SITE 2006
Enriching Online Syllabi for French Courses at the Click of a
Mouse
Nathan L. Love
Western Kentucky University
(updated 12-30-11)
Engaging Students of French
• Centrality of the online syllabus
• Convergence of presentation, practice,
assignments, assessments
• Convergence of French texts, sound, visual
elements of culture
• Online syllabus as dynamic
• Online syllabus engaging through interactivity
• Online syllabus extending beyond itself,
opening outward
Communicating with Students
• Does dynamic online syllabus leads to
communication?
• Case of French Composition & Grammar
Engaging Students of French
• Centrality of the online syllabus
• Convergence of presentation, practice,
assignments, assessments
• Convergence of French texts, sound, visual
elements of culture
• Online syllabus as dynamic
• Online syllabus engaging through interactivity
• Online syllabus extending beyond itself,
opening outward
Engaging Students of French
• Centrality of the online syllabus
• Handouts, PowerPoints, Worksheets, & Links
• F102 Elementary French II
• F325 Survey I French Literature
Although there are separate pages for handouts, PowerPoints, Worksheets and Web links,
rather than advising the class to visit one of the separate pages, the relevant documents
are linked from within the syllabus.
Engaging Students of French
• Centrality of the online syllabus
• Convergence of presentation, practice,
assignments, assessments
• Convergence of French texts, sound, visual
elements of culture
• Online syllabus as dynamic
• Online syllabus engaging through interactivity
• Online syllabus extending beyond itself,
opening outward
Engaging Students of French
• Convergence of …
• Presentation, (F102 Elem French II : IPA)
• practice, (F202 Intermed Fren II : subjunctive
for 2-1-06)
• assignments, (F328 Pronunciation : assigned
for 9-8-05)
• assessments (F426 Fren lit 20th
final exam)
Whether presentation, practice exercise, assignments, quiz or exam,
all are brought together at specific junctures on the syllabus. Frequent recourse
to the syllabus as a focal point has benefits.
Engaging Students of French
• Centrality of the online syllabus
• Convergence of presentation, practice,
assignments, assessments
• Convergence of French texts, sound, visual
elements of culture
• Online syllabus as dynamic
• Online syllabus engaging through interactivity
• Online syllabus extending beyond itself,
opening outward
Engaging Students of French
• Convergence of French …
• texts, (F314 Intro Fren Lit: Victor Hugo)
• sound, (F328 Pronunciation: poem)
• visual elements of culture (F102 Elem
French II : rôti de veau)(French literature
courses and overview of French literature)
Engaging Students of French
• Centrality of the online syllabus
• Convergence of presentation, practice,
assignments, assessments
• Convergence of French texts, sound, visual
elements of culture
• Online syllabus as dynamic
• Online syllabus engaging through interactivity
• Online syllabus extending beyond itself,
opening outward
Engaging Students of French
• Online syllabus as dynamic
• Assignments added as we go
• Nested help (F420 Composition) & activities w/in
assignments (F202 Intermediate Fren II)
• Format of approaching exams or quizzes (F426 Lit
20th)
• Main syllabus entries for class w/ links to
handouts (e.g. Descartes F426) & activities; F331
Business French Worksheet w/ sound
• Posting feedback on quizzes; F102 Elem French II
(dictée)
• Posting grades (F102 Elem French II )
Engaging Students of French
• Centrality of the online syllabus
• Convergence of presentation, practice,
assignments, assessments
• Convergence of French texts, sound,
visual elements of culture
• Online syllabus as dynamic
• Online syllabus engaging through
interactivity
• Online syllabus extending beyond itself,
opening outward
Engaging Students of French
• Online syllabus engaging through
interactivity
• PowerPoint w/ video & follow-up questions
(F101 Motifs video)
• PowerPoint w/ activity & elements of
multimedia (F101 Motifs & vocab. of clothing)
• Links to Internet (F102 & vêtements)
• Quiz in HTML (F202 & Subjonctif)
• PowerPoint for Lit course (F325 versification)
Engaging Students of French
• Centrality of the online syllabus
• Convergence of presentation, practice,
assignments, assessments
• Convergence of French texts, sound,
visual elements of culture
• Online syllabus as dynamic
• Online syllabus engaging through
interactivity
• Online syllabus as extending beyond itself,
opening outward
Engaging Students of French
• Online syllabus as extending beyond
itself, opening outward
• Interactive exercises on Internet: F102 Elem
French II (passé composé ~ imparfait)
• Seeing larger corpus of author: F314 Intro Fren
Lit (Villon)
• French historical sites as extensions of
illustrations in readings: F323 Civ & Cult (1st day)
• Listening practice: F201 Intermed Fren II w/ the
BBC
Communicating with Students
• Does dynamic online syllabus
leads to communication?
• The path of communication within the
syllabus is often unilateral, from teacher to
student only.
Communicating with Students
• Case of French Composition (F420):
Grammar and reciprocal
communication
• Students submit compositions via email &
receive feedback via email
• Students view work of all; common
problems addressed with computer
projection in classroom
• Students then resubmit
Brainstorming with You & Looking Ahead
• More to be done with
asynchronous & synchronous
communication
• Other ideas ?