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Recognizing that many students begin their college language careers at community colleges and culminate their studies at four-year institutions, the University of Oregon (UO) and Lane Community College (LCC) began collaborating in August 2013 to align language curriculum and prepare students for seamlessly continuing their journey toward advanced language proficiency.

"To achieve this goal, faculty at both community colleges and four-year institutions must work and collaborate together," says Dr. Susan Carkin, Dean of the Language, Literature, and Communication Division at LCC.

UO Professor of Spanish Dr. Robert Davis, and co-leader of the collaboration along with CASLS Director Dr. Julie Sykes, agrees. "Articulated language learning sequences for learners is crucial to ensuring that they continue their studies."

CASLS has submitted a request for external grant funding to expand the partnership between LCC and UO. The project will begin with a needs analysis addressing key points of congruence and differences in the curricula and a data analysis of transfer student outcomes investigating which language level LCC students transfer into at the UO and their rate of continuing language study.

Afterwards, LCC and the UO will use the results to guide a professional development learning community among faculty members from both institutions. Dr. Sykes and Dr. Davis will co-lead the community. The group will address core challenges, which may include developing aligned curriculum, improving language pedagogy in the classroom, integrating technology, and sharing materials. Sykes and Davis will also lead the development of four professional development modules, create content and user guides for implementing similar programs across the country, and conduct two online workshops focused on community college and university collaborations.