Some Contrasts Between Ancient and Modern Language eLearning Mair Lloyd [email protected] Centre for Research in Education and Education Technology Finding the Gap(s)
Some Contrasts Between
Ancient and Modern Language eLearning
Mair Lloyd
Centre for Research in Education and Education Technology
Finding the Gap(s)
Presentation(s)
1. The Case for Change
2. Inspiration for Change (Gaps)
3. Evaluating Change
The Case for Change
• What are we trying to achieve?
• What do students achieve?
• What do students want?
What are we trying to achieve?
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
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
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
What do students achieve?
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%)
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%
What do students want?
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
Inspiration for Change
Ancient Languages
Modern Languages
Primary Schools
Technology
Each other
Other Countries
Secondary Schools
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
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 …
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).
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
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
Inspiration for Change
Ancient Languages
Modern Languages
Primary Schools
Technology
Each other
Other Countries
Secondary Schools
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)
Communicative
Language is Interactional
Learning
is Social-Constructivist
Text-based interaction in
(or about) Latin
Language
Forums / Chat / Programmed
Avatar
Audio-visual approach
Language is Interactional
Learning
is Constructivist
Graded video
animations in Latin
Audio / Video (with Subtitles
either in Latin or English)
Evaluating Change
Inspiration for Change
Ancient Languages
Modern Languages
Primary Schools
Technology
Each other
Other Countries
Secondary Schools
End of Slides