University Instructors Find New Ways to Share their Language

Who is in the University of Minnesota language classroom today? It’s a more diverse mix of students than ever before, and increasingly, these students are using technology to connect from all over the country. The university has long been an active participant in BTAA CourseShare, which shares language courses within the Big Ten. Last year, the Twin Cities (TC) campus, launched its first InterSystem exchange with Morris, and that has grown to include a third campus, Duluth. At the same time, instructors are including remote individual students who register outside of a formal exchange. In Fall 2019, there are at least eleven language courses shared beyond the TC campus.

The following instructors have opened up their classes to students participating in CourseShare or an InterSystem exchange or to remote individual students, or in some cases all of the above!

• Meraj Ahmed, Beginning Urdu: Despite a heavy teaching load that includes teaching two languages simultaneously, Meraj opened up his class this year to the University of Maryland and one student is joining the class remotely. 

• Joe Bendickson, Beginning and Intermediate Dakota: The majority of Joe’s students actually come from outside the TC area. His classes include one University of Iowa student, ten Morris students, and 25 remote individual students, including First Nation peoples in Canada. Demand for Dakota is so high, that for the first time, he is offering two sections of the Beginning class, one fully online. 

• Zoe Brown, Beginning and Intermediate Ojibwe: Students join the Beginning class from Ohio State University, Morris, Duluth, and remote individual students connect from everywhere. The number of in person and online students is about equal. There is one remote individual student in the Intermediate class. 

• Brendan Fairbanks, Advanced Ojibwe: Brendan includes two remote individual students in his Advanced class, and he plans to eventually make all of his classes available to community members.

• Sugyung Kim, Intermediate Korean: Sugyung agreed to teach Fatima Walji’s classes this semester, knowing that one section included four students from the University of Nebraska connecting as a group. 

• Kyle Korynta, Beginning Norwegian: A new instructor at the university, Kyle includes three Michigan State University students in his evening class. 

• Jenneke Oosterhoff, Beginning Dutch: Jenneke includes one enthusiastic remote individual student in her class. 

• Liina-Ly Roos, Beginning Swedish: Like Kyle, Liina-Ly is new to the university, and her class includes one Michigan State University student. 

• Stephen Smith, Intermediate Latin Prose: Two Morris students join the class remotely, allowing them to continue in the language, as Morris offers first-year, but not second-year Latin locally. 

Teaching online students is different than traditional classroom teaching, and these instructors dedicated time this summer to learning how to use the technology and experiencing what it’s like to be an online student themselves. Several instructors attended an intensive Classes with Remote Students summer program led by Adolfo Carrillo Cabello, and other instructors participated in the CLA Online Teaching Program summer cohort led by Ann Fandrey. 

The following staff, among others, have helped prepare these instructors over the summer and/or supported them during the first weeks of class: Adolfo Carrillo Cabello (Language Center), Ann Fandrey (LATIS), Noah Holm (Classroom Management), Jonathan Prestrud (Language Center), Diane Rackowski (Language Center), Helena Ruf (GNSD), Karen Shapiro (OIT), Dan Soneson (Language Center), Fatima Walji (AMES).

Language instructors: if you are inspired to consider teaching remote students next semester or beyond, please contact Stephanie Treat at treat002@umn.edu to discuss options.