Today’s Germany and Austria as Seen Through the Media

PROJECT TITLE: “Self-Assessment and Course Reflection using iMovie”

LANGUAGE: German

LEVEL: 300-level German Civilization and Culture Seminar
(German 311 “Today’s Germany and Austria as Seen Through the Media”)

PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
– Demonstrate language skills (process writing and oral presentation)
– Showcase newly gained knowledge
– Reflect on learning in terms of meaning to oneself and expanded horizon
– Skills in development

  • Listening:    Course’s emphasis is on improving listening comprehension through video & audio clips of Deutsche Welle
  • Writing:    Process writing for project’s text preparation
  • Reading:    Reading of short news articles and repeated reading of own text for best results of final project
  • Speaking:    Speaking in class and repeated practice or own text for best results of final project

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Create a “Digital Narrative.”

Project’s CONTENT:

  • Explain what the course was about (content and language development) and show representative examples of what you have heard, seen, and read.
  • Focus on a theme (course unit) that was (unexpectedly) exciting, interesting and inspiring to you and inform why?
  • Reflect on what you have learned in terms of cultural knowledge and tell about the reasons and how the learning of this material is meaningful to you personally.
  • Comment on the improvement of your language skills by comparing your statement on your language learning needs from the first week of classes with your abilities today. Remember all four skills and remark on where you notice the most and the least improvement. Reflect critically and state if you could have done more or something differently to advance faster.

Project’s FORM:
Write your text that is about 5 minutes in length when spoken.
Make use of expressions and vocabulary as well as grammatical and stylistic features that clearly demonstrate your language proficiency level (Process writing: Turn in your text for evaluation and advice – max. 2x).
When you reached the level which you consider your final version, record your text for use in iMovie.
Use iMovie to support your text with images (stills, audio and video clips) and music.
LENGTH of Project: 6 minutes

TECHNOLOGIES USED:
iMovie
Video and audio clips from our videoconference and the Skype sessions that are stored on the course’s Moodle page.

ASSESSMENT METHOD
1. CONTENT and CONCEPT ARTICULATION: Using the ACTFL’s STANDARDS for Foreign Language Learning:
Communication, Cultures, Connection, Comparison, Communities

Intellectual prowess, evidence of critical thinking,
Reflection of your thinking and recognition process,
Demonstrating knowledge; showing increased level of inter-/ trans-cultural awareness and sensitivity,
Creativity, originality of artistic expression
Proper Length

German Language:  Using ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines
Quality of expression – vocab. & (idiomatic) expressions
Grammar
Pronunciation and Intonation
Fluency of Text Presentation
and
Communicative Ability

2. FORM: Formal Quality of Project

COMMENTS:

Students spend a lot of time reflecting on what they have done during the semester and how the various materials and projects are connected. They must consider how much they have gained on factual and cultural knowledge and on the development of their language skills. They must explain whether and how they have reached their personal goals which they had to articulate in the first week of classes.

A community of co-learners: Teachers can learn a lot about their students’ attitudes and their language and info learning process and progress. Also by permitting students to speak openly about the course as an “object” that belongs to both professor and students they acquire co-ownership of the course. Not only are they allowed to make suggestions for course improvements such as content enhancement and efficient course structure, but more importantly, they must reflect on their own learning outcomes. Thus, the teacher has created a community of co-learners and will receives most valuable input into his/her course design.

 

Mit Hoffnung fassen wir uns ein Herz

von Daniela Duca (B.A. German and International Economics)

 “Es ist zu schwierig zu erklären oder aufzuzählen alles das, was ich in diesem Kurs gelernt habe. Die Hauptsache sind die weitgehenden und umfassenden Kenntnisse, die ich hier bekommen habe, von Mundarten zu Politik in den Vereinigten Staaten zur Jugendsubkultur Deutschlands. Ich fand den großartigsten Teil dieses Semesters die Diskussionen über Politik und Jugendkultur und wie die beiden zusammen kommen. Dieser Videoclip ist mein Beitrag zur Weltjugendkultur.”