An overview of the "DL for LCTLs" program of videoconferenced language classes being exchanged across the UC system, and a case for why it should be supported.

1. Sharing Language Instruction Across the UC
System: How it works and why we need it
UC 21st Century. Teaching, Learning and Technology: Past, present and
future. June 21, 2008
Annelie Rugg
Interim Director and Instructional Technology Coordinator
UCLA Center for Digital Humanities

2. Highlights
Language instruction in the UC system
Overview of “Distance Learning for LCTLs” project
Why we need to share language instruction
Going forward: System-level support and coordination

3. The closing argument
If we are looking to Improve Student Access to
Courses on and across Campuses, this program
democratizes student access to language
instruction in a cost-effective and efficient way.
BUT…
To take this program off the endangered list, it
needs UC System-wide sanction and support to
match student demand with the supply of existing
instruction.

4. Language instruction in the UC System
We can all agree that …
Great research universities offer a wide variety of languages
The UC system distinguishes itself by the breadth of languages taught
(diversity!)
Not all UC campuses will (or should) teach all these languages
Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTLs) provide the breadth, and by
definition have low enrollments. (The “thin part” of the Long Tail)
Building enrollment (= providing access to students) of LCTLs by teaching
across campuses is in the interest of all the UCs

5. Berkeley - A
Davis - B
Irvine - C
Los Angeles - D
Merced - E
Riverside - F
San Diego - G
San Francisco - H
Santa Barbara - I
Santa Cruz - J
Language instruction in the UC System
UC System-wide offerings:
A + B … + J (minus the overlap) = A LOT!
20th century Davis student can choose
from B languages …
21st century Davis student can choose
from ALL the UC languages!

6. Overview of the project:
Distance Learning for LCTLs (Less Commonly Taught
Languages)

7. Overview of the project: Distance Learning for LCTLs
Filipino (Elementary)
Czech
2qdrdsw`̃
cy`sbdc
Exvvh`svcy`sbdc5dÌhw`fdu
)xvhsdvv
Ctdw̃
CÌtvd
)xqf`Ìh`sv2qdrdsw`̃u
5xsf`Ìh`sv2qdrdsw`̃ u
1`shvg
2qdrdsw`̃
cy`sbdc
3hsshvg
2qdrdsw`̃
cy`sbdc
Fdchvgv2qdrdsw`̃ u
F``rhv2qdrdsw`̃ u
F`ghqhv6swdÌrdch`wdu
Sxqxv2qdrdsw`̃ – ii$i%u
UCLA DL LCTLs Initiative: 2002-03 – 2007-08
Number of
Courses Run low high
51 53
Total enrollments
(all courses) low high
Local 289 304
Remote 161 164
Net increase over
local-only 53.0% 56.7%

8. Growth of the program: from 2 to 6 campuses
Overview of the project: Distance Learning for LCTLs
Started in 2002-03: Danish from UCB to UCLA
2005-06: 5 languages shared across campuses
2006-07: 6 languages
2007-08: 8 languages
At least 3 additional languages (involving 2 new campuses) could
have been taught but don’t fit the focus of the centers that currently
fund the project!
2008-09 (projected): 6-7 languages (endangerment …)

9. The student experience
Overview of the project: Distance Learning for LCTLs
UCI undergraduate completed 2 years (elem adv) Finnish from
UCB, then completed immersion program in Finland
UCI undergraduate, after completing Elementary Filipino from
UCLA, awarded Fulbright-Hays Summer Advanced Filipino Abroad
fellowship in 2007
UCSD mathematics student completed 1 year of Hungarian from
UCLA, and was awarded NSF Central Europe Summer Research
Institute Fellowship (only 10-15 such fellowships awarded annually)
At least 2 UCSB students, after completing 1 or 2 years of Czech
from UCLA, motivated to pursue Czech-related graduate programs

10. Overview of the project: Distance Learning for LCTLs
The student experience
I'm excited about going to it every day and I feel so fortunate. By the way, I
love the way people react when they find out how I'm taking the course. …
This distance teaching thing is a blessing. It lets people take courses they
want and really it is not any less effective than physically being in a class. It's
great! … I recently applied for a summer language program in Finland
sponsored by the government there … — Student in Beginning and
Advanced Finnish (April 13, 2006)
I found out a few days ago that I won a NSF CESRI fellowship to do research
in mathematics in Budapest this summer! I wanted to thank you for the
enormous effort you have all put into arranging the distance learning classes in
Hungarian with UCLA. Proficiency in Hungarian will be invaluable when I go to
Budapest this summer. — Student in Beginning Hungarian (March 31, 2008)

11. Overview of the project: Distance Learning for LCTLs
The main thing that I would say is that it enables us to provide Czech to a university that supports
Czech studies in other ways (UCSB has one of the leading specialists in Czech music - …), but does
not have the resources to offer Czech language courses. … As far as teaching, … It definitely
restricts the use of visuals, which have to be large enough to be seen easily on the TV screen. I do
more detailed handouts than I would otherwise. … Overall, it takes more advance planning than a
regular course, but it's not a burden. … Managing the equipment is very easy for the instructor,
… having Mel Strom help set things up and then available to help with enrollment issues, etc., has
been essential. I wouldn't have started this at all if there weren't someone like him showing me how
to make it work. — Czech instructor at UCLA (June 18, 2008)
The instructor experience
Before teaching in DL: “too hard”, “too techie”, “have to change
how I teach”
After teaching in DL: “it’s not a burden”, “managing the
equipment is very easy”, “takes more advance planning” (but is this a
bad change?)

12. Overview of the project: Distance Learning for LCTLs
Cost to the student: $0 (part of regular fees)
Cost of instructor: $0 (part of existing faculty)
Cost of classroom: $0 (part of infrastructure)
Cost of videoconferencing equipment: $0 (part of infrastructure)
Cost of classroom support: $0 (part of existing staff)
Cost of document delivery: $0 (use of existing LMS)
Cost of coordinating the program: 0.5 FTE of staff time
Cost of adding VC capability to meet added demand: Depends
on how much access campuses want to provide
What is the cost?

13. Why we need to share language instruction

14. Why we need to share language instruction
Recognized value
Minutes of the UC Regents Committee on Educational Policy
March 15, 2006
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

15. Efficient use of existing technology and UC infrastructure
Why we need to share language instruction
Simplicity of mode. Baseline VC technology in place at all campuses;
fixed location or mobile carts; desktop VC; taps into LMS’s.
Pedagogical effectiveness. Proven instruction by proven instructors;
maintains instructor-student and student-student interaction (e.g. pair
work).
Enrollment infrastructure in place. Simultaneous enrollment means
UC system regulations guarantee system-wide acceptance of credit and
grades.
Student access to previously unavailable language courses.
Increases enrollments in LCTL courses. Therefore, less likely to be
cut, which sustains the disciplinary diversity of the Great University.

16. Going forward: System-level support and
coordination

17. Working as a system, we can:
Going forward: System-level support and coordination
Sanction the program as part of the UC landscape, rather
than as an “outsider” (UCLA) program (which it never was!)
Get the word out! Include in course listings, online
schedules
Unify around a common starting point for students and
instructors interested in participating
Demystify the process of teaching and learning language in
this mode (it’s not “hard” or “techie”)
Combine resources to grow existing VC infrastructure as
student demand grows

18. Going forward: System-level support and coordination
If we are looking to Improve Student Access to
Courses on and across Campuses, this program
democratizes student access to language
instruction in a cost-effective and efficient way.
BUT…
To take this program off the endangered list, it
needs UC System-wide sanction and support
to match student demand with the supply of
existing instruction.
In review: The closing argument.
“Come together when we should”

19. Special thanks for making the Distance Learning for LCTLs program
possible:
Mel Strom, UCLA Distance Learning Coordinator
Olga Kagan, Director, UCLA Center for World Languages
Kathryn Paul, Associate Director, UCLA Center for World Languages
Tim Tangherlini, Chair, Scandinavian Section
Don Roby and Chris Dutton, UCLA Audio/Visual Services

20. Copyright UC Regents 2008. This work is the intellectual
property of the authors. Permission is granted for this material
to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes,
provided that this copyright statement appears on the
reproduced materials and notice is given that copying is by
permission of the authors. To disseminate otherwise or to
republish requires written permission from the authors.