LEARNING AND TEACHING BEYOND SCHREINER: THE TEXAS LANGUAGE CONSORTIUM

Faculty Thursday

March 7, 2013

Why should you learn a foreign language?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzEjzL6_gyE

Rationale

Mission StatementNational foreign language reduction

The foreign language paradox

Interest in more language offerings while lacking specialists/ resources

New Pedagogical Approaches?

Live Size Video Communications System Teaching several campuses

simultaneously Test administration, group work, book

club discussions, Stammtisch activities, office hours, pen pals Survey results

Survey

18 students responded, five rankings

Assignments contributed to my appreciation and/or understanding of the subject matter: Agree - 27.8% Strongly Agree - 72.2%

My interest in this subject matter increased as a result of taking this course:

Neutral - 11.1% Agree - 5.6% Strongly Agree 83.3%

I have gained valuable knowledge and/or skills as a result of taking this course:

Neutral - 5.6% Agree - 22.2% Strongly Agree - 72.2%

The technical aspects worked well:

Disagree - 5.6% Neutral - 22.2% Agree - 55.6% Strongly Agree - 16.7%

Survey

Web and library resources were easy to access:Neutral - 5.6% Agree - 50% Strongly Agree - 44.4%

The discussion sessions worked well:Agree - 55.6% Strongly Agree - 44.4%

I feel the professor of the course genuinely cared about me succeeding:Agree - 5.6% Strongly Agree - 94.4%

Would you take a course that integrates students and faculty from other campuses again: Yes - 100%

Do you feel taking a course that is taught by a professor from a different campus enhanced your academic progress:Yes – 83.3% No – 16.7%

Student Outcomes

More schedule variety More choices Raise intercultural awareness Raise interest in studying abroad Interaction amongst various campuses Interaction with new professors New skills (conferencing, work studies)

Institutional Outcomes

Outreach to more students Collaboration opportunities Guest speaker opportunities Offer a class that might not make it on our campus alone Speaker series, conferences

Short-Term Goals

On-site visits at LCU and TWU NITLE Symposium Academic Showcase Intermediate German Increase online opportunities (homework) Stammtisch Monthly meetings of instructors

Long-Term Goals

TLC schools offer a sequence of four semesters of foreign language instruction as part of the core

Linking a travel component to foreign language courses

More languages Establishing a German minor at SU Establishing a German major at SU Interdisciplinary teaching approaches (History, English)

The TLC Partners

Texas Wesleyan University (French) Concordia University (Mandarin Chinese) Texas Lutheran University (Spanish) Lubbock Christian University

(Portuguese) Schreiner University (German)

TLC Faculty Profile: Français

Steven Daniell, PhD, Dean of the School of Arts and Letters (TWU)

Alma Mater: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Study abroad: Paris (1year, assistant d’anglais), Québec City (1 summer)

Research: Contemporary French-Canadian Literature

Vice President of the American Association of

Teachers of French

Named Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques

by the French Education Ministry

TLC Faculty Profile: Français

Steven Daniell, PhD, Dean of the School of Arts and Letters (TWU)

Three Best TLC Experiences:

1. Enthusiastic students, especially on the distance sites

2. Good colleagues across the state

3. Reconfiguring teaching style to the classroom set-up

Challenge:

Adapting to the Smart Board

Quote:

La langue révèle l’âme de sa société. (Language reveals the soul of its society.)

TLC Faculty Profile: Español

Chris Dickens, M.A., Visiting Professor (TLU)

Alma Mater: Texas State University

Study Abroad: Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil

Research: 2nd Language Acquisition

Three Best TLC Experiences:

1. The recognition and appreciation I get from my colleagues for working with the consortium

2. Being encouraged to explore new online teaching resources

3. Getting to know Steven!

Challenge: Adapting to new teaching style and occasional technical problems

TLC Faculty Profiles: 中国普通话Patricia Schiaffini, PhD, Southwestern University and Concordia University

Alma Mater: Stanford University (MA), University of Pennsylvania (PhD)

Research: Contemporary Tibetan Writers, Modern Chinese Literature

Teacher-trainer consultant, founder and

president of a non-profit organization

话

TLC Faculty Profile: Deutsch

Silke Feltz, M.A., German And English Instructor (SU)

Alma Mater: OFU Bamberg, Germany

Study Abroad: Columbia, SC

Three Best TLC Experiences:

1. Creating a holistic learning experience with on-site and off-site students

2. Being a part of a big collaboration from the very

beginning on

3. Becoming a cultural ambassador beyond Schreiner

Challenge:

Speed and camera tracking

Academic Advisors:

Please consider the TLC classes when signing students up for a foreign

language.

“La distance n’y faitrien; il n’y a que lepremier pas qui coûte.” (Marquise du Deffand)

Silke Feltz, M.A.Schreiner University