SPANISH I COURSE REDESIGN

Southeast Missouri State UniversityDr. Debbie Lee-DiStefano

I. Experiences

Traditional Course     All students A-19.3%; B-24%; C-15.4%; D-16.3%; F-6.7%; W-18.3% Total   104   100%

Redesigned Course All students  A- 25.5%; B-16.3%; C-16.3%; D-7%; F-14%; W-20.9% D         Total   43   100%

Comparisons

Traditional Redesign 58.7 >C 58.1>C 18.3 W 20.9 WACTFL 2.7 ACTFL 2.2Oral exam 41.4/50 Oral Exam 35/50

Pilot data suggest that there isn’t a significant difference in the learning outcomes, although the redesigned course does reveal slightly lower scores on the outcomes, with significantly lower scores in the Oral Exam

Possible Reasons

1. Difference in instructionDoes the professor coach the students with the oral exam questions prior to the exam?2. Sampling sizeSmaller number from each course in the traditional sections (3 sections with 9 students) vs the redesign section (1 section with 9 students)

Benefits

Structure On task Empowered to teach subject matter Positive student reactions

Challenges

1. Method opposes the one most Secondary teachers use

2. Attitudes regarding language learning and its necessity by students and administrations across the nation

2. Challenges

1. Student registration in the online programs

2. Course management at the beginning (class size, space, personalizing the classroom)

3. Instructors4. Method5. Pace

Department Buy In

1. Distrust of technology2. Hesitant to test new methods3. Incapacity to re-envision the classroom

Support

Excellent! Funding from various grants Participation in CR discussions Allow us to play without fear Drawbacks…Inadequate space and scheduling, the

University isn’t adequately prepared

Future Implementation

Fall semester there will be 5 sections with three different professors, difficult to get consistency.

Meetings before and during the semester Training to use the technology Frank discussions about the content and

structure, which will be partially implemented in Spanish II and III

My opinions about the process…

Made me think about every aspect of the course

Has reduced my workload Not convinced that the full program will

be continued after the 2 year cycle Fear that we may be losing majors, want

to check retention.