DOUBLING CHINESE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AT NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Transcription

1 DOUBLING CHINESE LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION AT NORTH CAROLINA PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES In 2009 officials of the Hanban, the University of North Carolina s Center for International Understanding, and the North Carolina State Board of Education signed a transformative Memorandum of Understanding that increased opportunities of students in North Carolina public schools to study Chinese language and culture. In fewer than 325 children from the ages of 6 to 18 studied Chinese in North Carolina K-12 public schools. By the end of 2011, 6,274 students from elementary to high school were studying the language. Over 3,000 of these were beginning in the elementary grades. This phenomenal growth resulted from the recognition that if North Carolina is to effectively work with the People s Republic of China, a greater number of our students need a greater appreciation and knowledge of Chinese language and culture. The school system was greatly helped by the readiness of the Hanban agency to contribute personnel and materials to augment language instruction in the schools. Educators at the University of North Carolina are aware that capacity to offer Chinese instruction will need to be increased as the students now taking Chinese in North Carolina K-12 public schools move through the system and into the university. Moreover, the capacity to offer Chinese at the university from beginning to advanced levels will also need to be increased to serve the growing numbers of students who are interested in learning Chinese, but come to the language later in their studies. The University of North Carolina s 17 campuses are actively working to engage with Chinese partner campuses, as evidenced by a growing number of agreements and memoranda of understanding (MOU s) that have been signed between individual UNC campuses and institutions of higher learning in China. These agreements cover student and faculty exchanges, cooperative research projects, publications, conferences and symposia, and cultural programming. The UNC System office maintains a systemwide relationship with Fudan University. Appalachian State has had a long term relationship with Fudan University, in addition to seven other universities. UNC Charlotte has six active partnerships and UNC Wilmington and UNC Greensboro have several. North Carolina State has over 90 agreements with Chinese institutions and a rich working relationship with Hanban through its Confucius Institute; UNC-Chapel Hill likewise has multiple agreements. A recent survey by UNC shows that close to three hundred faculty have coauthored scholarly papers with Chinese colleagues; UNC faculty have shared roughly 100 sponsored research grants with Chinese colleagues, and dozens of virtual courses between China and UNC schools have connected students at Appalachian State, East Carolina, Fayetteville State, NC State, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC Greensboro and UNC Pembroke with colleagues at Chinese partner universities through joint courses taught in English. In , 1981 students from China were registered at UNC universities. Steady growth observed from previous years suggests that the participation in all areas, faculty research cooperation, virtual courses, and exchange students will continue to increase. As the MOU agreements suggest, cooperation between UNC system campuses and Chinese universities is strong. But to take full advantage of the opportunities these

2 2 partnerships offer, campuses need to have more students with an understanding of Chinese language and culture. In March, 2012, Madame Xu Lin and Mr. Wang Yongli encouraged UNC President Tom Ross to explore cost-effective ideas for working with Hanban that would bring 1) Chinese language instruction to every UNC campus; 2) more Chinese language instruction to campuses already offering limited Chinese language instruction; and 3) more certified Chinese language teachers to North Carolina K-12 classrooms. UNC surveyed its campuses, and a systemwide UNC Language Assembly worked to develop ideas. We found that there was nearly universal interest on our campuses in expanding Chinese language teaching, but a need for external funds to build enrollments and extend the range of offerings. Recognizing the importance of strong skills in Chinese language and culture that are necessary for students to contribute to the vitality of the state s economy and to work with the People s Republic of China on education, research and other areas of mutual interest, the General Administration of the University of North Carolina and its constituent institutions propose a five-year plan for building and enhancing capacity of the system to teach Chinese in the state. The plan creates a curriculum that could be shared by all campuses of the UNC System to increase language offerings, develop minors and majors, certify Chinese language instructors, and offer non-classroom opportunities for language and cultural exposure. The specific components of the plan include: Introducing Chinese instruction at four campuses, three of which--east Carolina, Western Carolina, and North Carolina A&T State presently have no offerings and no funding to change that in the immediate future -- and Winston Salem State, which presently has no offerings but has an open line for Chinese instruction. Providing intermediate and advanced intermediate language instruction through course sharing between institutions which presently have second and third year instruction. These include Appalachian State (which has a minor in Chinese), Fayetteville State, UNC-Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, UNC Asheville, UNC Wilmington, and the NC School of Science and Mathematics. Developing majors in Chinese, either inter-institutionally or individually, at NC State University, Appalachian State, and UNC Charlotte through sharing of courses to complement students professional objectives. Developing opportunities for certification at NC State University, Appalachian State, and UNC Charlotte to teach Chinese in the state s K-12 public schools, including: o Certification through lateral entry For graduates with a degree in another discipline whose native language is Chinese. For heritage speakers and English speakers who gained advanced fluency through non classroom means who have a degree in another discipline. o Majors in Chinese with minor in foreign language K-12 education

3 3 o Masters of Teaching Creating opportunities for immersion language including, o Study abroad: long and short term o State-wide summer institutes o Innovative dual immersion courses combining students whose native language is English with those whose native language is Chinese Creating a position of Director of Chinese Studies, housed at Winston Salem State University to oversee course and program development. As the preceding list of initiatives suggests, the plan to develop Chinese in the UNC system is multi-faceted. It includes the introduction of Chinese at schools that have no instruction at present, the expansion of opportunities at the intermediate and advanced language levels through sharing of courses among schools with enrollments below the threshold needed for additional faculty, and the development of minors and majors through partnering of schools with students interest in advanced study. It further includes the expansion of programs offering lateral entry to certification in Chinese, again through course sharing, and the eventual creation of K-12 certification at three or four schools, as Chinese majors are implemented. Schools will also share study abroad programs, summer institutes, and immersion learning. Because Chinese study is at various levels through the state, the proposed five-year time line that follows is concentric rather than linear. The budget to support the program also follows a more or less non-linear trajectory although it is laid out as a five-year plan. The budget includes funding requested from the Hanban and also contributory amounts from the various UNC campuses participating in the grant. Our goal is ambitious: we propose to more than double the number of UNC students taking Chinese classes in the UNC system over the next five years, and to match Hanban program support more than 1:1. At the end of the five year grant period, UNC will have a sustainable capacity to deliver Chinese language instruction to students at every UNC campus.

4 4 Budget overview: Startup campuses: Hire four fulltime lecturers: three to introduce first year instruction at East Carolina, Western Carolina, and NCA&T State and one to convert part-time instruction to fulltime at UNC Wilmington. Instructors will teach first-year courses on their campuses and export instruction to those universities without a first-year program that have expressed interest in starting one, Elizabeth City State and NC Central. Anticipated enrollments are 20 students in each of two sections at each of the on-site campuses and 5-10 at the offsite locations. UNC Wilmington, which presently enrolls about 60 students in first-year courses, will be able to expand its offerings. Cost: $240, 000 ($200,000 salaries subsidized by Hanban, $40,000 benefits paid by participating institutions). Developing campuses: Begin sharing of courses at intermediate and advanced (third year) levels. Appalachian State, Fayetteville State, UNC-Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, UNC Asheville, UNC Wilmington, and the NC School of Science and Mathematics. The schools currently enroll from 5 to 20 students per semester in levels 3-5, leading to periodic cancellation of smaller classes and the loss of opportunities to continue the study of Chinese. Through sharing of courses and publicizing that students who start Chinese will be able to continue through at least the sixth semester, anticipated enrollments will increase by 1-3 students per semester per intermediate and advanced levels at each school, eventually achieving in 5 10 years self sustaining numbers. Cost: $30,000 (developing on-line and hybrid courses and training of an individual at each institution.) Develop minors in Chinese language at UNC Charlotte and Fayetteville State, to join those at NC State, Appalachian State, and UNC Greensboro by sharing of fourth year courses and creation of new culture classes. Cost: No additional cost. (Personnel and consortium arrangements already exist.) Expand lateral entry for teaching certificate through NC State and online instruction. Cost: $10,000 Developing online instruction, travel for face to face meetings with off-site students.

5 5 Tools: Purchase 1000 Tell Me More licenses for consortium sharing of on-line instruction (for levels 1-5 above) is a self-contained, self-paced, voice-recognition language program. Cost: $50,000 Leadership: Hiring director of Chinese Language director by WSSU to teach Chinese language at WSSU and oversee development of the UNC Language Assembly Chinese language initiative. Cost: $10, 000 Travel and administrative assistance for instructor. (Also $75,000, Salary and benefits borne by WSSU). Advanced activity: Two 2-day teacher workshops conducted in North Carolina by Hanban master teachers for students of Chinese entering teacher training and for graduates who are proficient in Chinese, regardless of the field of their degree, who are interested in lateral licensing. The workshops will augment the teacher training coursework of students who are earning teacher certification through traditional programs or of those seeking lateral entry. The Hanban instructors will conduct classes on the latest pedagogical best practices from China, as well as engage the students with educational material developed there. Cost: $10, Startup campuses: Continue 4 fulltime lecturers. Anticipated enrollments remain 20 students in each of two sections at each of the on-sight campuses and 5-10 at the offsite locations. Addition of third semester course at one institution and shared by others. Cost: $240, 000 ($200,000 salaries subsidized by Hanban, $40,000 benefits paid by participating institutions). Developing campuses: Continue sharing of courses at intermediate and advanced (third year) levels. Appalachian State, Fayetteville State, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, UNC Asheville, UNCW, and the NC School of Science and Mathematics. 5-10% enrollment growth.

6 6 Introduce minors in Chinese language at Appalachian State, UNC Charlotte, and Fayetteville State, to join those at NC State and UNC Greensboro. Anticipated 5-20 minors at each school. Cost: No additional cost personnel and consortium arrangements already exist. Advanced activity: Continue offering lateral entry for teaching certificate through NC State and online instruction. Cost: $5,000 Travel for face-to face meetings with off-site students. Tools: Purchase 1000 Tell Me More licenses for consortium sharing of on-line instruction (for levels 1-5 above) Cost: $50,000 Leadership: Continue support of director of Chinese Language director by Winston-Salem State to teach Chinese language there and oversee development of the UNC Language Assembly Chinese language initiative. Cost: $10, 000 Travel and administrative assistance. (Also $75,000, Salary and benefits borne by WSSU). Travel/exchange to nurture demand: Develop two or three spring break programs to China (more than one program needed because of differing school calendars). Anticipate increased interest in Chinese through programs. Cost: $4000 per student with $500 subsidy provided by Hanban, rest paid by student. 50 $500 = $10,000 Develop 6-week summer program to support development of minors and majors. Cost: $6,000 per student with $2,000 Hanban subsidy. 20 $2,000 = $40, Startup campuses: Continue 4 fulltime lecturers. Anticipated enrollments fill 3-4 courses at each institution, including enrollments from off-site campuses.

7 7 Cost: $240, 000 ($100,000 salaries subsidized by Hanban, $140,000 salaries and benefits paid by participating institutions). Developing campuses: Continue sharing of courses at intermediate and advanced (third year) levels. Appalachina State, Fayetteville State, UNC Asheville, UNC Charlotte, UNC Greensboro, UNC Wilmington, and the NC School of Science and Mathematics. 5-10% enrollment growth. Continue developing minors at Appalachian State, UNC Charlotte, Fayetteville State, NC State and UNC Greensboro. Anticipated 5-20 minors at each school. Cost: No additional cost personnel and consortium arrangements already exist. Develop Chinese major at schools with minor and sufficient enrollment (NCSU, UNC Greensboro, UNC Charlotte, Appalachian State, Fayetteville State). Three tenure-track Chinese language faculty: $180,000 (plus benefits). Costs shared by Hanban and institutions. Cost: $90,000 for Hanban and $30,000 each for the three institutions. Advanced activity: Continue offering lateral entry for teaching certificate through NCSU and online instruction. Cost: $5,000 Travel for face-to-face meetings with off-site students. Tools: Purchase 1000 Tell Me More licenses for consortium sharing of on-line instruction (for levels 1-5 above) Cost: $50,000 Leadership: Continue support of director of Chinese Language director by WSSU to teach Chinese language at Winston-Salem State and oversee development of the UNC Language Assembly Chinese language initiative. Cost: $10, 000 Travel and administrative assistance (Also $75,000, Salary and benefits borne by Winston-Salem State).

8 8 Travel/exchange to nurture demand: Continue spring break programs to China (more than one program needed because of differing school calendars). Anticipate increased interest in Chinese through programs. Cost: $4000 per student with $500 subsidy provided by Hanban, remainder paid by students. 50 $500 = $25,000 Continue 6-week summer program to support development of minors and majors. Cost: $6,000 per student with $2,000 Hanban subsidy. 20 $2,000 = $40,000. Introduce dual immersion summer courses on NC campuses, inviting Chinese students of English to partner in classes with American students of Chinese. Cost: $50,000. $2,000 subsidy for 25 Chinese students of English to attend NC schools Continuation of all of above programs with 50% of Hanban costs now borne by NC institutions except for subsidy of Chinese students of English Continuation of all of above programs with 75% of costs now borne by NC institutions except for subsidy of Chinese students of English Program is self-sustaining with no further Hanban funding. Students at every UNC System school have access to Chinese language instruction and Chinese language enrollment at UNC system campuses has doubled. UNC System personnel share success stories with colleagues across the US and world.

9 9 Overview of Budget Year Total cost Hanban request UNC Match , , , , , , , , , , , , ,000 78, ,250 TOTAL BUDGET 2,715,000 1,173,750 1,541,250 Notes