The Challenges of a Distributed-learning Environment

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CULP Cambridge University Language Programme
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CULP

• University wide
• For non specialist
• Not credit-bearing (at the moment)
• Integrated-learning mode of delivery
• Focus on oral/aural skills and real-time
  communication
• Aims at enrolling 10 of the student population
  (17,000)

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CULP06/07 figures

• Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Spanish,
  Italian
• (Arabic and Japanese to come)
• 1,200 students
• 20 students per group
• 20 teachers
• 4 teaching rooms
• Timetable Michaelmas/Lent ----12 - 7pm
• Long vacation ---- 10am - 6pm
• Fees 50/150

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CULPEnrolments
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CULPBreakdown per language
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CULPStudent background

• 60 different countries of origin
• Most from the UK 41
• 47 different mother tongues
• English 60
• German/Mandarin 5
• Greek, Spanish and Russian 3
• French 2
• Graduates 51
• Undergraduates 43
• Staff 6

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CULP Integrated-learning environment

• F2F classroom
• Multimedia
• interactive materials
• delivered online

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CULP Delivery
Mode of delivery Length of course (45 hrs) Hours F2F weekly Online
1 15 weeks Michaelmas/Lent 2 hrs 1 hr
2 15 weeks Michaelmas/Lent 1 hrs 2 hr
3 intensive 3 weeks Long Vacation 2 hr 1 hrs
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CULP The classroom environment

• 20 students
• Networked multimedia and DVD capable computers
• Audio/video players
• White boards
• OHP

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CULP The online provision

• Interactive multimedia materials designed and
  produced in-house
• Delivered online
• Accessible over broadband intra/internet
  connection

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CULP Multimedia materials key features

• Video/audio input
• Language functions (audio)
• Activities (comprehension, extension,
• manipulation production)
• Grammar notes
• Cultural notes
• Interactive self-test

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CULP Integrated-learning modelconsiderations

• Pedagogical
• Range of native-speakers production
• Authentic multimedia materials
• Flexible in time, space and pace (intrinsic
  motivation)
• Caters for a variety of learning styles, needs,
  proficiency levels

• Practical
• Classroom space
• Flexibility
• Availability of teachers
• Accessible 24/7 from anywhere
• Conducive to offering smaller languages

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CULPPedagogical aspects of the two environments

• ONLINE
• Input
• Noticing
• Comprehension
• Manipulation
• (Non)open-ended communication exercises
• CLASSROOM
• Social aspect
• Communication (role-plays ? open-ended
  communication)
• Negotiation of meaning

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CULPThe Methodology

• Communicative
• Functional-notional syllabus
• Focused on listening and speaking
• Based on the LCs approach of flexible learner
  support
• Integrative (bringing together two learning
  environments)

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Junior CULP Aims

• To offer a flexible, scalable, replicable and
  sustainable model of language provision in order
  to bridge the gap in 14 language-provision.
  This is an inclusive programme which also aims to
  help specifically those who are less motivated to
  continue studying languages at KS4.

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Junior CULP Outline

• In collaboration with the DfES (funding)
• It is an integrated, face-to-face and online
  course
• Delivered in a flexible way, according to the
  learning environments and needs of the schools
• Students having access to the online materials
  from home.

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Junior CULP
Features

• Mode of delivery
• Multimedia materials
• Methodology
• Teachers
• Language Centre premises

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Junior CULP 05/06

• 6 schools
• 7 groups
• 160 students
• 4 languages
• 2 levels
• Spanish basic - 85 st
• Italian basic - 25 st
• French / German intermediate - 50 st
• ASSET online/paper-based tests (4 skills)

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Junior CULP Emphasis flexible course delivery

• Days at the LC
• In the school
• whole days
• twilight sessions
• Work online from home
• To suite requirements of the specific schools

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Junior CULP Timetable

School F2F hrs Online hrs Total hrs
Comberton VC 75 35 110
Impington VC 48 24 72
Hinchinbrooke Sch 58 30 88
Netherhall Sch. 50 50 100
St Ivo Sch. 72 35 107
St Peters Sch. 58 30 88
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Junior CULP

• The European Award for Languages recognises
  creative ways to improve the quality of language
  teaching, motivate students and make the best of
  available resources

• Spanish Embassy Language Prize
• for the best project involving Spanish

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Junior CULP06/07

• Junior CULP entered the realm of real life
• The Language Centre continues to provide the
  facilities and access to the online materials as
  well as their teachers (or providing teacher
  training for local staff)
• Schools bear the cost of the teaching and
  transportation

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Junior CULP
06/07

• 5 schools
• 160 students
• French, German, Spanish and Mandarin
• Hub centre in the north-east

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Junior CULPDissemination

• The Dearing Interim Report mentions Junior CULP 4
  times and presents it on 1 whole page
• Emphasizes the need for FLEXIBILITY
• Time, space and pace
• Languages
• Assessment - ASSETT 4 skills, whenever ready
• 4,000 copies of the Junior CULP DVD

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• French for Medics

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French for Medics

• Context
• Format
• Assessment
• Aims
• Material
• Students progress

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French for Medics Context

• Part of a choice of Student Selected Components
  (SSC) by the Cambridge School of Clinical
  Medicine
• Over a period of 5 weeks immediately after the
  Easter break
• Full-credit marks are part of their overall year
  results
• Only course students do over this 5 weeks period

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French for Medics Aims

• To understand French used in everyday situations
  and interact appropriately.
• To be introduced to the French used in medical
  situations and be operational in these.
• To be able to use basic descriptive and narrative
  language, and the language of opinions.
• Gaining a greater understanding of French society
  culture, especially in a medical context

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French for Medics Format

• Maximum of 20 students
• GCSE grade A/A or B required to enrol.
• Intensive and integrated
• 30hrs face to face (7-8 hours a week over 4
  weeks)
• 30 hours of study online.
• The F2F sessions are organised in two types
• input sessions of 3 hrs with whole group
  (language presentations, grammar) - 20 hrs
• output sessions (2hrs) in a group of 8-10
  students role-play, debate, short presentations
  - 10 hrs

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French for Medics Assessment

• Group Oral Presentation
• Individual marks) of
• 30mn on an
• agreed topic, done in
• week 5

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French for Medics Material

• French at Your Fingertips (F_at_YF)
• Other interactive, health/medicine specific
• Le don du sang
• Médecins sans frontières

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French for Medics Students progress

• Faster than in the other CULP programmes
• In both the weekly (4 months ) CULP course and
  the Summer CULP (3 weeks intensive) students are
  still pursuing their main studies, or work,
  besides the course
• Here students have 5 weeks devoted to language
  study
• Delivery in French in such an intensive course,
  students use this opportunity more immediately
  and fluency progresses faster
• The progress was particularly audible in the
  questions put by the students to the French
  doctor in week 4, and in their Oral Presentations

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• Project Serbia

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Project SerbiaContext of the country

• Country in transition
• 8 million people
• Post-industrial era
• Restructuring economy
• European integrations
• Gearing up for knowledge economy
• 10 years of isolation

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Project SerbiaHE context

• Vital role of foreign language education
• Graduates need to speak English another
  language
• Ministry of Education
• 3 major universities Belgrade, Novi sad and Niš
• Total students 120,000
• All need English (to begin with)
• Classes - 100 students
• Drop-out rate 80

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Project SerbiaHE context

• Language teachers teach average 9 hrs per week
• Faculty of Law at Belgrade
• 5,000 students
• 1 full-time language teacher
• Teachers professionally isolated for a number of
  years
• Very few native-speakers
• Educational materials outdated
• Model for other countries in region

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Project SerbiaThe Model

• Implement Cambridge University Language Centre
  multimedia materials
• Offer integrated-learning courses for some
  20,000 students a year in the HE sector (first
  year)
• Accessible
• Broadband Internet connection
• Open-learning centres
• Integrated-learning teacher training programme
• Technical personnel training programme

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Project SerbiaEconomy and politics

• Implementation to coincide with
• Liberalisation of Internet provision market
• Mass introduction of broadband connections
• Synergy between educational and business interest
• Elections in two months

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Project SerbiaStages

• Pilot 07
• Full implementation year 1 08
• Full implementation year 2 09

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Project SerbiaPilot 07

• Belgrade University
• 1,000 students
• A full week of teacher training in situ online
  support
• 3 days of technical training online support
• Needs analyses
• 1 PhD student to carry out evaluation
• Cambridge LC to host student and 3 staff members
  over two weeks

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Project SerbiaFull implementation

• 3 universities
• 20,000 students
• Ongoing teacher training programme
• Ongoing tech staff training
• In year 3 Cambridge to deliver custom-made
  applications based on local design

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