Colleen Coffey Marquette University

Method, Curriculum and Assessment for Successful Virtual Dual Immersion

Department Profile

SpanishFrenchGermanItalianChineseJapaneseArabic

Enrollment Vs. Virtual Immersion

Total Language Students

Total Lower Division Students

Total Virtual Immersion Students

Final %

Fall Semester 2009

2,101 students

1,198 students

560 students 25% dept50% lower division

Fall Semester 2010

2,250 students

1,231students

460 students 22% dept 45% lower division

Totals 4,351 students

2,429 students

1020 students

Virtual Exchange Program Evolution

Spanish 38 / 3 sections

56 Spanish/ 5 sections

138 Spanish & French/ 9 sections

249 Spanish, French, Chinese/ 11 sections

560 Spanish, French, Japanese, Italian, Chinese/

27 sections

460 Spanish, French, Italian, Arabic / 22 sections

Virtual Immersion ProgramComponents NS/ NNS

Desktop to Desktop Videoconferencing in ClassVirtual Cultural Events in Class

Independent Exchanges –Open Lab/ Facebook Site/ Out of class appt.

Desktop to Desktop

Cultural Event:Martinique: Culture & Chouval Bwa

Expert Event:Economist- Specialist TLC

Independent- Autonomous Exchanges

Do We Understand How We Learn Best?

Professor Benjamin Stewart Universidad Autónoma Aguascalientes – Sept. 24, 2010 to AUSJAL Language Technology Webinar

Do We Have Our Objectives in Mind Every Day?

1. What are your objectives in teaching language?

2. What objectives do your students have in learning language?

How Do We Get There?: Are We Learning LEAN?

What actions do you take as a teacher to meet those objectives?

How many actions do you take that lead to results? How many do you take that don’t?

Objectives for Exchanges

Oral and Written Proficiency - Interaction

Intercultural Competency -Task Based, CBI, Interaction

Collaboration- sharing learning process Continued Motivation for Lifelong Learning- Human Connection

What is Curriculum Based On?

Byram’s ICC

OPI

ACTFL Standards

AIR METHOD

OBJECTIVE: ProficiencyWhat is Proficiency Based On?

Global tasks or functions * ask and answer questions, describe , narrate, compare and contrast, form opinion (What can learners do?)

Context/ Content areas *where and what situation

Accuracy *grammar, vocab, pronun, fluency, sociolinguistic and use of appropriate strategies

Text Type *words , sentences, paragraphs, extended discourse

OPI Rating Scale

Novice:  Can communicate minimally with formulaic and rote utterance, lists and phrases. 

Intermediate: Can create with language, ask and answer simple questions on familiar topics, and handle a simple situation or transaction. 

Advanced:  Can narrate and describe in all major time frames and handle a situation with a complication. 

Superior:  Can support opinion, hypothesize, discuss topics concretely and abstractly, and handle linguistically unfamiliar situations. 

Framework for Teaching Culture

FOREIGN LANGUAGE STANDARDS 1999 p. 47

Perspectives

ProductsPractices

Byram’s Model of ICC

• Attitudes• Knowledge• Skills - Interpret & relate - Discovery & interaction• Education - Critical cultural awareness - Political education

Creating Community – Principles of Conversation (Margaret Wheatly 2009)1. We acknowledge one another as equals

2. We try and stay curious about each other

3. We recognize that we need each other’s help tobecome better listeners

4. We slow down so we have time to think and reflect

5. We remember that conversation is the natural way humans think

6. We expect it to get messy sometimes

AIR Methodology

Activation

Interaction

Reflection

Activation

Access previous knowledge about topic discussed by preparing questions and answers about topic.

Access previous perspective and experience with C1 (learner’s own culture and sense of self) prior to engaging in dialogue with C2.

Interaction

Asking and Answering Qs about linguistic and cultural meaning comprehensible input

Asking for clarification

Recasting sentences as they have been stated

Active listening

Information probes

Clarification

Reflection

Process to digest fusion of all old and new linguistic, cultural, content information

Creates space for reflection as one of the key elements to the learning process

Engages learners in awareness of new perspective, attitudes and beliefs through interaction.

Technology Used in AIRSocial Software Programs for the three part Method

Learning Through Connection

Professor Benjamin Stewart Universidad Autónoma Aguascalientes – Sept. 24, 2010 to AUSJAL Language Technology Webinar

Technology Used in AIR Method

Reflection

Interaction

Activation

CLELMS

VoicethreadNingWiki

TwitterFacebook

Blog

Elluminate/ Zoho/ DimDim

Google/ Skype/

Digital Language Chart: Blog, Google

Doc.

Discussion Tables

Provide structure to meet communicative objectives (mine, my students, global needs, etc.) facilitate fluency of thoughts with adequate structure and support

Empower learners to create with the language

Activate C1 to easily access C2

Train learners to develop strategies that coincide with the way they develop language skills naturally

Provide GOALS and EXPECTATIONS while encouraging creativity.

Topics and Subtopics

Vocabulary• EXAMPLES OF VOCAB

Questions

•Examples of Questions

Sentences•Examples of Sentences

TEMA

Subtema I•Preguntas______•_____________•_____________•_____________•_____________•Frases•____________•____________•____________•____________

Subtema II•Preguntas_____•_____________•_____________•_____________•_____________•Frases•_____________•_____________•_____________•_____________

Subtema III•Preguntas _____•_____________•_____________•_____________•_____________•Frases•_____________•_____________•_____________•_____________

vocab vocab vocab

Expert Event:Economist- Specialist TLC

ReflectionPost session digestion

Expert Event:Economist- Specialist TLC

AssessmentHow do we alter assessment to reflect method?How do we measure what we learn?

Assessment Words Aligned with Proficiency

Nuts and Bolts Assessment Checklist

Evaluates Skills Directly Reflecting OBJECTIVES

Grounded in Lean Learning and AIR Methodology

Provides Learners SPACE to Show What They Can Apply

Focuses on Process not Facts- Documents One Point in Journey

Incorporates Self Evaluation and Peer Evaluation as Reflection

Exam Requirements

This take home exam has four components. In each component you must prepare, practice and apply specific language functions. If you choose to combine any two components, you may do so but must indicate At the beginning of the recording that two components are combined.To organize your ideas you will prepare language charts. You must prepare One language chart per component, but are welcome to use more than one to reflect process . Please note point distribution and description Of expectations in exam rubrick.Description: Ser v. Estar, adjectives, comparisons, pero v. sinoPresent tense narrative: Present actions, descriptions, comparisons, ser v. estar, adjectives, gustarSequence of events: Preterite, description, gustar

Exam Process I

Exam Process II

Exam Process III

Exam

http://voicethread.com/share/911926/

Exam Sample II

http://voicethread.com/#q.b1363604.i7235766 /

Self Review & Peer Review

Administration & CommunicationHow do we learn from one another, share and collaborate

Program Administration

Within Department and College: • Trainings• Meetings• D2L Virtual Exchanges Page• Lab Assistants

With Global Partners: • Google Docs• Forum• Skype meetings• Webinars• Communication Coordinators• Collaboration- Sharing grants/assistants/

resources

Important Points to Consider

• Keep conversation about goals and expectations with teachers and students front and center.

• Allow teachers and students to participate in its growth and evolution.

• Development of each language takes 2 semesters for a smooth ride.

• Teacher training/ buy in can take 2 to 3 semesters for high comfort.

• Supporting success of each session is priority.

• Some languages require 2 to 3 student assistants at the same time.

• Make observations, communicate and adapt to cultural differences.

• Marquette has no lab director or official lab. (plans for 2011)

EvaluationStudent Perspective

Would you be more likely or less likely to enroll in a language course in your future based on your experience of participating in virtual language exchanges in this class?

In which of the areas you have checked above do you feel you have improved the most, and why? I feel less apprehensive/nervous because I know that my partner is having just as much trouble learning their foreign language as I am, and I know they want to help me not judge me. Not dwelling on making mistakes while speaking the language because the listener can usually understand what you are saying and will correct you. Being able to speak in the language without having to think beforehand how I want to say something.

In which of the areas you have checked above do you feel you have improved the most, and why? I am more confident when speaking with a native speaker from practicing in the lab sessions and from being complimented by my partner on my ability to speak their language.

I am more aware of language learning and realize it is a lifelong process that is never complete because I am still learning new words in English, so I expect it to be the same for a foreign language.

How have your attitudes and beliefs about your partner's culture changed as a result of participating in language exchanges? Be specific.

The culture became real to me. I felt like I was able to actually understand and experience it.

I became more aware of the differences that exist between our different cultures, but also the many similarities that both cultures have as well.

I have a greater appreciation towards those who try to learn English.

American culture distorts the ideas that we have about other countries due to media and the lack of information that we have about other countries.

I am more open to other languages and cultures after participating in the language exchange.

I believe that learning about other country’s beliefs and cultures could be the key to more productive relations.

How have your attitudes and beliefs about your own country changed?I have learned I need to be more open to criticism.

It has caused me to question why I believe the things I do.

I am aware that our access to technology is incredible in our country and we place a lot of emphasis on using it in our everyday lives.

Americans tend to focus a lot of their attention on having a plan and living to fulfill that plan.

How have your attitudes and beliefs about your own country changed?I was embarrassed because my partner knew so much more about the American culture than I did about theirs I realized how arrogant Americans are because my partner asked me what I thought of there country and to be honest I really hadn’t thought about it before.

How could the program improve the experience for you?

Discuss current  events and global issues that affect the U.S. and our partner’s country.

Having more time to talk with our partners.

Possibly write letters or e-mails before talking with your partner so it is less awkward and less stressful when meeting them for the first time over Skype.

More emphasis placed on exchanges such as having more of them or making them more of a component of the course.

How could the program improve the experience for you?

Making sure each person had their own partner because I felt that I was not learning/participating as much as I could have if I had my own partner.

Researching if there are any native speakers that are students at Marquette that would be willingly to meet/talk to us.

I really liked when we made voice-threads and our partners made power-points and we shared them with each other. This greatly facilitated our conversation and mutual understanding.

Acknowledgements

• Collaborating Faculty for Virtual Exchange Program at MU

• Co-coordinators: Dr. Omega Burckhardt & Dr. Sally Gendron

• Participating Faculty Fall 2010: Spanish: Dr. Barry Velleman , Dr. German Carrillo, Ms. Jessica Marten, Ms. Consuelo Carrillo, Dr. Omega Burckhardt, Colleen CoffeyArabic: Dr. Enaya OthmanItalian: Ms. Giordana Kaftan, Ms. Claudia PasserelliFrench: Dr. Sarah Gendron

Student Lab Assistants: Affnan Mohommad, James Bauer, Jamie Burns, Christina Ficcochi, Dan Torme

Acknowledgements

Benjamin Stewart: Universidad Autonoma Aguascalientes Sept. 24, 2010 AUSJAL WebinarACTFL Foreign Language Standards 1999ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview Standards 1996Michael Byram’s ICC: European Framework 1996Steven Downs, December 3rd, 2008

Thank you for your attention!Colleen Coffey ccoffey@wi.rr.com