Redesigning a writing intensive course: An active learning approach using technology-enabled strategies

Presenter
Rosa Jung-Hwa Hong
Role
Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, UTM Department of Language Studies Primary tabs View(active tab)Edit
Time
Location
This meeting can only be attended online as a webinar (there will be no in-person meeting). We will be using Blackboard Collaborate for this session, and the link will be sent out to those who RSVP.
Summary

Part of the U. of T. Roundtable Series for Online Teaching and Learning

Recent curriculum redesign efforts to update French as a second language courses renewed a decades-old business French writing course. FSL466 Advanced French: Language of Business has been transformed into a unique project-based course aiming to develop writing skills in French while building students’ competencies applicable in authentic business contexts. Students have opportunities to acquire and improve writing skills that they can immediately apply in their current or future professional career. Course projects are not only designed to simulate a real job search process (e.g. job fair visit, job offer analysis, resume and cover letter writing, job interview preparation, professional correspondence, networking skills, etc.) but also scaffolded to match and achieve more complex learning outcomes encompassing metalinguistic, academic, and transferable skills related to analytical reading, team work, problem solving, public speech, self-assessment, and peer-evaluation. An online collaborative writing project using a Wiki tool on the course Blackboard site is a part of activities that take place over 10 weeks. Incorporating educative assessment concepts (Fink, 2003; Wiggins, 1998) to also update evaluation methodology as a learning tool, the course project and its activities aspire to assess, in a progressive manner, students’ written production in business French, oral communication skills, and ability to evaluate their own learning (critical reflection). The presentation will demonstrate analysis of student survey results and feedback on learning outcomes as well as discuss ways to apply similar ideas in other courses.  
 
To RSVP:
If you are planning to attend please send a confirmation email todon.boyes@utoronto.ca. The link needed to attend online will be sent to those who RSVP. Please note that this session will be recorded and a link to the recording will be sent out to the list afterwards.
 
About the Roundtable Series:
These are informal events open to everyone in the U of T community, whether they are already using online teaching methods or are just interested in learning more about them. The objectives of the series are to foster a community of practice that includes all aspects of online teaching and learning (including flipped and hybrid approaches), and to promote professional development through regular meetings both online and in person. For more information about the Online Teaching and Learning Community, please go to http://onlinelearning.utoronto.ca/community/.
 
Online Learning Listserv:
To subscribe to the U of T online teaching and learning listserv, send an email to listserv@listserv.utoronto.ca and, in the text of your message, write: subscribe onlinelearning-l.