Course Development and Teaching Hardware Request

Grant:

Lecturers' Professional Development Fund (LPDF)

Academic Year:

2016 - 2017 (June 1, 2016 through May 31, 2017)

Funding Requested:

$1,928.00

Project Dates:

Sun, 11/20/2016 - Wed, 12/20/2017

Applicant(s):

scoll

Overview of the Project:

As a Spanish Lecturer II and only Catalan instructor in the Romance Languages Department, I am developing a Catalan language program with the department to expand the Catalan language offerings next year. In addition, for my current Catalan class I am in conversations with a fellow colleague in Catalonia to start a project that engages my students with her students. In addition, I want to work in establishing links with Catalonia for the new classes that will be taught in the Romance Language Department next year. Furthermore, I am about to start conversations with CGIS for a possible Global Course Connections Program in Catalonia as an off-campus field experience for our current students of Catalan. Next Fall, I will also be teaching the Internship class in Spanish for students who are conducting an internship in a Spanish speaking country. All of the projects in which I am involved require the use of technology and the research for newer and better programs that can efficiently help manage and produce the best results. Due to all of the endeavors in which I participate, I need a strong and reliable laptop computer which I currently do not have. Unfortunately, I do not receive any type of funding from my department to purchase a laptop that helps me with the many activities in which I am involved. I cannot express in words the great utility that I will give to a strong and reliable computer.

Final Report Fields

Project Objectives:

Development of a Catalan language program with the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures to expand the Catalan language offerings in 2017. In addition, establish conversations with a few colleagues in Catalonia to start a project that engages my students with my colleague’s students. Also working in establishing links with Catalonia for the new classes that will be taught in the Romance Languages Department starting Fall 2017. Another upcoming project is the ongoing conversations with CGIS for a possible Global Course Connections Program in Catalonia as an off-campus field experience four our current students of Catalan starting Spring 2019. Furthermore, to help teaching the Spanish internship class during Fall 2017 which has an online writing component (started in Spring 2017). All the projects in which I am involved require the use of technology and the research for newer and better programs that can efficiently help manage and produce the best results.

Project Achievements:

In late Fall 2016, the Catalan program was accepted by the LSA Curriculum Committee and the LSA Executive Committee. The single class that has been taught from 2012 to 2016 was replaced by a 3-course sequence with a new Catalan subject effective in Fall 2017. The 3 new courses are: Catalan/Spanish 291: Introduction to Catalan language and culture Catalan/Spanish 330: Advanced Catalan language, culture and society Catalan/Spanish 441: Topics in Catalan literature and culture Currently, Fall semester 2017, there are 2 sections of Catalan 291 being taught and one section of Catalan 441. In addition, I am in contact with a Catalan professor in a high school in Lloret de Mar. She is working with her students to put together a blog about Catalan culture and we are going to collaborate with a few activities addressed to both of our students. This project collaboration will continue in Winter semester with the students that take Catalan/Spanish 330. Her students take an annual class so they will be continuing with the project as well. Since Catalan/Spanish 330 is expected to be taken by some Catalan/Spanish 291 students, it will be easy to continue the collaboration. Another project that is being planned is a Global Course Connections Program (GCC) in Catalonia. The proposal was originally presented and accepted in Winter 2017. We are currently working to put together the project that is planned to take place in June 2019. This Global Course Connection will be a continuation of Catalan/Spanish 291 and Catalan/Spanish 330 and will let students earn 2 more credits abroad. For Spanish 299/428, Spanish Internship class, I conducted a blog called Spanish Internship 299/428. Since April to August students wrote on a weekly basis about their experiences in Perú, Ecuador, Argentina and Spain. This is the link to the blog: spanishinternship2017.wordpress.com

Continuation:

The majority of the projects that are going to continue are regarding the Catalan program. In Winter 2018 a new Catalan class will be taught, Catalan/Spanish 330. The class is a continuation of Catalan/Spanish 291. In addition, a new Catalan/Spanish 441 topic will be taught by another professor at the Romance Languages Department. In addition, the Global Course Connection planned for June 2019 will start as a 3-week program. The goal is to establish this program on a year basis and expand it if the reception of it is good.

Dissemination:

All the projects that I have undertaken are going to continue in the years to follow. The Catalan sequence is the project that is the most innovative in many different ways as we have changed the offerings from 1 to 3 course numbers, we have created a new course name (Catalan), we are cross-listing the course with Spanish, we are creating links with other students in Catalonia, and we are projecting to take students abroad as part of the current classes being taught here. All the projects that I have been part of have contributed to my professional development as they have allowed me to develop new curriculum for new classes. This is benefiting students in many different ways.

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