Wagner, Urios-Aparisi Proposal

Course Title: Languages and Cultures: What you always wanted to know and were afraid to ask

Supporting Department Head: Prof. David Herzberger

Introduction:

The topic of this course, languages and cultures, has experienced a renewed and intensified interest in the United States as shown by the Senate Resolution 28 Designating 2005 as the "Year of Foreign Language Study" joining the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages in this proclamation and launching the decade of languages. Educators agree that knowledge of a foreign language and increased cultural awareness and sensitivity are a crucial component of students’ education. By using a hands-on, module based approach and by analyzing English language samples and structures the purpose of this interdisciplinary course is that the students develop an understanding and critical awareness of basic and critical issues and social and cultural factors concerning language and language use.

The developing of awareness and sensitivity towards language and how language is used in context, towards linguistic diversity and socio-cultural issues and towards the differences between the diverse modes of communication will increase students’ ability to improve their foreign language learning experience as well as the reflection on their own language use in context and their writing skills. This results in students who develop into “informed citizens” who “may participate more fully in the rich diversity of human languages and cultures” (GEOC guidelines, p. 9).

Course Format:

The course is designed as an undergraduate 100-level 3-credit course taught in English with optional 1-credit INTD 222 Linkage through Language (LTL) second language discussion sections taught in either one of the languages chosen by the student who takes the 1-credit add-on. We would like to offer the course as W course. We have some flexibility in terms of the number of students we can allow because we are two instructors and might be able to offer two sections.

Course Objectives:

Students will be able to:

1) understand important concepts of language which will facilitate their foreign language learning experience,

2) develop tools to understand how language and communication work in context,

3) develop critical thinking and inquiry skills in issues of diversity and language and apply general concepts and knowledge to specific situations in the discussions of case studies

4) define, describe, compare and contrast different approaches in language and communication research

5) critically evaluate multimodal communication by comparing written, oral, nonverbal language including new modes of communication such as internet, e-mail and chats.

6) learn course content and/or deepen understanding by exploring topics in written assignments and develop writing skills by writing and revising 5-6 page writing assignments at the end of each of the three modules and by receiving extensive writing training

7) apply computer literacy skills through the use of technology which is a crucial component in every part of the course

Relation to the New General Education Requirements:

This course is designed to meet the Arts and Humanities content component (Group 1) and the Multiculturalism and Diversity component (Group 4). Students will not be required to have prior knowledge of the subject matters. As the General Education Requirements suggest, this course will encourage students to reflect upon and critically engage in discussions of matters dealing with language and diversity and thereby human experience. The course content and design will encourage students to explore their own language tradition within the larger world. Moreover, the course fulfills the W course requirements.

Teaching approach:

The approach applied in this course will be student-centered in as many aspects as possible. Students will work in pairs and groups, will engage in role-play activities and will actively reflect and discuss topics involved. Existing and new cases will foster discussion-based learning. Students will have an active role in the development of their e-portfolio. The content will be organized in three modules which will deal with each content area in turn (concepts of language and foreign language learning, language and diversity, multimodal communication).

Guest lecturers will be invited when appropriate. Moreover, we will collaborate with Writing Center at the University of Connecticut in the tutoring and support of the students.

Role of technology

Technology will play a crucial role in all aspects and stages of the course. The course will make use of both WebCT, as it provides tools for web-discussions and online instruction and Universal Locker, which provides students and instructors with secure, web-based access to their files from any computer.

The course will be taught in a high-tech classroom in which students will preferably have access to the Internet at all times. Students will be able to exchange information instantaneously through the use of Universal Locker and WebCT. In addition multi-media technology will be an integral part of the instructors’ and students’ presentations and preparations of course topics.

Assessment and evaluation of course objectives

The summative and formative assessment and evaluation instruments of course objectives will consist of the following components:

1) Self- and peer-assessment instruments

2) E-portfolio: Each student will develop an e-portfolio which will include their writing assignments including the various versions of their written samples, their homework assignments, and their in-class activities. This e-portfolio will be saved on Universal Locker.

3) Documentation of discussions, such as blogs (frequently updated webpage consisting of entries in reversed order).

In addition, we will hand out a short survey at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of the semester asking for feedback on all aspects of the course which we will analyze with the help of the Institute of Teaching and Learning in order to find out whether the course objectives have been met in the students’ opinion. Students who consent to complete anonymous follow-up questionnaires at later points could help us determine whether students felt that the course helped them in achieving their foreign language requirement and in the development of their writing skills.

Relationship to instructors’ scholarship and teaching:

Prof. Urios-Aparisi and Prof. Wagner have a background in applied linguistics with an emphasis on pragmatics. Parts of the course are based on Prof. Urios-Aparisi’s scholarship and teaching in metaphor and multimodality, as for example in the course SPAN 208 in the spring of 2005. Prof. Wagner’s research on pragmatic development and teaching of foreign language theory and methodology (GERM 380/ROML 395 fall 2004, EDCI 260) will contribute to the development of part of the modules. Moreover, Prof. Urios-Aparisi will teach a W course in the fall and spring semesters of 2006. Both instructors have taught a large variety of foreign languages courses and are therefore well able to judge what will be beneficial for the students’ foreign language learning experience.

Work done during grant period

The course is planned according to the backwards design which starts with the course objectives and outcomes in mind. We will select course material including textbooks, web-based materials, multi-media materials, and cases if available and develop handouts, summative and formative assessment tools and survey instruments. In addition, we will write appropriate cases for our discussions in the diversity and multimodality modules. We will plan and develop WebPages in WebCT and in Universal Locker. We will also apply for IRB approval if necessary.

Potentially, we could expand on specific modules of the course which could be developed into 200-level courses or additional General Education 100-level courses.

In short, through this innovative interdisciplinary course students will critically explore crucial multicultural, social, political, and methodological issues and develop and refine skills they will need to apply throughout their lives, such as computer literacy, analytical, and writing skills just to name a few. Moreover, this course is an important addition to the course offerings at the University of Connecticut because it is designed to help in the student preparation for their foreign language requirement.