Abstract
The project aims at developing a self-directed learning Small Private Online Course (SPOC) for CUHK students desiring to take the first steps in Spanish asynchronously framed in KEEP Moodle learning platform. The courseware will be designed as 1 credit unit taster of the Spanish courses offered in the Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages. In particular, it invites students without prior knowledge of Spanish to explore the basic features of the Spanish language and briefly introduces them to the Hispanic world through a virtual journey. This innovative platform may potentially enhance online foreign language teaching and learning as it may be the first entirely online Spanish course offered at CUHK.
Supported by audio visual aids, students will receive intensive practice in both spoken and written Spanish through interactive multimedia tasks and online gamified exercises. Students will learn some “survival phrases” in Spanish and cover some Hispanic cultural topics. A series of mini-tasks would assist learners in acquiring and consolidating target language and cultural knowledge, and reviewing the course contents. The ultimate objective is building one appealing online tool promoting learner engagement and autonomy for acquiring new knowledge and stirring up enjoyable interest in foreign languages and cultures. The proposed design also aligns with the university strategic plan for stimulating students to learn a foreign language and ideally becoming more international.
Brief write-up
Project objectives
The present project aimed to:
• design 1 credit unit of a Spanish taster course for prospective students.
• build a self-directed learning course introducing the Spanish language and Hispanic culture.
• develop mini tasks for assisting learners in acquiring, consolidating and reviewing the course contents.
• promote learning engagement through multimedia tasks.
• foster learner autonomy and enjoyment in learning.
Activities, process and outcomes
• Surveying and identifying the students’ needs.
• Developing self-learning lesson modules and assessment tasks with rich media.
• Designing video tasks, audio-visual speech integration, and animations with the Information Technology Services Centre (ITSC).
• Piloting the courseware with students and teachers.
• Redeveloping the Small Private Online Course after usability testing.
• Moodle learning modules and assessment tool upgrading Spanish virtual teaching contents.
Deliverables and evaluation
• 4 main thematic modules covering the introduction to the target language, the Hispanic culture and one final quiz.
• Online tasks designed with interactive components embedded in Moodle (e.g.,
multiple choice, fill in the blank, jumbled sentence, audio tasks and video animations).
• Ongoing evaluations of the developed contents and pilot trial with students.
Dissemination, diffusion, impact and sharing of good practices
• Progress report meetings at a department level and in the Spanish Section.
• One online international talk and one local presentation at CUHK.
Impact on teaching and learning
• Upgrading teachers’ knowledge of H5P contents and boosting the use and the design of innovative digital materials for online teaching.
• Potentially enlarging the offering of Spanish courses with the first online course.
• Project deliverables tested with students.
• Course potential in learners’ motivation to study more Spanish.
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