Confronting disruptions through student agency

Like German programs around the country, faculty and students at Elon University (North Carolina) have faced powerful disruptions to their academic personal lives. Some, for us, been positive, such as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, curricular pedagogical reform influenced by literacy movement democratic classroom, student engagement with social problems, collaboration community of a small program (two full-time faculty; low enrollment caps), pervasive technologies that allow access real-world L2 materials plus communication global partners. Others are wholly negative: restricted resources capacity program, plateauing enrollments, socioeconomic troubles students, twin existential threats COVID-19 climate change. is private teaching university in North Carolina roughly 6000 undergraduates 750 graduate students. The supported two professors housed world languages department, 10-member advisory board from eight departments. Total enrollments 150 per year, 40 50 minors or three majors. other language features literacy-based curriculum (Kern, 2000) uses authentic texts locus linguistic cultural study. Student agency has proven an effective tool counter negative support positive ones. promotes following ways. In order pursue classroom—a disruption promoting community—students exercise choosing topics texts. For example, 200-level (intermediate) unit on Vergangenheitsbewältigung, choose between short story (Peter Weiss), essay (Martin Walser), interactive website Berlin's Denkmal für die ermordeten Juden Europas. 300-level (intermediate-advanced) course Germany New Millennium, half topics, texts, materials. Students polled beginning semester generate topic ideas; instructor continuously add list throughout first course. most recent iteration, chose foreign policy patriotism Germany. Because authentic, this type also supports faculty's efforts literacy-influenced (Warner & Dupuy, 2018)—perhaps profession decades. Further democratizing decisions about technologies. Technology use thus becomes choice. instance, may create media posts place formal essays, vote how frequently (if all) participate Talk Abroad, video-conferencing service pairs learners native speakers. So far, chosen Abroad least twice semester, noting it boosts confidence efficacy, which turn gives additional agency. extraordinarily disruption, faculty, like many colleagues Elon's Department World Languages Cultures, moved decisively away traditional grades—a process known ungrading (Blum, 2020). reinterpreted participation grades traditionally assigned tied concrete low-stakes assignments. Quizzes unlimited attempts, reframes them learning opportunity where encouraged take intellectual risks. Assignments target presentational mode highly scaffolded multiple drafts frequent feedback. Rubrics cocreated transparency increase buy-in ownership. some courses, determine own final grades, based attendance, task completion, participation, fulfillment objectives. These agency-building initiatives signal growth matter they play active role design assessment. Countering perceived lack control over profound poverty, change, racism, pandemic, reassert studying these matters international context. addition mentioned above, every 100- includes current events. Recent student-selected included refugees migration; racism Black Lives Matter Germany; poverty among students; change environmental protection. remaining courses—on Weimar, post-1945 era, East Germany, concept Heimat, contemporary media—make explicit links affairs. Discussing complex, emotionally laden via exposure solutions being proposed ample time space reflect problems structured setting. Last but not least, recently exercised repeatedly requesting sections eliminate scheduling conflicts—making clear would enroll more courses if had options. mindful tight budgets prevent hiring instructors, responded all combined (German 101 102 together; 201 202 together). ensuing cross-level collaborations further promote agency, community, efficacy. form bonds across levels, less-experienced perceive can keep up learn more-experienced peers, peer mentor. authors’ lived experience effectiveness reinforced strong research literature motivation student–faculty partnerships. A range studies (e.g., Ambrose et al., 2010; Kupatadze, 2018; Oakes, 2013; Papi Hiver, 2020; Ushioda Dörnyei, 2012) suggested link increased motivation, ownership, collaboration, engagement. Kupatadze (2018, p. 1) pointed out higher education worrisome downsides democracy civic teacher-dominated classroom “discourages education—a characteristic undoubtedly important attribute society democratically minded individual” (p. 1). Kupatadze's alternative—to treating partners—improves both learning: “[B]y involving development and/or components, [students] will become engaged, invested and, consequently, attitude towards learning, viewing equal responsibility teachers students” 7). We concur Kupatadze; our experience, boosting led collaboration. Efforts met response. report appreciate involved decision-making, shift grading increases enjoyment satisfaction refocusing attention rather than grading, engaging discussion experienced boost correlate period retention countering posed national decline modern enrollments. necessary step enable therefore its disruptions, involve conversations start frequently. before developing new advanced-level course, might ask what should be about. When experimenting innovation, inform experiment, feedback, then modify. Most importantly, know when changes inspired input. began levels because conflicts. vocabulary acquisition specifically asked support. Involving ensures ownership realize contributions valued. It stretch say help address social, political, economic, Studying context enlightening empowering. Ultimately, effort helps build students’ capacities. Scott Windham (Ph.D., UNC-Chapel Hill) associate professor University, he co-leads Kristin Lange. His primary interests transfer, grammar critical expression, portrayal Nazism film literature. Lange Arizona) assistant she teaches culture, education, general curriculum. Her scholarship explores especially learners, alternative assessment, recruitment retention.