Abstract
• CLCP1113 (Application of Vocabulary and Grammar I) is a beginner’s reading and writing course in Putonghua. Basic vocabulary, grammar, and both recognizing and writing in Chinese characters are required in the course.
• Our international students come from different language backgrounds and therefore have different needs. Some find Chinese grammar to be difficult, while others find Chinese characters to be an insurmountable hurdle.
• In the traditional classroom, it is exceedingly difficult for the teacher to address every individual need of every single student due to time limitations. This project aims to develop flipped classroom materials for CLCP1113 in preparation for implementing a flipped classroom model for the course. The materials will include voiceover PPTs covering content knowledge, videos on various aspects of Chinese characters, and eLearning exercises. With these resources, students with different backgrounds can study at their own pace according to their own needs, increasing the efficiency of the course.
• All students are also encouraged to learn traditional characters so they can fully appreciate Hong Kong society. As such, we aim to prepare a traditional version of all study materials in order to bolster the repertoire of available reference materials.
Brief write-up
Project objectives
The main objective was to create a set of micro-modules (MMs) following the content of the new textbook of CLCP1113 “Application of Vocabulary and Grammar I” following a flipped classroom model. The MMs include eLearning exercises, character videos, grammar videos, and a corresponding set of materials in traditional characters for those who wish to study both simplified and traditional.
Activities, process and outcomes
All eLlearning exercises and grammar videos have been completed and piloted with students taking CLCP1113 “Application of Vocabulary and Grammar I” in Spring 2022 with feedback collected. Furthermore, character slides have been prepared and a set of materials in traditional characters were also provided to interested students.
The materials undoubtedly enhanced the course, as students had multiple sets of eLlearning materials for each lesson both pre-lecture and post-lecture. Furthermore, grammar videos allowed students to review key points from the lessons and clear up some questions that they had. Students attended lecture more prepared after completing the preparation exercises, which were designed to make sure students previewed the lessons ahead of the lectures so that everyone came to class with a baseline level of understanding.
Deliverables and evaluation
The deliverables of this project are the above-mentioned materials. Evaluation includes written feedback from students.
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
This project will be presented at the upcoming CU Teaching and Learning Innovation Expo (2022) in July should we receive an invitation to do so.
Impact on teaching and learning
Students reported that the various Blackboard exercises and the voiceover PPTs helped them prepare for lecture, understand the content of each lesson better, and review what they learned in class.
