BLENDED & ONLINE LANGUAGE LEARNING CONCEPTS• Objectives

– Understand BYU Independent Study and BYU Online language course models– Explore benefits of synchronous and asynchronous interactions– Explore elements of independent, collaborative, and apprenticeship-focused

learning environments

Education

BYU: English

Univ. of Wisconsin: French & International Education

BYU: IP&T Second Lang. Acquisition

Professional

Teaching abroad and in U.S.

Administrator of charter school

Instructional designer of world language courses

Academic consultant for BYU Online, humanities, business, nursing, Kennedy Center

Gagné’s Instructional Event Internal Mental Process

1. Gain attention Stimuli activates receptors

2. Inform learners of objectives Creates level of expectation for learning

3. Stimulate recall of prior learning Retrieval and activation of short-term memory

4. Present the content Selective perception of content

5. Provide "learning guidance" Semantic encoding for storage long-term memory

6. Elicit performance (practice) Responds to questions to enhance encoding and verification

7. Provide feedback Reinforcement and assessment of correct performance

8. Assess performance Retrieval and reinforcement of content as final evaluation

9. Enhance retention and transfer to the job Retrieval and generalization of learned skill

to new situation

What are some elements of cognitive apprenticeship that could mesh with Gagne’s 9 events?

BYU WORLD LANGUAGES

• Since 1920s• >200 university courses online, self-paced 12 months to

complete; collaborative element to all language courses• ~50 online courses for BYU students, semester based• 10 languages: FREN, SPAN, GERM, KOREA, CHIN, JAPAN,

ASL, ARAB, RUSS, LATIN

>50 languages regularly, +30 languages 70% of students speak a second language 6% of student body from outside the U. S, representing

>110 countries

BYU Independent Study

BYU ONLINESemester-based, available only to day students

Blended Fully OnlineContent delivery Primarily in class;

may be accessed online

Online

Practice exercises, mastery quizzes

Online Online

Assessment In-class or online (1:1)

Online (1:1)

Feedback and remediation

In-class and online Online

Hours spent on material

Reduced classroom time is spent online instead

Online

Collaboration/interaction

In-class, discussion boards, Conversation Café

Webinars, discussion boards, Conversation Café

THE HUMAN TOUCHSYNCHRONOUS

• spontaneous• ephemeral• peer influence• passion• preferred

ASYNCHRONOUS

• reflective• permanent• < intimidating• reason• > rigor

integrate complement

 

WHAT DOES LEARNER AUTONOMY FAC IL ITATE?

Click icon to add pictureSelf-paced structure

Focus on the unique needs of the learner

Finding one’s own path; self-directed learning as a life skill

(John Dewey self-directed learning theories)

WHAT DOES COLLABORATION FACIL ITATE?Dialogue & discussion

Group problem-solving

Development of social knowledge

Structure/control to the path

WHAT DOES APPRENTICESHIP FACIL ITATE?Development of strategic knowledge

Scaffolded and sequenced instruction structure

Real-world application

CONVERSATION CAFÉ

SUCCESSES AND FAILURES• Korean blended study

– Students complained about decreased instructor interaction– Time spent on material was lower – Student scores showed no significant difference over 4 semesters– Instructor ratings were the same or higher

• German blended study– 202 pre-test scores improved – Students revisited practice material an average of 3 times– Students produced improved journal entries– Technology and course refinement bogged down development

• Independent Study and BYU Online language course models

• Benefits of synchronous and asynchronous interactions• Independent, collaborative, and apprenticeship-focused

environments