Shared course initiative

Columbia, Cornell, Yale shared course initiative

Columbia, Cornell, and Yale, through a collaborative arrangement to share less commonly taught languages, offer several languages that are not otherwise taught on our campuses, via videoconferencing from a partner institution. This academic year, we will offer a total of eight languages.   These are not “online” computer-based courses.  The courses are taught ‘live’ by an instructor at the sending institution, and students at the receiving institution will be expected to attend a regular class in a designated classroom which is outfitted with videoconferencing technology.  At the receiving end, students will see the teacher and be able to interact via videoconference with him/her and the other class of students.  There will be technology support available and in some cases a special language assistant - a native speaker of the language - will also be present in the classroom. Please note that you will be registered at your home institution through the regular registration process and receive credit from your own institution.

To give you an idea of what the class looks like, you can access some images of last year’s Dutch class, which was taught at Yale and attended via videoconferencing by Cornell students, here.

For general information or further details about the project, feel free to contact the following people who are coordinating the project at your institution:

Columbia

Stéphane Charitos, Director, Language Resource Center, 212-854-6341
Bill Koulopoulos, Instructional Technologist, Language Resource Center, 212-854-6132

Cornell

Richard Feldman, Director, Language Resource Center, 607-255-8685
Nick LaVerne, A/V Development Manager, Language Resource Center, 607-255-3827

Yale

Nelleke Van Deusen-Scholl, Director, Center for Language Study, 203-432-6456
Adam Hummel, Technology manager, Center for Language Study, 203-432-0582
Minjin Hashbat, Program Administrator, Center for Language Study, 203-432-8514

For information regarding specific courses, please contact individual instructors by clicking on the link below.

Elementary Bengali I (BNGL 120)   MW 11:15-12:05, TTh 11:40-12:55, CLS Study Room A

Elementary Dutch (DUTC 120)   M-F 9:25-10:15 CLS Room 420

Elementary Romanian (ROMN 120)   TTh 11:05-12:50  CLS Room 420

Intermediate Tamil (TAML 140)   TTh2:10-4:00 CLS Room 420

Beginning Yoruba (ASRC 1109)  

Advanced isiZulu (ZULU 160)   MW 2:30-3:45 CLS Room 420

Please note the following important information regarding the academic calendars* of the three institutions:

Columbia

Classes start on Tuesday, January 22 and end on Monday, May 6.
        No classes on:     March 18 - 22 (midterm recess)        
        Study period:       May 7-9
        Exam period:       May 10-17
        Commencement:  May 22

Cornell

Classes start on Monday, January 21 and end on Saturday, May 4.
        No classes on:     March 16-22 (spring break)        
        Study period:       May 5-8
        Exam period:       May 8-17
        Commencement: May 26

Yale

Classes start on Monday, January 14 (2- week shopping period) and end on Friday, April 26.
        No Classes on:    January 21 (Martin Luther King Day)
                                  March 11-22 (spring recess)        
        Reading period:    April 27-May 1
        Exam period:       May 2-7
        Class Day and Commencement: May 19-20


*For the days that the institutional calendars are not in synch, the instructors will offer alternative class meeting times and supplementary online activities.

To view an archive of Fall 2012 course offerings, click here.