Multimedia Lab Jones 135 Closed for the Week

Jones 135 is closed the week of September 24-28, 2018 for a critical ceiling painting project.

The closest open computer lab is Walter Library. Students are encouraged to use that space for most general lab activities. Students who require access to Language Center-specific software or services should come to Jones 110 for assistance. Jones 135B is open for scheduled classes.

We apologize for the inconvenience. When the lab reopens (hopefully on October 1!), we will provide coffee for patrons for a week.

Proficiency testing in French: Post-secondary results informing the K-16 curriculum

Thursday, September 27, 2018
1:25 - 2:15 p.m.
Jones 35

This presentation reports on a statistical analysis of data gathered at the University of Minnesota on undergraduate students of French during the Proficiency Assessment for Curricular Enhancement (PACE) project. The analysis focused on three themes:

1. The role language study prior to university has on proficiency
2. The student background for achieving “advancedness” 
3. The accuracy of students’ French proficiency self-assessment scores

Results show that language study in secondary schools play a role in advancing proficiency. The presentation will conclude with a discussion of several factors that may contribute to advancedness, and a possible avenue for improving listening proficiency. Come hear these insights and add to the discussion of French student proficiency which Brian Barnett and Sean Killackey first presented in July at the American Association of Teachers of French (AATF) convention on the island of Martinique.

Presenters: Brian Barnett and Sean Killackey, Department of French and Italian

CARLA and LC Presentation: Blended learning and online coaching

Investigating differences of instructional interventions in the self-assessment of fluency and class participation

Thursday, September 20, 2018
12:20 - 1:10 p.m.
UIC 101

This study examined the use of online coaching as a pedagogical intervention for the development of speaking skills and its connection to assessment practices. Using quantitative and qualitative data, we analyzed self-assessment ratings of oral performance and class participation of 54 Spanish learners. In addition, the study aimed to identify and explicate any differences in ratings of these categories based on pedagogical interventions, instructor’s ratings, and learners’ perceptions of the interventions. Results revealed that different technology tools triggered contrasting reactions to speaking engagement rules and approaches to task completion. Implications of the results and implementation will be discussed.

Presenters: Dr. Frances Matos and Olga Salazar Pozos, Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies; Adolfo Carrillo Cabello, Language Center

Fall semester LATIS Research Workshop Series

Liberal Arts Technologies & Innovation Services (LATIS) is offering a series of workshops during the fall semester. These workshops are created by their experts and are free and open to all faculty and graduate students. Join the LATIS Research Workshops Google Group to learn about their workshops.

This semester's topics include:

• Intro to Nvivo
• Intro to R
• Intro to Github
• Intro to ATLAS.ti
• Intro to Python
• Advanced NVivo

Learn more about the workshops online and register today.

MWALLT Conference October 13, 2018

Call for Proposals: Extended to September 15, 2018
The Midwest Association for Language Learning Technology (MWALLT) is seeking proposals for its upcoming conference, hosted partially by the University of Minnesota on October 13, 2018.

The conference will be held simultaneously on three different campuses so that presenters and attendees can gather at the site closest to them.

These campus hosts are:

• Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
• University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas

Proposals are sought for sessions on topics relating to the teaching of languages and cultures using technology.

The conference will include three different session formats:

• Presentation (30 minutes, lecture/demonstration format)
• Panel and Discussion (60 minutes)
• Lightning talks: 10-minute presentations on teaching language, culture, and(or) technology integration in specific contexts.

The presentation proposal deadline is extended to September 15, 2018. Submitting authors will be notified of their acceptance by September 17.