ABSTRACT
Language Online (LOL) is a project of the Department of Modern Languages at
Carnegie Mellon University which was funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Over a three-year period, Elementary and Intermediate French and Spanish courses
have been produced for students who need a more flexible approach to language
learning than that offered in a standard classroom course. These courses (eight in
total) are now complete and part of the regular offerings of the Department. All mate-
rials are Web-based with extensive use of Internet technologies for research, writing
and communication. Content consists of tutorial and practice materials created in
HTML and Javascript for the LOL project, plus guides for conversation and writing
practice using Internet and other resources. For on-campus students, rotating weekly
face-to-face meetings are scheduled with a language assistant (language major or
native speaker), and the instructor. The course work plan is adaptable, allowing indi-
vidual teachers flexibility in implementing these courses. The assessment of the LOL
courses has used qualitative and quantitative methods to understand the experience
from both the teachers’ and learners’ perspectives. By all measures we can conclude
that the courses are working, though we continue to modify them. This chapter delin-
eates the principles behind the design and production of LOL courses, as well as the
research methods employed in evaluating student learning and satisfaction. We will
also comment on the training and technical support required for success in this type
of instruction.
