HEC holds computer assisted English language learning course
By Bushra Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The Higher Education Commission (HEC) has organized a six day short course on Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL) at Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) with the collaboration of AIOU, Islamabad.
Under the auspices of English Language Teaching Reforms Project of the HEC this six day short course was attended by faculty members of public sector institutions of higher learning of Pakistan.
Dr. Nazir Sangi, Chairman Department of Computer Sciences AIOU and Dr. Abdul Hafiz, Chairman Department of English Language& Literature AIOU, being the recourse persons of the course, appreciated the efforts of Higher Education Commission for arranging these types of training courses in CALL for English language teachers to enhance their capabilities and skills to disseminate them amongst the students of institutions of higher learning.
Dr. Sangi briefed the course participants about the online courses and interactive learning programs designed by AIOU. The course concluded with the workshop presentations prepared by the course participants which were highly appreciated.
It is pertinent to mention here that the HEC is focusing on training of English Language teachers for new trends and methodologies in language learning & teaching to be adopted by the public and private sector universities and institutions of higher learning of Pakistan. In a series of short courses for CALL, the next course on CALL will be held in April 2006 in Balochistan University, Quetta.
The meeting was attended besides the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Muhammad Amjad Abbas by Senators Shuja-ul-Mulk, Mrs. Kalsoom Perveen, Mir Wali Muhammad Badini, Ms. Agha Pari Gul, Muhammad Abbas Komaili, Dr. Azizullah Satakzai, Syed Murad Ali Shah and Abdul Latif Ansari. Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Mr. Sikandar Hayat Bosan, Secretary M/o Food, Agriculture, Mr. Ismail Qureshi and senior officers of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture were also present. Sardar Bahadur Ahmed Khan Sihar, MNA attended the meeting on special invitation.