Changes and Innovations at the Language Center

Welcome back to the Language Center! We’ve been busy over the summer! Please note the following changes and innovations to our online and physical presence:

• We have a new website! The new site is in the standard Drupal format and features more and better organized content for students. It still contains all the frequently used pages from the old site, like the reservation request form and the room calendar. We will continue to update the site as the semester progresses and welcome your feedback. 
• There is also a new site for TandemPlus at tandemplus.umn.edu. It includes more resources for students and interactive features.
• LC Elevator is now the home for foreign language films for university language programs. Streaming content and information about films that can be checked out are now in one convenient location.
• The four Jones Hall classrooms were renovated and now include newer data projection systems. In addition, Jones 35 features new video recording and web conferencing equipment. 
• We are now supporting a pilot inter-system exchange for languages between the Twin Cities and Morris campuses.

LC Elevator: A new home for foreign language films

The Language Center and LATIS are pleased to announce that LC Elevator is now the home for foreign language films used by CLA language programs. At the newly renovated LC Elevator, you’ll find:

• Online streaming of over 1000 films
• Information about over 3000 films available for checkout
• Some instructional materials, many with supporting documents
• A small collection of authentic printed materials
• All of this in one convenient location

The Language Center is now responsible for:

• New digitization requests for foreign language films for instructional purposes
• Reservation and check out of all physical media (e.g. DVD) in the Language Center collection

Some restrictions may apply.

Foreign language streaming media that was previously found at the DCL can now be found at LC Elevator. Older DCL links will work through the academic year, but instructors are encouraged to begin replacing them with direct LC Elevator links.

The DCL is still open for business, and contains over 300,000 items, but has refocused on teaching and research collections.

The Language Center would like to thank Denne Wesolowski from the DCL for his work supporting language departments over the years, Colin McFadden from LATIS who made the migration as seamless as possible, and Rachel Cagle (formerly Faynik Marbell) who returned to the Language Center in August to prepare the collection for the new academic year.

Summer at the Language Center: We’re Open for You!

The Language Center is open for business over May and Summer Session. Our hours are more limited to reflect the decreased number of classes in session, but our professional and student staff will be here and ready to help!

Computer classrooms: Jones 10, 15, 30 and 35
Bringing your intensive summer class to a technology classroom breaks up and adds diversity to a long day for students (and instructors). It’s not necessary to create new instructional material to use in the classroom; existing lessons can easily be adapted to use technology, and we can help with this.

• Pair/Group work: The DiLL makes it easy to ensure that all students are communicating, and that pairs/groups are not always the same. You can reform pairs and groups as often as you’d like. The software can also help you to easily deploy and manage conversational tasks to promote interpersonal communication skills.
• Authentic media integration: Through the DiLL system, instructors can easily send text, audio, and video materials from files or online.
• Licensed software: The extensive list of software installed in our classrooms offers endless options for students to practice all modes of communication. For example, iMovie could be used to develop projects to practice the presentational mode.
• Assessment: Whether oral or written, our classrooms offer software that facilitate the evaluation of language production in a secure environment. For example, you can manage individual oral responses with the DiLL system, or conduct oral exchanges. 

Contact Adolfo Carrillo Cabello at carri093@umn.edu for ideas on adapting an existing lesson to include classroom technology.

Multimedia Lab: Jones 135
Over the summer the lab is open for general student use, and it’s a great location for students to work or meet up before or after class. We will also host special events or viewings upon request, including international TV programming, films, student cultural events and more.

Contact elsie@umn.edu to request an event at the Multimedia Lab.

TandemPlus
The summer Tandem program is smaller than in fall and spring, but remains vibrant. Students can register at tandem.umn.edu beginning June 12, 2017, to find a language and conversation exchange partner. In addition to a face-to-face matching program, Tandem often co-hosts cultural events for students.

Contact tandem@umn.edu to propose a student event or activity.

LC Reservation Request Form: New Waitlist Option

If the Language Center can’t fulfill your reservation request now, maybe we can later!

There is a new checkbox on the reservation request form to be put on a waitlist if the room or resource you request is not available. This waitlist will go into effect with Summer 2017 reservations, which we begin entering April 17, 2017. The checkbox is selected by default, but you can deselect it if you prefer not to be placed on a waitlist. If you are on the waitlist, and the room or other resource becomes available, it will be reserved to you automatically and you will receive an email notification.

Multimedia Lab Film Schedule

Over Spring 2017, the Language Center’s Multimedia Lab will be showing foreign-language films from the Language Center's collection on a weekly basis. Each film is packed with cultural significance and variety of genres are included. All together, the films show eventful times in their represented cultures, differing artistic styles, documentation on historical events, portrayals of times of strife and triumph, and also comedic relief!

Each week, a different film will be featured. Films are played throughout the day on repeat, and can be reset for any patron desiring to watch from start to finish. Here is a list of the films and the dates they will be played:

2/20 - 2/24 Amélie (French)
2/27 - 3/3 Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (Hindi)
3/6 - 3/10 Good Bye Lenin! (German)
3/20 - 3/24 Bab'Aziz (Arabic)
3/27 - 3/31 Kitchen Stories (Swedish)
4/3 - 4/7 Entre les Murs (French)
4/10 - 4/14 The Elephant on the Bike (Korean)
4/17 - 4/21 The Green Butchers (Danish)
4/24 - 4/28 Frauenschicksale (German)
5/1 - 5/5 Life of Oharu (Japanese)
5/8 - 5/12 The Elephant on the Bike (Korean)

Other films can be added to the schedule by request. Email Jonathan Prestrud at prest211@umn.edu to request a film.

Harry Potter, The Kite Runner, and Much More in Arabic

The Arabic program has donated a printed materials library to the Language Center for students. The authentic-language materials include books, magazines, comics and much more. There are options for beginning through advanced students. You can browse the materials in Elevator. Arabic students may come to Jones 110 to check out one item at a time for up to two weeks.

New Language Center Resources for Instructors

• The Main Office now has a wireless presenter remote available for check out. This can be used to advance presentation slides.
• The LC film database now includes a PDF attachment field for instructional materials related to the film or instructional video. As an example, see Sugar Cane Alley, which offers 50 pages of materials created by Rick Treece that are available for download by instructors or students. Instructors can add their own materials to film records by emailing a file to elsie@umn.edu or bringing the paper documents to Jones 110.

Spanish and Portuguese Language Podcast

The Department of Spanish and Portuguese Studies is excited to announce its new Spanish- and Portuguese-language podcast, Voc/zes: el podcast de la Universidad de Minnesota. Their first episode premiered on September 15, 2016.

New episodes of Voc/zes will be released on Thursdays during the 2016-17 academic school year. The podcast episodes will feature interviews (in Spanish and Portuguese) with current and former U of M students, faculty, staff and guest speakers who visit the University. In addition, the podcast will feature interviews with members of the Twin Cities’ Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking communities, including musicians, athletes, artists and community leaders. Each Voc/zes podcast will feature a Current Events Calendar promoting local events of particular interest to language learners and Spanish and Portuguese speakers.

You can access the podcast via Facebook or Twitter @umnvoces. The Podcast is hosted on Soundcloud and is available to Soundcloud users at https://soundcloud.com/user-749661530. You can also use the RSS Feed to follow Voc/zes on your favorite podcast app.

Welcome Back to the Language Center!

Welcome new and returning instructors, students and staff. If you were not around this summer, here are a few things you may have missed at the Language Center:

• New iMac computers were installed in Jones 30 and 35! 
• A new bright LED projector was installed in Jones 35, projector lamps were replaced in the other 3 classrooms
• Three new HD video camcorders and two new lightweight tripods were added to the LC checkout pool
• The Language Center AV database migrated to Elevator: Read more
• Language courses received through Courseshare moved to the Language Center: Read more
• The PACE Project has been renewed for another year: Read more
• The new CARLA Director, Kate Paesani joined us in the fall with a split appointment between CARLA (75%) and the Language Center (25%): Read more

CLA Language Center Film Library Now on Elevator

Information about the Language Center collection of over 3000 foreign language feature films and documentaries, along with instructional audio/video materials can now be found on Elevator! Developed at the University of Minnesota, Elevator, is a flexible platform for storing, organizing and displaying digital content.

To get started, use the Search Box at the top of the page to find media in the Language Center collection.

Many films have been digitized by the Digital Content Library (DCL) for instructional purposes and are available for online streaming. To find these films, look for search results that have a field named DCL link. Clicking on the media title will send you to a detailed view where you can watch the video online.

Most items may be reserved by University of Minnesota instructors and students. Restrictions may apply.

DCL: Now on Elevator

The newly updated Digital Content Library (DCL) Elevator is now online at a new address: dcl.elevator.umn.edu and ready to use. The DCL Elevator houses nearly 300,000 objects from many collections for use in teaching and research, including over 1000 foreign language films in the Language Center Collection.

Improvements include:

• Unlimited storage (at no cost to units or individuals)
• Capacity to store virtually any file (images, video, audio, 3D files, PDFs, etc.)
• Better video quality in video streams improves projection experience in classrooms
• Ability to watch videos, explore images, or manipulate 3D objects whether using a phone, a tablet, or a computer
• Searchable content in Moodle
• Customizable media drawers can be shared with individuals, groups, classes, and now people outside the University

The original DCL site will remain available for the transitional period. All existing collections have been transferred to the new site. Please note: Any new materials will be uploaded exclusively to dcl.elevator.umn.edu.

Language Center Check Out System

The Language Center has moved to a centralized system for checking out media and equipment called WebCheckout. We hope that the transition to this new system will be seamless for language instructors and students.

A couple of changes you may see include:

• When you come to check items out, Language Center staff will ask you for your email address, as this is the fastest way to find instructors and students in the system.
• If you reserve media and equipment in advance, the confirmation emails you receive will look different, and they will include no personalization.
• You may receive automatic, non-personalized emails about upcoming reservations, checkouts or when items are overdue. If you have questions about any of these emails, please forward them to elsie@umn.edu.

We ask for your patience with the main office staff as they become acclimated to this new system.

The system for reserving rooms is unchanged.

Language Center Staff Graduations

After this spring semester, six long-term Language Center employees will complete their undergraduate programs. All of them held unique positions in our department and made valuable contributions to language education at the University of Minnesota. Please join us in congratulating the following graduates, and wishing them the best in their future endeavors!

Brandon Adams, Classroom Support Assistant Lead Student, is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in English and Jewish Studies with minors in Hebrew and Religious Studies. He is currently applying for positions in libraries or education. One day he hopes to go back to school to pursue an M.A. in English, but after four years he looks forward to a break from school!

Chloe Gansen, Main Office Assistant, is graduating with a double major in Journalism and Public Health. In addition to her job at the Language Center, she is currently working in the communications department at the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, which is housed in the Academic Health Center. She will continue in that position until the summer of 2016, when she will begin a master's program in health communication here at the University of Minnesota. After graduate school, she hopes to work at a health-related organization, doing communications and developing health campaigns.

Agnes Hong, AV Tech and Classroom Support Assistant, will be graduating with a degree in Anthropology and a minor in Environmental Science. After graduation she is hoping for employment opportunities that would help her gain some experience in library work. Her current goal is to receive a master's degree in library science after working for a few years.

Abdulkarim Maalin, Testing and Somali LPE Assistant, will be graduating with a major in Biology. After graduation he hopes to find employment in the field of health care. His long terms goals are to study Public Health in graduate school and to eventually work for the CDC.

Jonathan Prestrud, TandemPlus Assistant, is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in German, Scandinavian & Dutch as well as in Linguistics, and minoring in History. After graduation he plans to use his language skills to traverse the globe and hopefully find El Dorado.

Molly Schloesser, Classroom Support Assistant, will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Family Social Science and Early Childhood Education. After graduation, she will be moving back to her hometown to work, ideally in the social services industry.

CLA Language Instructors' Communities of Practice

The PACE Professional Development Peer Team is currently discussing the creation of "communities of practice" with foreign language instructors in the College of Liberal Arts. The goal of these communities is to create miniature interest groups in an environment where educators could gather on a regular basis to share insights, reflect on their teaching pedagogy, and to create a support network across departments based on the theme of the community.

Below are a few of the "Communities of Practice" that have been proposed.

• Integrated Performance Assessments
• Technology to Support Language Learning
• Flipping the Classroom
• Pedagogical Innovations Reading Group
• Shaping Curricula Through the Use of Assessments
• Developing Advanced Proficiency

If you are interested in joining any of the Communities of Practice (or proposing other themes), please indicate your interest here. Have any questions about the Communities of Practice? Email Caroline Vang at cevang@umn.edu.

The PACE Project is funded by a grant from The Language Flagship.

Seeking Summer Student Staff!

Students: If you love languages and plan on taking classes on campus this summer, consider working at the Language Center! We currently have openings for work study student staff on three teams; please visit the websites below to learn more and apply.

• Classroom Support Assistant: z.umn.edu/lcsupport


• Multimedia Lab Attendant: z.umn.edu/lclab


• Main Office Assistant: z.umn.edu/lcoffice

Instructors: Do you know any students who love language and technology and are seeking summer work study employment? The Language Center is hiring! We have open positions for May/Summer 2015 on three teams; interested students should visit the following sites to learn more and apply:

• Classroom Support Assistant: z.umn.edu/lcsupport


• Multimedia Lab Attendant: z.umn.edu/lclab


• Main Office Assistant: z.umn.edu/lcoffice

Namaskāra* from the Multimedia Lab

The Multimedia Lab in Jones 135 offers an expanded lineup of live, multilingual internet TV shows, which now includes Hindi and Persian. Students can watch variety shows from Brazil, game shows from Sweden, or news from Korea on the wall-mounted large-screen monitor and listen through wireless headphones while relaxing on the Lab's spacious and comfortable couch or lounge chairs.

Please inform your students of this fun, authentic and relaxing language learning opportunity. The schedule is available online.

* That's "hello" in Hindi

CARLA Saturday Language Teacher Workshops: Engaging Students with Language Learning through Technology

Special professional development opportunities for Minnesota language teachers!

Engaging Students with Language Learning through Technology: Focus on the Interpretive Mode

Saturday, February 7, 2015, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Today, authentic materials of all kinds (text, audio, video, infographics, images) that can complement our textbooks are readily available online, but most of them are not constructed with language learners in mind. How do we help our students work with and understand these materials? What kinds of tasks can we create that engage our students and pave the way for them to comprehend and learn from these materials? How can technology help us do this?

We'll talk about some of the pedagogy behind engagement with texts (Interpretive Mode), and then we'll show you some of our favorite tech tools. We would also like to know what you are doing to guide students through online materials. You will have opportunities for sharing your materials as well as for creating interpretive activities in the workshop. Bring an example of an interpretive activity that you have created and some ideas for text engagement that you'd like to create.

Engaging Students with Language Learning through Technology: Focus on the Presentational Mode

Saturday, March 7, 2015, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Technology is providing a number of tools to fuel our creative energy. Most of these tools can be used for presenting ideas and concepts using the target language. What kinds of projects can students complete that demonstrate their communicative competence? Focusing on the presentational mode of communication, this workshop explores a variety of presentational options available through technology.

Audio podcasts, digital stories, posters, brochures, comics, essays, advertisements, reports, video projects - all are options for students to produce presentations. We will introduce free and inexpensive tools your students can use to create effective productions and demonstrate their presentational competence in the target language.

Bring a theme or task you might ask your students to address in creating a multimedia presentation. We will brainstorm together project options that take advantage of various creative tools.

Both workshops are appropriate for foreign language and ESL teachers at all levels and the cost is $30 per workshop. Registration for the Interpretive and Presentational workshops are online only and requires a credit card. The registration fee is non-refundable. There are two location options:

• Face-to-face: Workshop will be held in room in Jones 35. Hourly parking ($3/hour) is available nearby in the Church St. Garage.


• Virtual/synchronous: Limited spaces are available for teachers to participate using their computer at the same time as the face-to-face option. See details required for virtual participation.

Presenters for Both Workshops

• Alyssa Bonnac teaches English as a Second Language in the Minnesota English Language Program at the University of Minnesota. She has given both face-to-face and online workshops about using technology in the language classroom.


• Marlene Johnshoy is the Online Education Program director and web manager for the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition. She has given numerous workshops on many aspects of web-based language teaching and learning.


• Dan Soneson is the Director of the Language Center in the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota. He is currently the managing editor of the IALLT Journal for Language Learning Technologies, and has been a leader in language learning and technology for over 20 years.

Classroom Computers Now Printing to Multimedia Lab: Policy Update

Our current printer in the Classroom Support office is no longer working well. Given the limited use it receives, rather than replacing it, we have decided to try out a new policy and set LC classroom computers to print to the Multimedia Lab in Jones 135. We recognize that retrieving the printouts during class can be a hardship for instructors and have updated our procedures. Classroom Support staff are now available to assist instructors with the collection of printouts from Jones 135. Instructors should communicate with the staff in Jones 5 in person or by intercom. The Classroom Support staff will collect the printouts in Jones 135 and bring them to the classroom directly.

Instructors wishing to avoid this step may consider other digital tools for sharing handouts and collecting student work, such as the course Moodle site or Google Drive.

Multilingual TV in the Multimedia Lab: Now with Persian

The Multimedia Lab in Jones 135 offers multilingual TV programming. Every day, lab patrons can watch a variety of live streaming channels from around the globe on the lab's big-screen television and listen through wireless headphones.

Instructors: Be sure to tell your language students about this venue for real-time, authentic language learning.

The schedule has been updated to include Persian on Monday mornings from 7:45 - 9:30 a.m. This language is now offered through CIC Courseshare in Jones 135B, which is conveniently located inside the lab.

Congratulations to the 2014 SELPie Winners

Did you know that the Language Center employs approximately twice as many undergraduate student staff as continuing non-student staff? Our undergraduate student staff provide primary assistance to students and instructors in public areas like the Main Office and Multimedia Lab, and provide Classroom Support for our four classrooms. In addition, undergraduate students play a vital role on the following teams: Dev Studio, TandemPlus, Technical Support, Testing, Instructional (Moodle) and World Languages Day. The Language Center could not run without our dedicated and skilled undergraduate team members.

The Student Employee Leadership Program (SELP) provides an opportunity to recognize student employees who go above and beyond expectations in their work at the university through the annual SELPie awards for Outstanding Student Employees. Award winners will be honored Wednesday, April 23, 2014, 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. in McNamara Alumni Center, Memorial Hall.

The 2014 winners from the Language Center are:

• Maya Christensen: TandemPlus and Main Office Assistant


• Jonathan Prestrud: Classroom Support Assistant


• Hunter Slack: Moodle and Main Office Assistant