Evaluating the use of new technology and of Modern Foreign Language pedagogy in a new Latin module.

What is it about?

Between 2000 and 2013, over 8,000 students studied the module Reading Classical Latin at the Open University, the United Kingdom’s largest distance education provider. But while many learners attained high grades, a significant proportion withdrew from study or failed the module. In 2015, the original module was replaced with a completely new course, Classical Latin: The Language of Ancient Rome. This article details the innovative ways in which new technology and pedagogical theory from Modern Foreign Language (MFL) learning were drawn on by the team designing this new module, resulting in a learning experience which gives greater emphasis to elements such as spoken Latin, the intrinsic pleasure of reading, and cultural context. The (largely positive) effects of these pedagogical changes on student success and satisfaction are subsequently analysed using a rich mix of qualitative and quantitative data. Finally, the authors reflect on lessons learned and the possibilities for future research and enhancement.

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Photo by Melanie van Leeuwen on Unsplash

Photo by Melanie van Leeuwen on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Until recently, Latin instruction at university level has received little attention from scholars. This article therefore represents an important attempt to break new ground by discussing Latin pedagogy in a university context, drawing on theory taken from Modern Foreign Language (MFL) learning, while taking as its focus the development of an innovative Latin module launched by the Open University in 2015. The large numbers of students studying Latin taking Latin at the OU allow for a particularly comprehensive evaluation of the module's performance. This is analyzed in terms of pass and retention rates, student engagement with online resources and student views on the module's pedagogical and technological innovations.