Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and

Triumphs Catherine Clements, CLA Language Center, and

Ginny Steinhagen, German, Scandinavian, and Dutch Department

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

What is “telecollaboration”?

  Also called class-to-class exchanges, conversation partners, pen pals, key pals …

  Conversation partners in different countries who are learning each other’s native languages

  Exchanges done as part of coursework in a language class

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Long before the exchanges

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Start Early

  Start early. Really early.   1 semester ahead of time ideally   Work your contacts to find complementary classes

  Instructors you know in other counties

  Resources at your university (TandemPlus)

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Equal second-language level

  Make sure students in both countries have the same level of second-language skills, when possible.   Classes don't have to be at same level of L2, but the closer

they are, the more equal the exchange will be.   If not, conversation will tend to be dominated by the Ss

with the higher level of L2.   L2 doesn't matter as much as age. Try not to pair university

students with high school classes; pair with university-age peers.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Equal pay for equal work

  Make sure both groups are doing the exchanges for the same reason

  Either all voluntary or all for extra credit or all for a grade

  If this can't happen, get the next best thing   Sometimes European students In honors programs will be

super motivated, or these planning to come to the USA later — consider them as matches.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Embrace diversity

  Embrace (schedule) diversity, especially with Europe   Work toward 3-7 well-supported exchanges, not 15 hurried

exchanges   You don’t want or need to do exchanges all semester

anyway

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Write exchanges into the syllabus

  When school has been found and partnership established, write exchanges into syllabus, and present them as mandatory.   Failure (to comply) is not an option.   Emphasize that students who drop out will get a bad grade,

AND are letting down their partners.   Conversely, point out that a good collaboration will open

doors across the world.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Shortly before the exchanges

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Pairing students

  Consider multiple types of partnerships   Instead of 1-on-1, try 2 on 2.   Or whatever works for #s of students in both classes.

  Leave options if a partner doesn’t show up, for whatever reason

  Also consider pairing based on students’ availability

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Leave details to the students…

  Let students figure out the technical details   How and when to meet, what platform (Skype, Google

Hangout, etc)

  They should meet outside of class, especially in exchanges with countries with a big time difference.     If students aren’t linguistically able to do this, provide

model emails for negotiating details

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

… but you provide content

  Instructors provide the content of what to talk about.   Provide topics, themes, and beaucoup scaffolding   Give lists of questions, especially at first.   Tandem has materials in French/German/Spanish/English

  Tie content in with themes from your textbook, or larger themes   Telecollaboration makes it possible to ditch your textbook

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Work toward synchronicity

  Work toward synchronous exchanges, but consider starting with asynchronous exchanges, especially in low-level classes.   Synchronous exchanges are challenging   Start with self-introduction -- Flipgrid or VoiceThread

(asynchronous), work towards real-time meetings (Skype, Google Hangout)

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

During/After the exchanges

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Don’t assess everything

  Make sure exchanges get done — ask questions it's hard to lie about; insist on details   You don't have to listen to 50 recordings!

  Have students report what they learned. It should be obvious if they did not actually do the exchanges.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Follow the AIR model

  Follow Colleen Coffey’s AIR model   Activation, Interaction, Reflection

  When exchanges are done, use them as a springboard for further reflection and discussion amongst the class   What did you learn?   How did it compare to what you thought you’d learn, or

what you’d learned in the textbook?   How was your classmates’ experience similar/different to

yours?

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Stay in touch with partner instructor

  Talk often. Communicate.

  Let them know ASAP about deadbeat students (and success stories)

  Success hinges on your relationship with the other teacher!

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Stay with it

  The exchanges improve every semester   The 1st semester can be challenging

  Keep with it and prepare for great stories from your students

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Colleen  Coffey’s  template:  

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Arsena  Ianeva-­‐Lockney’s  template  

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

Clements, C. & Steinhagen, G. (2014, February 11). "Telecollaboration: Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs." CARLA Presentation made at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.