Wednesday, July 5, 2000 The University Daily Kansan Section A · Page 5 Students master languages with high-tech learning aides By Karen Lucas writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer Cordelia Bowlus' students have practiced their German this semester not only in the classroom but also in chat rooms. A software program called Daedalus allows members of Bowlis' beginning German class to communicate electronically on assigned topics in small groups "When you're in a chat room like this, you can be responding to an earlier question while somebody else is writing a new question for you," said Bowlus, graduate teaching assistant in German. "It kind of keeps you on your toes." Bowlus also said she could monitor what the students wrote as well and get print-outs of the computer dialogues. Jason Maltsbarger, Olathe senior and Bowlus' student, gave high marks for the program. "I think that it's easily accessible, user-friendly," he said. "It gives me a forum to communicate in German." The use of Daedalus is an example of how foreign language learning at the University of Kansas is becoming more high-tech. Students can find Daedalus in the Ermal Garinger Academic Resource Center, 4070 Wescoe, as well as other software programs for foreign language instruction. The center has a lab with 29 new computers — and will open a state-of-the-art multimedia classroom in the fall — for use with the high-tech learning aides. The center's Transparent Language program helps students improve their reading skills in Spanish, Italian, French, Latin, German and Russian. Students can read texts with translations and visual components as well as listen to readings of the texts. Alexis Baloji, graduate teaching assistant in French, said his language students had worked with a computer program that focused on grammar skills. As students do the exercises, the program gives them feedback. William Comer, the center's director, offered a course last spring that helped foreign language teaching assistants become better acquainted with how new technology could benefit their students. They learned how to use software programs, Web sites and various types of equipment in their teaching, such as laptops and projectors. Each class member also had to design a Web site. Bowlus, who was in the class, created a Web site for the third-semester German class she taught in the spring. The site included essays written by her students. She said it was a success because students not only could read what others had written but also because they could be proud of having published something on the Web. In another activity last semester, Bowlus' students answered questions about Haribo, a German candy company, by checking out the company's Web site. "It helped them apply what they had been learning in their chapter on companies," she said. "The purpose of doing these types of Web exercises is to give students an opportunity to use vocabulary that they have learned from their textbook in an authentic environment." Although Bowtus embraces the new technology, she doesn't eschew the old. Like language students in previous years, her students use audio-cassette tapes that accompany the textbook. "The cassette tapes allow them to listen to the target language in a controlled setting," she said. Maltsbarger said it was beneficial to have a mixed approach. "It's good to use any venues that are open to us as students," he said, "whether it's orally in class or written in a German chat room." Edited by Phil Cauthon Stars and stripes forever In fashion for the Fourth of July, Alexis Sinnard, 6 months old, is decked out in a blue and red star hat. Sinnard was dressed for a parade last Sunday at St. Margaret's church. 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