Kylie Hsu California State University, Los Angeles MERLOT International Conference Costa Mesa, California August 3-6, 2004 Chinese Language and Culture Learning Module

Introduction Information/instructional technology Online language-learning materials on the web Interactive and upgradeable

Chinese Learning Module Web-based Chinese learning module Pedagogical and technical issues Cultural elements, e.g., kinship terms Festivals and celebrations

Chinese New Year Lantern festival Authentic materials Meaningful cultural context

Target learners Traditional vs. simplified characters Feedback to learners Pedagogical Issues

Increase students’ language proficiency Review and reinforce the materials learned Acquire culture through language Learning Objectives

Conducive to learning Computer literacy level User-friendly website Technical Issues

Clear instruction Table of contents Legible texts Easy navigation Functional links User-Friendly Features

Four types of exercises Multiple choice questions Online feedback ImplementationImplementation

Main Page

Section A

Section B

Section C True or False

Section D

Feedback Positive comments for correct answers Confirms and reinforces Friendly corrections for incorrect answers Review or learn new material

Assessment Impact on student learning outcome MERLOT peer review criteria Student evaluation

Student Comments Variety of questions Pictures and backgrounds Useful feedback Easy navigation Clear instruction

Recommendations More pictures and exercises Include pinyin and audio Short vs. long answer feedback

Conclusions Cultural approach Pedagogical and technical issues Four types of exercises with feedback Peer review criteria and student evaluation Comparable textbooks and proficiency Quick/effective way to improve language skills