1. Foreign Languages Online:
Yes! It can work!
Bobby Hobgood, Ed.D.
Director of Research and Development in Online C & I
LEARN NC - School of Education
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
bhobgood@learnnc.org

3. Presenta(on Overview
• Describe development of an
online, foreign language course
• Take an inside look
• Discuss ar(cula(on plan
• Share data and evalua(on

4. Course features

5. Course Themes
I: Me and my immediate surroundings
II: Me and my community
III: Think globally and live locally
IV: If the world were a village…
Advanced Placement

6. Ar(cula(on Plan
2007-2008 Fall 2008 Spring Fall 2009 Spring
2009 2010
Pilot Chinese I Chinese II Chinese III Chinese IV AP
Chinese
Arabic I Arabic II
NCVPS Chinese I Chinese Chinese Arabic I
Chinese
I & II I, II, III
I, II, III, IV
The North Carolina Virtual Public School also offers
Levels I-AP in French, German, Latin and Spanish

7. Fall 2007 – Level I Pilot A
9 students in 5 public school districts

8. Spring 2008 – Level I Pilot B
• 24 students in 11 public school districts
• 1 Department of Defense high school

9. Fall 2008 – Level I & II
Level I: 45 students in 16 public districts
+ 2 independent schools
Level II: 13 students in 7 public districts

10. Spring 2009 – Levels I, II, III
Level I: 38 students in 23 public districts
+ 2 independent schools
Level II: 32 students in 12 public districts
+ 2 independent schools
Level III: 8 students in 8 public districts

11. Evalua(on Data from
Students, Instructors, & Coaches
• Speaking & Listening • Reading & Wri5ng
– Conversa(on coaches – Video scripts
– Video with audio – Audio with vocabulary
– Vocabulary and – Conversa(on coaches
assignments – Assignments and
instructor feedback
– Vocabulary lesson
• Culture
– Projects
– Authen(c resources
online

12. Student Characteris(cs
• More “talka(ve” online
• Curious, clever, hard working
• Prefer simplified characters
• 3rd or 4th language for learners
• Enjoy challenge and uniqueness of
learning Chinese