The Convergence of Last and First-Mile: Practicum Curriculum Redesign for Language Majors

Abstract

This on-going research intends to explore how Flipped Learning (FL) can be applied to a practicum course design for tertiary-level language programs in Taiwan. Foreign language/literature programs in colleges and their students' employability are under severe scrutiny and face social criticism. This study incorporates FL framework in an innovative practicum course titled Workshops of Bilingual Digital Publications, with the intention to increase language majors career choices and employability. The instructional design is composed of Guided Exploration (for market research), Flip, and Apply three stages, and features the collaboration with field practitioners in learning modules for quality publication products. The FL task design and its induced learning effects in the practicum are investigated from students', the instructors, and field practitioners views. Sub-inquiries reveal students' likes and dislikes, instructors reflection, field practitioners' involvement and outlook, students' progress in professional discourse, FL, career decisions and self-efficacy, as well as their understanding of product marketability. The data collection instruments include 1) students' needs assessment results; 2) students' exit survey responses; 3) video-taped classroom meetings and observation notes; 4) students' online discussion archives; 5) students' and the experts' product rubrics and work evaluations; and 6) individual and focus-group interviews with the participants. Mixed-method data analysis techniques are used. The findings of this research contribute to the field in two ways. The FL approach prescribed to practicum facilitates curricular re-design. Moreover, the FL design and execution in a scholar-practitioner co-teaching model elevates the informational openness and professionalism in the quest for interdisciplinary knowledge and skills.



Author Information
Wen-Chun Chen, National Chung-Cheng University, Taiwan

Paper Information
Conference: ACLL2016
Stream: Language education

This paper is part of the ACLL2016 Conference Proceedings (View)
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Posted by James Alexander Gordon