Evaluating a Language through Science Program

Abstract

It is clear that the future of language teaching holds considerable promise in terms of diversity within and across instructional contexts. One set of current challenges facing curriculum developers is in relation to innovation in language curricula that are being created through the availability of enhanced systems in information and communication technology (ICT) and the significant increase in technology-mediated language teaching, learning and assessment. Initiatives include distance programs with video links, supporting academic literacy in global online contexts (Goodfellow 2003; 2004; Goodfellow et al. 2004), national projects in the university sector such as Student Online Learning Project (SOLE) (Timmis 2004); or program-based studies involving the use of Virtual Learning Environments Blackboard (Paran et al. 2004; Timmis 2004). Part 1 shows clearly how crucial it is to evaluate any such innovation. The second case study we present is an example that has relevance for secondary school age learners: an evaluation of the language component of the Science Across Europe Project (Clegg, Kobayashi and Rea-Dickins 2000). As in chapter 5, we introduce the underlying constructs the evaluators identified in collaboration with the commissioners of the research, to inform the development of the evaluation procedures.