Introducing Carter Griffith
Meet Carter Griffith, who has worked at the Language Center since 2016. His current job title is Research Professional 2, but what does he really do? In this interview, Carter highlights major aspects of his work and shares how he can help you tackle your next project.
What skills and competencies do you bring to your current job from your educational background, positions you have previously held in the Language Center, or from work and relationships with other units at this/other institutions?
I started working at the Language Center as a Graduate Assistant while I was pursuing my MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). During that time, I also was a Graduate Instructor for the Minnesota English Language Program (MELP). After completing my graduate program in 2017, I split time between the Language Center and teaching at MELP. Since mid 2020, I have been working at the Language Center exclusively.
Gaining practical experience teaching language courses has provided me with valuable insights into how instructors may approach their pedagogical strategies in real-world settings, that is their courses. Also, personally getting to know the staff and faculty at MELP has facilitated and encouraged communication and cooperation between MELP and the Language Center.
Can you briefly describe 2-3 projects you've worked on in the past year?
I worked with a Somali language consultant, the Language Testing Program, and the African and African American Studies department to create the content of the upcoming Somali Entrance Proficiency Test (EPT). I then worked with Dan Soneson and Anna Hubbard to create the instrument in Qualtrics, an online survey platform. This is the first time Qualtrics has been used as a platform for a UMN EPT. The Somali EPT will be a valuable tool in informing incoming students which Somali language course is appropriate for them.
At the start of the Fall 2021 semester under the direction of Beth Kautz, I began coordinating the TandemPlus Course-to-Course (C2C) program. In this program, a UMN language course is paired with an English language course in another country. Students from each class meet virtually to converse and practice their respective target language with a highly proficient speaker of that language. I arrange the course partnerships, facilitate communication, both between instructors and between individual students, and work with the various departments to resolve any scheduling/communication issues that may arise.
Which parts of your current job description should ElsieTalk readers know about? Are there specific services or expertise you offer that readers could take advantage of more than they currently do?
I have been involved in data analysis my entire time at the Language Center. I am familiar with providing general, descriptive analysis of data as well as more robust, in-depth mathematical statistical analysis.
If you would like to talk about Excel, creating and/or managing a database, data visualization, or linguistics, feel free to contact me!
What is an example of a project or request that falls outside the scope of your job? To whom would you refer people with such a request?
While I coordinate the TandemPlus Class-to-Class partnerships, I am not directly involved with the TandemPlus Face-to-Face Program. Please contact Jonathan Prestrud for more information.
Is there anything else you would like readers to know about you?
Outside of work, I am an avid cyclist and have become a fairly skilled amateur bicycle mechanic over the years. If you want to talk about bicycles (local routes, what kind of bike to buy, bike shops, mechanical issues, etc.), let me know!
