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Flagship Programs: Opportunities, Challenge and Innovation

Jennifer Liu, Indiana UniversityNational Chinese Language Conference

April 24, 2010

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Outline

1. Overall Flagship Goals & Requirements

2. Challenge

3. Innovation

4. Outcome

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The Language FlagshipMission Creating global professionals

Goals Superior proficiency, academic and professional excellence, transform language education in the U.S.

CertificateProgram Cross-disciplinary courses, specialized language instruction, internships, overseas capstone

Funding National Security Education Program

Languages Arabic, Chinese, Hindi/Urdu, Korean, Persian, Russian,

Central Asian/Turkic

http://www.thelanguageflagship.org/

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Graduate highly literate and articulate students with:– superior level Mandarin Chinese language proficiency

(ACTFL ILR-3).– academic and cross-cultural tools needed to

successfully navigate U.S.-China relations in the 21st century.

– diverse academic and professional degrees from their own areas of interest, geared to step into and successfully manage cross-cultural work environments.

Overarching Goals

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Changing the way Languages are taught in America

- Academic classes taught in Chinese

- Upper-intermediate to advanced Mandarin learners

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Topics

Writing

Reading

Project

ContentKnowledge• Humanities• Science• Social

Science

LanguageSkill•

Vocabulary• Structure• Genre

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The Language Flagship Capstone Year

– Study at Nanjing University, taking courses in academic discipline

– Connect with the community through volunteer and community service

– Live with a roommate/tutor from a similar academic field

– Work on a professional 4-month internship in a Chinese company

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Administrative Challenge

On campus– Manage a group of highly motivated

students from various programs and departments

– Provide long-term, systematic support which helps students complete all Flagship requirements in four or more years

– Create venues to work with on-campus colleagues to institutionalize the Flagship program

Off campus– Collaborate with colleagues from different

institutions to ensure articulated summer, overseas, capstone experience

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3

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Academic Majors (Spring 2010)

Business

East Asian Lan-guages & Cultures

Economics

Science & Pre-med

Political Science

International Studies

Near Eastern Languages & Cul-tures

Music

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Pedagogical Challenge

– Identify areas of needs for students to function well in a Chinese study and work place

– Devise instructional strategies to foster advanced-superior language skills

– Design evidence-based and authentic learning experience

– Train teachers to work with advanced students and content-based curriculum

– Address learners with diverse needs

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• Knowledge and skills

• Method• Assessment• Teacher training• Differentiated

instruction

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Administrative Innovation

– House the program in an administrative unit which can easily work with students from different programs and departments, e.g., School, honors college, etc.

– Pool resources on campus to provide language and culture enhancement, e.g., tutors, student associations, etc.

– Engage faculty members from different programs across campus, e.g. course offerings, lecture-series, letters of references

– Discuss common issues at China overseas council

– Adopt unified application process and platform for overseas study

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School of Business

School of Education

School of Public & Environmental

Affairs

College of Arts & Sciences

East Asian Languages & CulturesEast Asian Languages & Cultures

Center for Chinese Language Pedagogy

Flagship

Center for Chinese Language Pedagogy

Flagship

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Pedagogical Innovation

– Multiple and flexible entry points

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Tier 1

Achieve proficiency equivalent to fourth-year level

Tier 2

Complete two semesters of Flagship cluster courses

Tier 3

Complete a capstone year in China(1 semester at Nanjing University + internship)

Basic Curricular Requirements for Flagship Students

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Pedagogical Innovation– Multiple and flexible entry points

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Meeting Curricular Requirements: Beginning Students

Students without prior study (starting novice)

Starting summer before freshman year

Starting freshman year Starting summer after freshman year

Tier 1

Summer1st-year Chinese

(FCI)Year 1

1st-year Chinese (IU)

Year 1 --

Year 12nd-year Chinese

(IU)Summer

2nd-year Chinese (FCI)

Summer1st-year Chinese

(FCI)

Summer3rd-year Chinese

(FCI)Year 2

3rd-year Chinese (IU)

Year 22nd-year Chinese

(IU)

Year 24th-year Chinese

(IU)Summer

4th-year Chinese (China)

Summer3rd-year Chinese

(FCI)

Tier 2

Year 3Cluster Courses 1Cluster Courses 2

(IU)Year 3

Cluster Courses 1Cluster Courses 2

(IU)Year 3

4th-year Chinese+

Cluster Courses 1-2 (IU)

Tier 3

Year 4 Capstone Year Year 4 Capstone Year Year 4 Capstone Year

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Pedagogical Innovation– Multiple and flexible entry points

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Meeting Curricular Requirements: Intermediate Students

Students with prior study (starting intermediate)

Starting intermediatelow Starting intermediatemidStarting

intermediatehigh

Tier 1

Year 12nd-year

Chinese (IU)Year 1

3rd-year Chinese (IU)

Year 14th-year

Chinese (IU)Summer

3rd-year Chinese (FCI)

Summer4th-year Chinese (China)Year 2

4th-year Chinese (IU)

Tier 2

Year 3

Cluster Courses 1

Cluster Courses 2

(IU)

Year 2

Cluster Courses 1

Cluster Courses 2

(IU)

Year 2

Cluster Courses 1

Cluster Courses 2

(IU)

Tier 3

Year 4Capstone

YearYear 3

Capstone Year

Year 3Capstone

Year

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Pedagogical Innovation

– Content-based instruction– Text and performance analysis (IU)– Individualized instruction – Accelerated language study, e.g., summer

intensive program, 4th year + content– Need analysis through survey to students and

companies (BYU)– Integrated and performance-based learning, e.g.,

language practicum/community involvement– Periodic assessment with standardized testing

tools (CCALT, CATRC, STAMP, HSK, OPI)

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Pedagogical Innovation

– Content-based instruction

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Year Fall Semester Spring Semester

09-10

EALC–E 393China’s Political EconomyScott Kennedy, Associate ProfessorEast Asian Languages & Cultures

HIST–G 387Contemporary ChinaKlaus Muehlhahn, ProfessorHistory

10-11(Y1)

FOLK–F305Cultural Diversity in ChinaSue Tuohy, Senior LecturerFolklore & Ethnomusicology

CMCL–C398Transnational Chinese CinemaStephanie De Boer, Assistant ProfessorCommunication & Culture

11-12(Y2)

ANTH–E300China Through Anthropological Eyes Sara Friedman, Associate ProfessorAnthropology

EALC–E350Law and Society in Contemporary ChinaEthan Michelson, Associate ProfessorSociology

12-13(Y3)

SOC–S346Cross-Cultural Sociology: Rise of ChinaHo-Fung Hung, Assistant ProfessorSociology

REL–R368/EALC–E374/574 Introduction to Chinese ThoughtAaron Stalnaker, Associate ProfessorReligious Studies

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Program Outcome

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