海角论坛

June 17, 2013鈥擜s educators are incorporating more technology in the classroom, the is starting a two-year study to explore the use of online lectures and exercises in introductory survey courses.

The study, funded by a grant from the university鈥檚 , will focus on Introduction to Linguistics (LING-001). According to Associate Professor , the introductory linguistics course is the department鈥檚 largest enrolling course and serves three distinct populations at Georgetown: linguistics majors, foreign language majors, and general social science students. 鈥淚t seemed like this [course] was where we could have the most impact. But given that it is an introductory survey course, whatever we developed would have the biggest chance at general [application],鈥� said Connor-Linton, who also serves the 海角论坛鈥檚 senior associate dean for faculty and strategic planning.

Introduction to Linguistics serves approximately 225 students each year, with six or seven sections in the fall and three in the spring. The course is taught by a team of faculty and doctoral students who have completed the department鈥檚 teaching practicum. By helping to redesign the course, these doctoral students have the opportunity to investigate what future classrooms may look like. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had some really interesting conversations about what this means for the university as a physical institution, and what this means for the business model of the university,鈥� he continued.

The course will continue to meet three times a week. In addition to regularly assigned readings, students in some sections will watch two- to three-minute videos over the weekend. After each video lecture, students will complete exercises designed by department鈥檚 project team. Each exercise uses real data and leads students through a problem with 鈥渄ifferent levels of difficulty or support,鈥� Connor-Linton explained. Eventually students are able to complete problems without any extra instruction from the computer software.

As students progress through the lectures and exercises, the computer software captures the students鈥� performance over the weekend. This information won鈥檛 be used for grades but to show professors the students鈥� comprehension of the material. 鈥淥n Sunday night, the teacher can see how many clicks it took [students] to get through the exercises,鈥� he said. 鈥淥n Monday, you know what to re-teach or what went wrong.鈥� This new system will free up an entire class period each week, allowing the linguistics faculty to develop more in-class activities for the course.

The linguistics department will also have the opportunity to explore ways to apply computer software to a broad course, which includes topics that do not always have one right answer. The department will start by restructuring the course material that is more conducive to right and wrong answers and therefore more easily assessed online. The team will then take the first year to decide how this software can be used in the classroom for topics where answers depend more on strong argumentation.

The linguistics department鈥檚 project will also serve as a two-year scientific study on using these tools in the classroom. During the study, the department will collect surveys from students, compare test scores and progress, and videotape classrooms to see how interaction between the students and professors changes. With two years of data, the department hopes to distribute their findings, a redesigned course structure, and software templates to other departments at Georgetown.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not interested in technology for technology鈥檚 sake, and we鈥檙e not interested in replacing teachers and classrooms. What we鈥檙e really interested in is finding that balance between the human and the technology.鈥�
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