A New Model for Introductory Spanish

A New Model for Introductory SpanishUniversity of North Carolina

at Chapel Hill

Dr. Glynis Cowell, Romance Languages DepartmentDr. Hosun Kim, Romance Languages DepartmentRob Moore, Romance Languages DepartmentBob Henshaw, Information Technology ServicesErika Bagley, Psychology Department

Presentation overview

• Redesign rationale• Hybrid format description• Pilot results• Next steps• Q&A

Evolution of the UNC Spanish Language Learning Environment

• Work Study Students

• ROML

Reallocation of funding

• Construction• New

Technology

Renovation of Infrastructure • Better Signage

• New Website• New names

FLRC Redesign

Reallocation of Funding• Work study students were used to handle

FLRC staffing and Spanish drop-in tutoring hours– Allowed for expansion of services and cost savings

Pre-renovation:• Underutilized spaces

– Computer lab with 20 computers– Poor lighting

• Static room configurations– Ethernet connections

Renovation of Infrastructure

Wireless access points were added and both of the projectors can be connected to wirelessly via a tablet PC.

Renovated as a multi-purpose room, it now accommodates both the classroom instruction and peer group components of the course.

Casual furniture was added to promote community in the peer conversation groups.

Students use tablet chairs that allow for the room to be easily reconfigured for lecture or group work.

FLRC Redesign• Renamed all of the rooms in the FLRC to be more

intuitive– FLRC transitioned from Analog to Digital technology

but had not renamed rooms in years.• Changed all of the FLRC signage to make it easier

to find rooms; created a room directory• Redesigned website to make it easier to find

information

Assessment methodology• Self-selection issue

– Student demographics, learning characteristics, and placement exam scores

• Grading issues– Use of an outside grader– Common exam sections

Student perceptions of skill areas

Speaking* Reading Writing Listening* Vocabulary Grammar0

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TraditionalHybrid

Learning outcomes

Written Exam Oral Exam*50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

TraditionalHybrid

Student attitudes

Satisfaction* Frustration*0

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TraditionalHybrid

Sense of community

Traditional* Hybrid Classroom* Hybrid Small Group*0

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Classroom Sense of Community MeasureMcKinney, 2006

Cost savings• 43% reduction in cost-per-student over 20

annual sections– Fewer contact hours– Re-use of course materials

• 50% reduction in classroom utilization

Instructor’s feedback• Instructors enjoyed the hybrid course because of the flexibility.

• The greatest challenge that instructors had with the hybrid course was maintaining contact and open communication with students.

• In response to this challenge, instructors worked extra hard to establish relationships with students.

• Instructors felt that overall students who had previous study of Spanish adapted more quickly to the model and exhibited more confidence in the course.

Questions?