Intensive online foreign language learning at the advanced level

Insights from a summer online Spanish course

Abstract

Hybrid and online foreign language courses are becoming increasingly more important for students. However, several gaps in the literature point to needing studies investigating courses taught online, at the advanced level, and during intensive summer timeframes, since these classes can be advantageous for learners. This paper discusses an advanced-level online Spanish grammar course that was taught during the summer, and examines: (1) learning gains from a beginning-ofcourse test to end-of-course test (i.e., a pretest-posttest covering course content), and (2) students’ perceptions of the course gleaned from an end-of-course survey, which collected both quantitative and qualitative data. The pretest-posttest results showed a significant improvement in learners’ scores, and the survey results indicated mixed opinions. Specifically, positive course attributes included the course’s self-paced nature and practical benefits, however the course’s fast-paced nature may have led to several drawbacks. These findings offer insight into these types of courses, and may prove helpful for instructors who want to plan similar classes.