(1888PressRelease)
February 07, 2008 - Beijing/Shanghai -- Praxis Language is partnering with the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (NOCFL, also known as the Hanban) to develop the Online Confucius Institute.
At present, 180 Confucius Institutes operate in 50 countries with independent websites and promotional activities. With today's agreement, however, Praxis Language will develop an official Online Confucius Institute to help unify their activities. It will act as a centralized repository for NOCFL and Praxis Language learning materials, such as ChinesePod. It will also offer students, teachers and institutions up-to-date information on developments in the burgeoning Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (TCFL) industry. In addition, new social networking features will enable individuals/groups to integrate digital learning materials into their studies. Teachers of Chinese around the world will have the tools to share, connect, and collaborate, thus aiding the development of the TCFL. Praxis Language CEO Hank Horkoff says the collaboration, "will make Chinese learning significantly easier by taking advantage of the best tools of the social web."
The Confucius Institute is a not-for-profit public organization whose mission is to promote international understanding of Chinese language and culture. The phenomenal growth of the Institutes in recent years reflects the tremendous global interest in learning Mandarin. Senior adviser to Praxis Language, Ken Carroll: "We think the Hanban has made a wise choice. Getting web strategy right is very difficult for any business these days. Through their collaboration with Praxis Language, they can now leapfrog with their online development to become a leading player in global online learning".
About Praxis Language:
Praxis Language crafts integrated, language-learning programs around the needs of students when, where, and how they prefer to study. Praxis Language believes that learner-centric technologies combined with a strong pedagogical foundation will define how people learn in the Information Age. With the huge popularity of its ChinesePod.com and SpanishPod.com brands, Praxis Language has demonstrated its global leadership in language learning in the Web 2.0 era.
About the National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language:
The Chinese government attaches great importance to the promotion of Chinese language throughout the world. In order to enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese people and other peoples of the world, to promote economic and trade cooperation as well as scientific, technological and cultural exchanges between them, the "China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language" (NOCFL) was established in 1987. The leading group of the office is composed of the leaders of 11 departments of the State Council.
Contact:
Ken Carroll, Co-founder
Praxis Language
3/F, Bldg 4, 751 Huangpi Nan Rd.
Shanghai, China, 200025
tel: + 86-21-6385-9599
fax: + 86-21-6385-9577
email: ken.paul.carroll ( @ ) gmail dot com
website: http://praxislanguage.com
