This document summarizes the results of a survey conducted by the Council of University Classics Departments on the teaching of ancient languages in UK universities. The survey found that the most commonly used textbooks for Latin were Jones & Sidwell's Reading Latin and Wheelock's Latin, while for Greek it was JACT Reading Greek and Balme & Lawall's Athenaze. Technology use varied but included drill/testing apps, flashcards, and texts with links for morphology. Benefits included improved student autonomy, feedback, and memory work, though weaknesses like student reluctance and time-consuming development were also noted. Issues around pedagogy, technical problems, and instructor confidence with technology were discussed.

1. eLearning for Ancient Languages
in
UK Universities
Dr James Robson
Mair Lloyd @MairLloyd
#CA14

2. The Council of University Classics Departments
Ab initio Ancient Languages Survey
1994/5
– Results available on CUCD website
http://www.rhul.ac.uk/classics/cucd/questionnaire.html
– 20 returns for Latin, 27 for Greek
2013/14
– Interim Report
– 25 of 27 returns for Latin, 22 of 27 for Greek
– 10 people completed 2 surveys

3. Text Books – Latin
(one department used 2 books)
Jones & Sidwell, Reading Latin 9
Randall & Cairns, Learning Latin 3
Betts, Teach Yourself Latin 2
Wheelock, Latin: An Introductory Course 2
Cambridge Latin Grammar 2
Kennedy's Latin Primer 1
Harper Collins College Outlines 1
No Textbook/Own Materials 3
1994/95

4. Text Books –Latin
(5 universities use more than 1 book)
Interim Result CUCD Survey 2014
Jones& Sidwell, Reading Latin 10
Wheelock's Latin 8
Oulton, So you really want to learn Latin 2
Keller & Russel, Learn to Read Latin 2
Betts, Teach Yourself Latin 1
Colbourne, Latin Sentence and Idiom 1
Cambridge Latin Course 1
Goldman & Nyenhuis, Latin via Ovid 1
In house course 1
Moreland & Fleischer, Latin: An Intensive Course 1
Oxford Latin Course 1
Powell, Veni, Vidi, Vince 1
Shelmerdine, Introduction to Latin 1
Wiley, Real Latin 1
2013/14

5. Text Books – Greek
(no university had more than one textbook)
JACT, Reading Greek 13
Balme & Lawall, Athenaze 4.5
Wilding, Greek for Beginners 2
Mastronarde, Introduction to Attic Greek 2
Beetham, An Introduction to New Testament Greek 2
Abbott & Mansfield, Primer of Greek Grammar 1
Betts & Henry, Teach Yourself Ancient Greek 1
Nairn & Nairn, Greek Through Reading 1
Randall, Learning Ancient Greek (beta-testing version) 1
Usher, An Outline of Greek Accidence 1
North & Hillard, Greek Prose Composition 1
Paine, Beginning Greek 1
own materials 1
1994/95

6. Text Books – Greek
(5 university had more than one textbook)
2013/14
Interim Result CUCD Survey 2014
JACT Reading Greek 9
Balme & Lawall, Athenaze 7
Mastronarde, Introduction to Attic Greek 3
Taylor, Greek to GCSE 3
Wilding, Greek for Beginners 2
Abbott and Mansfield, Primer 1
Betts & Henry, Complete Ancient Greek:Teach Yourself 1
In-house Language Study Guide 1
In-house Language Reference Book 1
Parasinou & Shipley, Hellenizein 1

7. Technology and Text Books
• the use of external material depends on what textbook
you use
• Wheelock has very good support on line
• Mastronarde [has] online tool[s] (practice without
book to hand, e.g. on bus)
• [Powell, Veni, Vidi, Vince] multiple offline formats for
all tablet and e-reader platforms, exercises also in self-
marking versions online, (but not published)
• Wiley's Real Latin [has] various online Latin word
games
• I encourage students to use some apps, but I'm not
aware of any linked to our textbooks

8. … the use of technology for ancient languages teaching is
actively embraced by colleagues …
Totals: Latin 25, Greek 22
3 3
10
8
11
2
11
3
5
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Not really Only by a
minority
Levels of
engagement
vary
Yes for the
most part
Yes
Latin
Greek
Interim Result CUCD Survey 2014

9. Computer or mobile device-based:
Greek
(22)
Latin
(25)
drill / testing 15 17
flashcards for vocabulary learning 10 14
texts with hyperlinks for morphology 11 11
dictionaries / morphology tools 10 11
audio recordings in Latin/Ancient Greek 9 4
tools for working in groups 7 5
any other computer-based resources 8 8
any other mobile apps 4 4
video with Latin/Greek soundtrack 3 1
What is being used?

10. Number of IT Categories
in Use in each University
2
3
4
2
4
2
1 1
3
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Greek
Greek

11. Number of IT Categories
in Use in each University
3 3
6
3
2
3
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Latin
Latin

12. What is being developed?
• exercises and quizzes, handouts, worksheets etc
• vidcasts and podcasts for distance students
• a supplementary image database of epigraphic
material
• vocab and grammar testers
• Greek reading videos
• Greek alphabet guide & tester
• conversations, games
• CDs, including readings of passages and grammar
explanations

13. Technology – Perceived Strengths
Memory work / drill
• Mobile apps very useful for basic drills and
increasingly used by students
• Our adjective/noun/verb tester is useful for
repeatable practice on key grammar
• I think vocab testers are pretty essential and a
good way of encouraging and reinforcing
learning
• Spaced-repetition flashcard apps make
vocabulary learning a piece of piddle

14. Student Autonomy
• With a wide range of free online activities
available, students are encouraged to be more
independent and find their own personal
approach.
• I refer them to Quizlet for vocabulary
study, and give them links to apps, but these
are all to be used outside class time.
Technology – Perceived Strengths

15. Instant Feedback for Student (and Tutors)
• Self-marking online versions of exercises give
students immediate feedback 24/7, as well as
allowing instructor to look virtually over their
shoulder in VLEs and invisibly monitor
progress, time spent, difficulties …
• … tools, like online quizzes, are good ways … to
help students stay on track and give them some
feedback between assessment points
Technology – Perceived Strengths

16. … and weaknesses
• Students seem very reluctant to use computer-based
material. This has been my experience over many years
• Sometimes they may get disoriented in the middle of so
many resources available on the internet
• … tools, like online quizzes, are time-consuming to produce
• [exercises] often expect a 'right' or 'wrong' answer and do
not allow for freedom of expression
• [public website] does not always give the correct
information
• … forced to rely on creaky VLEs that feed on
the will to live

17. Enhancing Learning and Teaching Through
the Use of Technology
Benefits may be felt at three different levels:
• efficiency (existing processes carried out in a more cost-
effective, time-effective, sustainable or scalable manner)
• enhancement (improving existing processes and the
outcomes)
• transformation (radical, positive change in existing
processes or introducing new processes)
Enhancing learning and teaching through the use of technology: a revised approach
to HEFCE’s strategy for e-learning (Higher Education Funding Council for England, 2009)

26. Enhancing Learning and Teaching Through
the Use of Technology
Benefits may be felt at three different levels:
• efficiency (existing processes carried out in a more cost-
effective, time-effective, sustainable or scalable manner)
• enhancement (improving existing processes and the
outcomes)
• transformation (radical, positive change in existing
processes or introducing new processes)
Enhancing learning and teaching through the use of technology: a revised approach
to HEFCE’s strategy for e-learning (Higher Education Funding Council for England, 2009)

27. And the pedagogy is …?
• Student expectations
• Style over substance?
• How do we use the kit?
• Tradition v innovation
• Active v passive learning

28. … and other headaches
• Technical issues
• Paywalls
• Barriers to sharing

29. What Next?
• Sharing our successes
… and failures
• Increasing confidence of instructors and
students
• Keep up the conversation about the pedagogy

30. James Robson james.robson@open.ac.uk
Mair Lloyd mair.lloyd@open.ac.uk
@MairLloyd
#CA14