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From http://fltmag.com/the-shared-course-initiative

The Shared Course Initiative: A Model for Instructional Collaboration Across Institutions
by Dr. Nelleke Van Deusen-Scholl
March 20, 2014

Over the past decade, budgetary constraints and institutional pressures have forced many institutions to reduce the number of foreign languages that they offer, not only the less commonly taught languages (LCTL) but in some cases even the ‘traditional’ modern languages, such as French and German. In response to this—and with support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation—Yale, Columbia, and Cornell formed a partnership starting in the 2012-13 academic year to develop a collaborative framework for teaching LCTLs that uses high-definition videoconferencing and other distance learning technology to make additional language learning opportunities available to students.

… In our process of assessment and evaluation, we are trying to address a number of questions:

 What is the effect of the distance-learning environment on the educational experiences of instructors and students?
 How do instructors adapt their instructional approaches to this multimodal, technology-mediated environment?
 What are the major challenges and potential benefits for both instructors and students?
 Is there a qualitative difference for students at sending institutions versus receiving institutions?
 What are the learning outcomes compared with those in traditional classrooms?

Read the full article at http://fltmag.com/the-shared-course-initiative