Language Lab Pack
Net Control 2

Classroom management software

Language Lab Pack

The Language Lab package is an add-on module for the Net Control 2 Classroom computer classroom management software. This package is specifically designed for foreign language classrooms. It contains a wide range of multimedia features and capabilities for effective language learning using modern methodologies, making it an essential tool for teachers and an engaging resource for students.

The package is currently available as a "pre-release." This means that although we are continuing to adapt and configure the software, the package is already available for use under existing Net Control 2 Classroom licenses to anyone upon request. If you are interested in trying the Language Lab package now, please simply let us know.

Below is detailed information on the features of the Language Lab pack.

Language Lab Module - The teacher console

Teacher Console Features

Student management:

  • Display the list of students in the class as a list
  • Each student can be assigned to one of six groups: Red Yellow Green Blue Purple Orange
  • A separate White group defines actions for all students
  • Work is organized into sessions (e.g., lessons)
  • Upon session completion, student recording files are transferred to the teacher or deleted based on settings

Broadcasting Features

The teacher's console allows broadcasting multimedia streams to students, enabling them to work with the same content simultaneously. It supports up to six concurrent streams, corresponding to the number of groups.

Broadcast Sources:

  • Teacher's voice from the microphone
  • Teacher's voice and video from the computer's webcam
  • System audio (sound played on the teacher's computer)
  • Audio from an arbitrary system-defined capture device
  • Files from a playlist
  • Voice of a selected student
  • Voice and video from a selected student's webcam

Broadcast Management:

  • Support for six independent streams (one per group)
  • Broadcasting to the "white" group overrides colored groups
  • Ability to pause and resume stream broadcasting

Monitoring Features

  • Establish a "phone call" connection with any student
  • Monitor (listen in on) any student
  • Monitor the system audio of any student
  • View webcam image and listen to microphone audio of any student
  • Enable forced recording of microphone audio from any student
  • Recorded tracks can be collected and analyzed later

Pair Work Features

Pair work will allow students to improve their communication techniques and dialogue skills, becoming an essential tool for practicing communication in a foreign language. Pair work involves the teacher dividing the class or a group into pairs. Students can then communicate with each other via voice and, if cameras are available, see each other during the conversation.

Instant Communication

  • The teacher can activate an instant audio message to all students or members of the current color group: such message interrupts the current recorder mode work and students can hear the teacher.
  • In addition to the previous mode, the teacher can initiate an instant video call.

Playlist Features

  • Create and manage playlists
  • Files can be transmitted to students of the current color group
  • Flexible storage options:
    • Saved in shared media folder for independent work
    • Saved in session folder with automatic deletion
  • Save and load file lists from disk
  • Receive tracks made by students during the current session
  • Tree view with selective file collection

Recorder Modes

The teacher can control how students use their Recorder. This enables the use of various types of assignments for students.

  • Self-study: Free use of recorder, open files, record voice, set bookmarks
  • Pair work: Collaborative work with another student
  • Reading: Record student's voice onto their track
  • Model imitation: Listen and repeat after stream or file
  • Model imitation with repeating: Listen to created recordings
  • Listening: Listen to model without recording
  • Listening-Recording: Listen and record sequentially
Language Lab Module - The Recorder

Student Console (Recorder)

  • The student console is implemented as a dual-track recorder, allowing:
    • Playback of sound from the "source" on the first track
    • Recording of sound from the student's microphone on the second track
  • Sources can include:
    • Network "stream" from the teacher's computer
    • Local file
    • File from a playlist
    • Voice of another student during pair work
    • Voice of a student during broadcast to others
  • File bookmark functionality:
    • Set bookmarks for quick navigation between file fragments
    • Use existing bookmarks prepared by the teacher
  • Select fragments of played file for auto-repeat (loop playback)
  • Detect pauses in source files with quick navigation between pauses
  • Standard playback and recording controls: play, pause, stop, rewind to start, record
  • Create blank files for voice reading
  • Record short fragments by pressing and holding the record button
  • "Voice insert" mode when working with files:
    • Recorded student voice fragments interrupt the source file
    • Inserted on the student's track
    • Creates corresponding gaps on the source file track
    • Eliminates need for pauses in source files intended for student responses
  • Display histograms of recorded fragments or incoming streams (visual representation of audio)
  • Create histograms for arbitrary working files via special button (disabled by default for performance)
  • After histogram creation, enables navigation between pauses in the file
  • Scalable file timeline for precise fragment selection and navigation
  • Additional full-scale file timeline for quick file navigation
  • Volume balance between tracks
  • Display subtitles or text information according to timestamps
  • Support for .srt subtitle files:
    • Automatic loading and display when .srt file with matching name is detected
  • Video file playback capability
  • Display of:
    • File name and description (if available)
    • Length of source and combined files (considering voice inserts)
    • Session name and time since session start
    • Current recorder mode
    • Teacher's name
    • Other student's name during pair work
  • Send signal to teacher to attract attention ("raise hand")
  • Work with file lists:
    • Transferred from teacher's computer
    • Loaded by student in self-study mode
  • Load, save file lists, manage lists (add, delete, clear)