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Guideline point
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Application Example
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1.
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Names, departments,
and colleges of applicants. Please indicate the project’s contact
person.
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This application for
summer project funding is being submitted by Kim Skertic, Associate
Professor of Lithuanian Language and Literature, Bryn Mawr College
and Jolita Norkunaite, Lithuanian Language Instructor, Haverford
College. Please contact K. Skertic at kskertic@brynmawr.edu or 555-9393.
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2.
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Project goals:
Please describe the manner in which this project will change the
current method of teaching the course or course unit. How will this
project benefit students? Keep in mind that not everyone who will
be reading your proposal is familiar with your particular field
or the pedagogical or technical challenges of bringing technology
to teaching it.
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The goals of this project are
many and are not limited to the extensive Lithuanian language programs
at Haverford and Bryn Mawr Colleges. The projects proposed in this
grant will alter the way we administer and evaluate homework by
developing the means to put these exercises on the Internet. This
means that we not only intend to develop actual exercises for use
in our Lithuanian courses, but also to supply instructional materials
so other faculty can use what we have developed in their own courses.
The focus in the classroom is on communicative teaching methods,
but some students need more traditional grammar exercises to reinforce
the communicative work done in the classroom. However, some students
don't benefit from rote exercises since giving feedback is often
too time-consuming for faculty to perform in class or in homework
corrections. This project proposes to allow a student to work at
his/her own pace and as often as (s)he likes, getting feedback on
the spot or later via email.
The main thrust of this project will be to develop grammar exercises
that will allow students to practice the Lithuanian cases --especially
dative, genitive, and locative cases. A good deal of time will be
devoted to pronouns how they change in different cases. We also
propose to develop writing exercises which can be administered through
the web.
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3.
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Project description:
Describe the project itself in as much detail as possible. Please
discuss the content (the materials you will be using) and the method
of delivery (over the web, in standalone software, etc.)
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We propose to develop several
types of interactive materials to be distributed via the Internet.
1. Web-based exercises and
materials to modify these exercises for use in other classes. Students
will be asked for a short (usually one word) answer. The solicited
answer will be checked and feedback will be offered to the student
instantly.
2. Forms based homework/drilling exercises. We will develop exercises
that will solicit responses and offer feedback that will compare
student answers to the correct answers.
3. Students will be able
to input essay answers and then view a sample of what the teacher
was expecting or information that they should consider when rewriting
the essay.
4. Interviews that change content depending on the short answers
a student gives. Answers can be compared to a database and the next,
most logical, question will be asked accordingly.
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4.
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Project timeline:
Please indicate the projected start and finish dates of the project,
as well as approximate dates which you would consider milestones
in the project’s progress. Examples of milestones: completion
of collection of materials, completion of the first section, beginning
of test phase, etc.
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We propose to begin work by
July 24th and finish the project by September 7.
The first two weeks will be
spent entering data, scanning text, and digitizing images.
The second, third and fourth
weeks of July will be spent developing actual exercises. S.A.s Allen
Dammann and Christine Murphy will test the software from their homes
in Maine and Connecticut.
The first week of September
will be spent "deconstructing" the exercises and developing blank
forms and documentation for us by other faculty. This time will
be spent looking at how we developed the exercises and developing
simple documentation so other faculty will be able to easily use
the information we have compiled.
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5.
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Recent Development
experience: Describe any experience with computer-based development
(searching the web, using a scanner, using templates, etc.) that
you feel is relevant to this project.
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Jolita and I both have a good
deal of HTML experience and have completed several pages that use
basic forms. We both know how to use HTML editors and related
equipment at an intermediate-advanced level.
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6.
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Courses affected:
Please indicate the courses which this project, once completed,
will enhance. Include the level and a brief description of the course
as well as an rough estimate of the number of students who will
be affected.
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This project will benefit students
in all three years of the Haverford, Bryn Mawr, and Swarthmore Lithuanian
language programs. The exercises will be especially useful in all
sections of first year classes and beginning second year classes.
The potential impact on other language courses is limited only by
the amount of time other faculty wish to spend using the resources
that we develop this summer.
However, the number of students
who will directly benefit from this project is approximately 120
(the average number of students enrolled in BMC, HC, and SC 's first
and second year Lithuanian programs per semester)
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7.Resources
requested: Please describe the hardware, software, and human
resources (Mellon staff, Language Resource Center directors, students)
you see as necessary for the successful completion of your project.
If requesting funds for software purchases please list expected
expenses.
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We will need access to the
Power PC's or PC's in the Faculty Development Sites at Haverford
and Bryn Mawr for the six weeks of the project. Software for these
machines should include FileMaker (and scripting software like Lasso),
Homepage, and a graphics program such as Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop.
We will require approximately 80 hours of support time from technical
staff to work out technical bugs and help develop advanced portions
of the project and about 40 hours of S.A. time for data entry and
technical assistance.
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