Finding What WorksCreating Online and Blended Intermediate German Courses

Getting to know us

Brigham Young University:•Private religious institution; Nearly 30,000 students•70% of students speak a second language• 6% of students from outside US, representing >110 countries•50% of students serve church missions, many gaining L2 fluency •Over 55 languages regularly taught; 40 more available•32% of students take world language course (national average: 9%)

BYU has one of the largest language teaching programs in the nation.

Transforming a traditional program

What is the problem we want to solve? What are the objectives?

BYU German courses going blended

Courses Transition to Blended

Commenced

Current Status

1st Year: Germ 101/102 Fall 2014 Online completeBeta testing F2F

2nd Year: Germ 201/202 Fall 2013 Complete: Online & F2F

3rd Year: Germ 301/302/303

Fall 2015 Online completeF2F in development

Benefits of blending: personalized learning

Inspiration 1

Khan:•Start with most basic concepts.•Tailor the lesson to the individual.•Require mastery before moving on.

What we did:•Massive test bank (15,000 questions)

Inspiration 2

Cineplex:•Feature films as basis for language learning•Multimedia experience to meet students where they are

What we did:•Run films with educational software support (Ayamel) •Apply multimedia experience to assignments

Course Design (F2F blended)

• Consistent layout and design • Chunked to support self-pacing• Mastery-based quizzes• Dynamic assessments• Stable access to video + learning supports• Flipped classroom; accessing content online

Choosing Tools/Resources

Fundamental Tools• BrainHoney LMS• AdobeConnect • Ayamel video platform

Ayamel in a German CourseGerman 201/202 use 5 German films. Language-learning activities center on the film.

Listening Watching the film

Speaking Discussing the film within its historical and cultural context, oral exam with questions about the film and the student’s own views and interpretations

Reading Working intensively with the subtitles; online reading about film topics

Writing Journals entries about film-related cultural topics, using sentences from film as structural models for own writing; crafting cohesive and sophisticated paragraphs in narrating film events; writing a creative narrative essay based on the film

Pronunciation Memorizing and performing scenes from the film

Grammar All grammar exercises draw largely on actual lines from the film to illustrate and practice the concepts being learned.

Culture Discussion and writing about film-related cultural and historical topics.

Vocabulary Taken directly from film; chosen bvased on frequency of use in German language

Ayamel in a German Course: Student Perspectives

• As a student, how do you use Ayamel?• I use the double click to translate feature a lot.

• I watch the movie once through without interruptions then I go back to catch details using the side transcript.

• I watch sections with German subtitles, then I go back and slow it down, and pick it apart for better understanding.

• I leave the transcript open on the side while viewing and read along. And I almost always slow down how fast they talk.

• When reviewing the film later for other assignments, I use the full transcript a lot.

Challenges

4 critical elements

1. Let the computer/classroom do what they do best2. Align objectives: content, practice, assessment3. Keep big-picture focus 4. Clearly define expectations

Successes

• Decreased prep time• Validity to classroom experience• Validity to powerful technology tools• Meaningful input/output (synthesis/creation)• Enhanced connections, comparisons • Increased higher order thinking/interaction

• How is this getting used?• Blended• Online• Public-facing workbook

Pre Blended 202 students Post Blended 202 Students20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90Preliminary Data from Placement Test

Germ 302

Germ 303

Germ 301

Germ 202

Student Feedback

The German Mastery Quizzes were my favorite part. I always knew exactly what needed to spend more time on.

It was hard work, but I felt like everything I did was useful and helped me learn. There was no busywork.

Honestly? I feel like I learned more in this course than I would have in a (traditional) classroom.

Language is a multi-media experience… this has changed my life.

Instructor: Students come into 202 at a totally different level than before. They are well-positioned to gain greater aptitudes.

F2F F2F Blended Online Blended

Text German in Review (Sparks/Vail) & instructor choice (novels, short stories)

Online resources, Cineplex (Zachau, Schueller, Collenberg-Gonzalez)

Online resources, Cineplex (Zachau, Schueller, Collenberg-Gonzalez)

Media Mostly limited to texts Extensive use of film & online video/audio/text resources

Extensive use of film & online video/audio/text resources

Homework Grammar exercises, reading, writing

Mastery quizzes + online listening, video, reading, writing

Mastery quizzes + online listening, video, reading, writing

Feedback Answer key, teacher feedback Instant feedback in mastery quizzes, teacher feedback

Instant feedback in mastery quizzes, teacher feedback

Time in Class 1 hr/day, M-F (70 hrs/semester)

1 hr/day M-TH (54 hrs/semester)

(synchronous meetings) varies; 1-10 hrs/week café & speaking appointments

Personalization None Mastery-based grammar homework

Mastery-based homework, opportunities for extra practice/remediation (café)

What about you?• Are you blending? • What have you tried?• Do you have questions for us?

Get demo access to our courses:byu.is/languages

Contact us: cindy_brewer@byu.edurobmc@byu.edumichael_bush@byu.edujennifer.quinlan@byu.edu

BYU.IS/LANGUAGES