the student stations, and data supplied by students can be "pulled" into the central server. The information can then be easily provided to the instructor in several computerized forms.

The new system will also allow the LLL&RC to essentially unhinge space constraints, and expand the central student learning system to a highly nimble teaching/learning resource spread through several rooms in the Foreign Languages Building. These secondary labs will allow a huge increase in scope of student service. The system will be able to function as one cohesive unit, or instantly divide into various different groupings, regardless if the student stations are physically located in the same room or not.

No End in Sight

The Language Learning Laboratory & Resource Center, as the epicenter for teaching and learning technology for the Foreign Languages Building and its resident programs, will continue to add services and resources. Immediate plans include the installation of an American Sign Language lab, completion of the divisional libraries project, and continued adoption and implementation of cutting-edge innovations in language learning equipment, software and strategies.