Arabic Language Instruction
Abstract:
The purpose of this project is to experiment with ways of expanding our language offerings through the use of videoconferencing technology at Denison and Kenyon. We propose to use beginning Arabic language instruction as a test case. Because of the small size of our institutions and the limited number of students who are interested in languages other than French and Spanish, there has been reluctance on the part of our administrations in the past to include a wide range of languages in our curricula. This project would test the feasibility of using technology to allow us to offer a regionally critical language. The possibility of offering the Arabic language or another less commonly taught language simultaneously on both campuses through videoconferencing would give us the critical mass of students to support a greater diversity of language offerings on our campuses. This would broaden curricular options in the languages on both campuses and would help support programs in area studies that are essential for a serious group of students. The addition of language instruction, in various languages, would complement our collective expertise in these critical regions and provide greater cultural depth to the courses that we teach on the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, northern Africa, and south Asia.
Faculty participants:
Gary L. Baker, Chair Department of Modern Languages (bakerg@denison.edu
Evelyn Moore, Chair Department of Modern Languages (mooree@kenyon.edu
Marlee Meriwether (meriwether@denison.edu
Bahram Tavakolian (tavakolian@denison.edu
Vernon Schubel (schubel@kenyon.edu