Language Symposium 2005 _ May 14, 2005 _________________________________________________________________________________ Department

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Department of German & Multimedia Learning Center, Northwestern University © 2005 Northwestern University

LanguageSymposium2005_____________May 14, 2005

Learning On Site and Online:BAUHAUS AND

THE MODERN AMERICAN CITY

Ingrid ZellerDenise MeuserFranziska LysDepartment of GermanNorthwestern University



Overview• Project Introduction• Architecture and the City

Video Clip Introduction to the Videotour• From Lernort to online

– Background of Project– From Lernort Architektur to a Virtual Architektour

• Filming the City– Filming and Editing

• Software Development– Design of Site – Interactive Exercises

Video Clip Federal Center Plaza– Special Features

• Contexts and Use



From Lernort to online



Starting Points• Topics of Interest

– Intersections between German and American art and culture

– Life in a metropolis– History of Weimar– Architecture as expression

• Approaches– Interdisciplinary approaches to learning– Alternative to classroom instruction -

meaningful exploration and discovery of surroundings through excursions, a

“Lernort”



Contexts of Topic– Historical Dimensions of Weimar– Goethe-Institut: Virtual Architektour

• Selection of buildings• Pilot Project• Teachers creating for teachers and

students

– Heritage Projects - Spurensuche– Individual Courses Integrating Excursions (Including

Tours)» Berlin - Scenes of a Century: Unit on Berlin and Chicago



Lernort• What is a Lernort?

• Authentic place for learningthat encourages meaningful communication in the target language

However, stage has to be set for effective learning to take place

• Usually excursions include culturally relevant places:

– Chicago: Architecture lends itself well to exploration of German influences to the life of the city

– Also German neighborhoods in the Midwest, museum visits, historically important sites, etc.



Benefits of a Lernort

• Material comes alive • Understanding of new

aspects of society• Exploration of relevant surroundings• Students are engaged and

enthusiastic about language• Visual and multidimensional aspects

facilitate learning





From Lernort Architektur to Virtual Architektour

• Why online?– Extension of Lernort

• Virtual access as possible alternative to excursion

• Interactive features can serve to introduce and to solidify information

• Guided learning in combination with exploratory acquisition

• Vast opportunities for integration in classroom• Involves students actively in the engagement with

technology



The Virtual Architecture Tour

Bauhaus and Beyond: An Interactive Architektour

– Videotaped guided tour by German-speaking docent Ingeborg Kohler from CAF (Chicago Architecture Foundation)

– Interactive exercises accompanying video clips– Selection of buildings based on:

• Three major styles (Chicago Style,International Style, Postmodern Style)

• Representative for American City• Emphasis on German influence on architects• 8 clips and an introduction



Implementing Bauhaus and Beyond– Contexts

• For implementation primarily in Intermediate German classes, but also Elementary and Advanced

– Goals• Students can work interactively with these video clips• Teachers can produce similar programs for their own

contexts



Filming the City



Filming Process

• The Team– Producers: Ingrid Zeller and Denise Meuser– Tourguide: Ingeborg Kohler

• Docent with the Chicago Architecture Foundation

– Cameraman and Editor: Mark Schaefer• New Media Specialist and Lead Developer for the

Multimedia Learning Center at Northwestern



The Groundwork

• Shot list and notes• Permission and contacts

– Chicago Film office http://www.cityofchicago.org/FilmOffice/procedures.html

– Building management & security– Proof of insurance



The Shoot - Some Challenges

• Weather conditions• Time of day• Working with and without a script• “Spraying” the building



Prior to the Editing Session

• Preparation of German transcripts• Translation into English of the transcript• Detailed notes and opinions

– Evaluation of various takes– Content and grammatical errors– Ideas for possible visuals



The Editing Sessions

• Organization– Bi-weekly 4-5 hour sessions– Approximately two sessions per building location

• Edit text• Edit visuals

– Are more images necessary?

• Revise transcripts and create time coded scripts



Software Development

• Design of Site – Creation of Exercises

• Franziska Lys, Denise Meuser, Ingrid Zeller– Web-design Specialists

• Daniel Escutia• Adam Bennett

• Interactive Exercises– Video Clip Federal Center Plaza

• Special Features



• Vocabulary activities– Types of buildings, materials, colors, shapes, adjectives

• Context for grammatical concepts– Comparatives and superlatives, relative clauses, passive voice

• Descriptive paragraphs– Journal entry or short essay describing a home, a building on

campus or a hometown landmark.– Simple biographies of architects

Contexts: Elementary German



• Vocabulary activities– More advanced vocabulary related to construction materials, architectural

styles• Context for grammatical concepts

– Emphasis on passive voice in all tenses; correct use of the verb “werden”; correct integration of adverbs of time and space

• Projects– Reports about buildings for student newspaper– Skits integrating buildings; building as backdrop for a scene (skit) in which a

dialogue or an action takes place (FBI, etc.)– PowerPoint presentations with interactive features– Biographies of architects– Video presentations

• Examples: http://www.german.northwestern.edu/zeller

Contexts: Intermediate German



Contexts: Advanced German

• Research Activities– Research papers– Interactive websites

– Video projects

• Examples – Biographies of architects– Descriptions of building sites– Historical developments of city

blocks and neighborhoods

• Explorations in the city with still or video camera

Documents

Language Symposium 2005 _____________ May 14, 2005 _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Department

Language Symposium 2005 _ May 14, 2005 _________________________________________________________________________________ Department