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Some Contrasts Between Ancient and Modern Language eLearning Mair Lloyd [email protected] Centre for Research in Education and Education Technology Finding the Gap(s)

Finding the gaps

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Page 1: Finding the gaps

Some Contrasts Between

Ancient and Modern Language eLearning

Mair Lloyd

[email protected]

Centre for Research in Education and Education Technology

Finding the Gap(s)

Page 2: Finding the gaps

Presentation(s)

1. The Case for Change

2. Inspiration for Change (Gaps)

3. Evaluating Change

Page 3: Finding the gaps

The Case for Change

• What are we trying to achieve?

• What do students achieve?

• What do students want?

Page 4: Finding the gaps

What are we trying to achieve?

Page 5: Finding the gaps
Page 6: Finding the gaps

3.32

3.72

3.88

4.36

4.36

4.44

4.72

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

improve English grammar and vocabulary

test aptitiude and interest

translate into English

understand ancient cultures

read with fluency and appreciation

desirable linguistic competence

tools to examine texts

Average score from 12 Greek and 13 Latin Responses

Aims of ab initio courses

Page 7: Finding the gaps

Full Definitions of Aims

To give students basic tools to examine texts in the original language

To provide students with the basic level of linguistic competence desirable in a Classics graduate

To enable students to work towards reading original texts with fluency and with appreciation of the language used

To enhance students' understanding of ancient cultures which used the language

To enable students to work towards translating original texts into English

To test aptitude and interest for further study of the language

To improve students' understanding of English grammar and vocabulary

Page 8: Finding the gaps

What do we test? Number of Universities Including each Activity in Final Exam

(13 universities) Greek Latin

Grammar questions (e.g. parsing or manipulation of forms) 12 10

Unseen translation of continuous ancient language passages into English 10 12

Translation of ancient language sentences into English 7 8

Translation of English sentences into ancient language 7 9

Translation of single words or phrases from ancient language to English 6 3

Comprehension questions 5 5

Prepared translation of continuous ancient language passages into English 5 7

Translation of single words or phrases from English into ancient language 4 2

Unseen translation of continuous English passages into Ancient Greek 2 0

Other: English words from ancient language (translation) 1 1

Other: Declension; conjugation; principal parts of verbs (grammar) - 1

Other: Criticism of a passage from a prepared text. - 1

Page 9: Finding the gaps

What do students achieve?

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0% 0% 3% 4% 4%

19%

28% 33%

40%

56%

67%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Greek Failure / Withdrawal Rates (%) (11 universities – composite rate 14%)

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0% 3%

7% 7% 8% 9% 11% 12% 13% 17% 19%

50%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Latin Failure / Withdrawal Rates (%) 12 Universities – composite 11%

Page 12: Finding the gaps

What do students want?

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I would like the Open University to include more technology-based resources and activities for future modules

16 15

12

3 2

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nordisagree

Disagree Strongly disagree

Page 14: Finding the gaps

Inspiration for Change

Ancient Languages

Modern Languages

Primary Schools

Technology

Each other

Other Countries

Secondary Schools

Page 15: Finding the gaps

Ancient v Modern

• Requirements – Examine ancient texts

– Read ancient texts

– Translate ancient texts

• Context – Fixed body of written

material

– No native speakers

• Requirements – Speak – Listen – Read – Write

• Context – Expanding body of

literature in a variety of media

– Native speakers / community /culture

}

communicate

Page 16: Finding the gaps

Learning Theories Theory Learning is viewed as:

Behaviorism … conditioning … ‘stimulus-response’ …

Cognitivism

… mental processing: information comes in, is processed, and leads to certain outcomes

Constructivism … an active, contextualized process of constructing knowledge …

Page 17: Finding the gaps

Theories on the Nature of Language

Theory View of Language

Structural

… language is a system of structurally related elements for the coding of meaning …

Functional … language is a vehicle for the expression of functional meaning …

Interactional

… language as a vehicle for the realization of interpersonal relations and for the performance of social transactions between individuals ...

Richards, J. C. and Rogers, T.S. (2001, 2nd edition) Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, Kindle Edition (2006).

Page 18: Finding the gaps

SLL Theories Supporting Current Practice

Method Key Features1 Theory

Grammar-Translation Method

Students learn declensions and conjugation, paradigms

and syntax and apply that knowledge toward the

translation of Latin texts into the English language

‘It is a method for which there is no

theory’.

(Richards and Rogers, 2006)

Input (text based)

Students learn Latin by reading carefully written

stories that gradually build in complexity.

Krashen Input Hypothesis (Comprehensible Input)

1 Latinteach website (2006), How to Teach Latin http://latinteach.blogspot.co.uk/2006/11/how-to-teach-latin-over-years-study-of.html

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Theory Nature of Language

Structuralist Functional Interactional

Lear

nin

g

Behaviourist Grammar-

translation

Cognitive Grammar-

translation

Constructivist

Rouse’s Direct

Method

CSCP Reading

Social-

Constructivist

Page 20: Finding the gaps

Inspiration for Change

Ancient Languages

Modern Languages

Primary Schools

Technology

Each other

Other Countries

Secondary Schools

Page 21: Finding the gaps

Enhancing learning and teaching through the use of technology: a revised approach to HEFCE’s strategy for e-learning

Benefits may be felt at three different levels, depending on the type of intervention: • efficiency (existing processes carried out in a more cost-

effective, time-effective, sustainable or scalable manner)

• enhancement (improving existing processes and the outcomes)

• transformation (radical, positive change in existing processes or introducing new processes).

Higher Education Funding Council for England (2009)

Page 22: Finding the gaps

Communicative

Language is Interactional

Learning

is Social-Constructivist

Text-based interaction in

(or about) Latin

Language

Forums / Chat / Programmed

Avatar

Page 23: Finding the gaps

Audio-visual approach

Language is Interactional

Learning

is Constructivist

Graded video

animations in Latin

Audio / Video (with Subtitles

either in Latin or English)

Page 24: Finding the gaps

Evaluating Change

Page 25: Finding the gaps

Inspiration for Change

Ancient Languages

Modern Languages

Primary Schools

Technology

Each other

Other Countries

Secondary Schools

Page 26: Finding the gaps

[email protected]

Resources for

Evaluation

Page 27: Finding the gaps

End of Slides