Transcript Outsourcing language courses and testing

Outsourcing
language courses & testing:
exploring opportunities and
meeting challenges
• Christine Engelen, LINGUAPOLIS, University of Antwerp (BE)
• Francisco Lorenzo, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla (ES)
• Maria Giovanna Tassinari, Sprachenzentrum Freie Universität Berlin (DE)
Who?
Language centres:
key expertise
strategic role
in internationalisation of HE
(Wulkow Memorandum)
What?
HE language centre/department
~
external partner
 Cooperation, joint venture
 Outsourcing, subcontracting
 Strategic alliances
What for?
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Providing language courses
Testing & assessment & certification
Hosting cultural activities
Consultancy
Material development
Why?
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increased (massive) demand
need for certification
transfer & implementation of knowhow
Focus on Q
“strong commitment to and awareness of
the quality agenda” (Wulkow Memorandum)
 LANQUA QUALITY MODEL
www.lanqua.eu
Focus on Q (2)
LANQUA QUALITY MODEL
Cycle 1: planning
• Context & content: “what are we trying to do?”
• Purpose: “why are we trying to do it?”
• Organisation: “how are we going to do it?”
Cycle 2: review
• Reflection in action: “how do we know that it’s working?”
• Evaluation of outcomes: “how do we know that it works?”
• Revision: “how will we be able to improve it?”
Example 1: Berlin
Partnership cooperation between the Language Centre of the Freie
University Berlin and the Instituto Cervantes Berlin
• Context: implementation of the Bologna Process at the FUB; design and
and deliver of
a) new language training programmes for undergraduate and
postgraduate specialist students – and particularly language based
modules for 30 and 60 credit points)
b) language modules within the obligatory general professional skills (10
to 15 credit points)
• Opening of the Instituto Cervantes in Berlin
Example 1: Berlin
Implementation
Cooperation agreement between the Director of the Language Centre
and the Director of the Instituto Cervantes
- Cervantes will offer Spanish courses exclusively for FUB students
within the General Professional Skills strand (up to CEFR B1 level)
- the learning outcomes of these courses are oriented towards the
learning outcomes of the FUB language modules
- the course fees for students for general professional skills are covered
by the FUB
- the Language Centre will recognize the course achievements attained
by the FUB students at the Instituto Cervantes
Example 1: Berlin
Outcomes
Spanish demand of the FUB students for general professional skills can
be largely satisfied
Quality control aspects
– The agreed learning outcomes form the basis of the terms of contract
between the FUB and the Instituto Cervantes Berlin
– The courses are exclusively for FUB students
– In the first two years, a programme coordinator was responsible for
the pedagogical coordination and evaluation of the courses
– Regular student evaluations should be undertaken each term
Example 1: Berlin
Critical aspects
• How can we ensure that students fulfil the learning outcomes?
• How can we ensure that students accomplish their workload outside
the contact hours? (60 contact hours, about 90 non-contact hours
per term)
• How can we ensure quality with regard to part-time teachers?
• How can we monitor and (where necessary) renegotiate the
interests and the priorities of both parties of the agreement?
Example 1: Berlin
Lessons to be learned:
• The stipulations of the cooperation agreement should be reviewed
on a regular basis.
• The courses at the Instituto Cervantes Berlin should be evaluated
(both from a student and a teacher perspective) with regard to
– learning outcomes
– course structures
– student workload in the contact and non-contact hours
(joint evaluation by FUB and Instituto Cervantes Berlin)
The aim is to ascertain whether the interests, standards and goals of
both the Instituto Cervantes Berlin and the FUB are compatible.
Example 2: Seville
The Universidad Pablo Olavide in Seville
recognises “Certicap”, language tests
offered online by Banco Santander.
Example 2: Seville
Example 2: Seville
Example 2: Seville
Example 2: Seville
Santander: friend or foe
• Language leaves the Academia. It becomes more social, more
accessible and popular.
• It helps build up language competence transparency.
• European Framework of Reference reaches further places and earns
worldwide recognition, i.e. Ibero america.
• It helps build up the language for all culture. Language competence is
as accessible as being a bank account holder.
• A bridge-building strategy, bringing universities, language testers and
research together.
• Two-way feedback: banks access the temple of knowledge and
academia enters the temple of money.
• Language is Money: a biased rendition of languages.
• Title inflation: a must instead of a benchmark.
What now?
STRENGTHS
 Link applied research and
workplace practice
 Maximise efforts
 Re-invest materials
 Stimulate efficiency
 Enhance synergy
WEAKNESSES
 Time & budget
 Assumptions leading to ≠
expectations
 PDCA vs ADDIE
OPPORTUNITIES
 Establishing a LT cooperation
 Creating research topics
 LLL culture
 Dissemination of the CEF
THREATS
 Turning point
 Poor project management
 Language is money
Thank you for your attention
• www.lanqua.eu
•[email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]