TEMPUS project "Reforming Foreign Language Studies in Serbia", Working visit to University of Southampton

1. Bridging the Gap between
School and University: ‘Get
Ready for Languages’
Kirsten Söntgens
International Blended Learning Conference 16th June 2011

2. Overview of ‘Get Ready for Languages’
● Context
● Pre-arrival on-line learning tool
● Design and delivery
● Evaluating impact
● After arrival
● What next?

3. Context: ‘Get Ready for Languages’
● The ‘transition’ agenda and the perceived need
for learner training/study skills for new students
● Blended approach: Existing integrated course for
first years
● Funding and development of pre-arrival
resources on Bb
● Greater ‘perceived’ input in the light of increased
fees??

4. Bb: ‘Get Ready for Languages’ :
● Intro to Undergraduate life and study of ML
● Inform, motivate and reassure incoming ML
students shortly before arrival
● Interactive orientation resources:
Talking heads of current/ex students, staff
Academic and language skills activities
2nd year students as mentor

7. Respondents and use of GRfL
● •Confirmed incoming 2010-2011 students were informed of GRfL:
○ –in an email from Admissions Office in late August 2010
○ –on ML Induction website in September 2010
● •Online survey (Survey Monkey) made available to Year 1 students Semester
1, Week 4 via Stages 1-4 Blackboards
● •Total responses (n) = 46 out of 173
● •65.3% responded that they accessed GRfL on Blackboard and/or Facebook
before coming to Southampton, with 10.9% accessing exclusively through
Facebook
● •The majority of non-users quoted unawareness of GRfL’s existence as the
main reason for not having accessed it
● •GRfL helped students get an idea of what to expect, and provided them with
answers they had difficulty finding in other places

8. eMentors
● •Only four of the respondents reported contact with
eMentors pre-arrival
● •Three of these gave further information on their
eMentoring experience, and described their mentors as
‘helpful’, ‘effective’, ‘kind’ and as giving good advice.
● •Most other students did not see the point of such
contact (17 students), or were not aware that this choice
was open to them (11 students)

9. Feedback and suggested improvements 1.
Blackboard Facebook
● •Overall positive about choice of ● •Students did not think the
content affordances of social networking and
● •Videos particularly well received timely updates were exploited well
● •‘Home’ page too information rich enough.
● •‘Social’ page was popular, but more ● •Not very informative, lacking in
information sought purpose and seen as a signpost to
● •Degree option pages were very Blackboard
popular, but also needed more ● •Students who did engage found it
information ‘nice to meet other students before
arriving in Southampton’

10. Feedback and suggested improvements 2.
● Earlier access
● • More in-depth course outlines/module
information/reading lists
● • More details about Modern Languages
● • More contact with existing students
● • Address expectations for independent study/how to
close the gap from A levels to HE
● • Helpful hints for language study

11. After arrival
● The School of Humanities Induction website http://www.
soton.ac.uk/humanitiesinduction/
● Modern Languages Undergraduate Handbook
● Induction week:tours and talksIntroduction to Study
Skills for Language Learning
● Integrated language skills course for first years
● GerSoc: Buddy scheme

13. The way forward
● •Improve access to GRfL blackboard
● •Exploit further the opportunities for dialogue (e.g. eMentors,
Facebook, GerSoc’s buddy scheme)
● •Use GRfL blackboard at taster, open days etc. to increase
visibility of languages at Southampton
For further information contact ks5@soton.ac.uk