name: Magda Schay
institution: Willamette University
language: Russian
status: Full-time, tenure track
project:
title: Russian verbs of motion
duration: January - May 1998
description: In Fall 1997 I submitted a Project Proposal (see attached form)
in which I applied for a course release and $2,500 stipend to be used to pay
a student "techie" . I received the course release and the student stipend,
BUT I forgot to put in a request for money for software. I am now told that
unanticipated software expenses are the norm, rather than the exception, but
I was inexperienced and asked for no funds for software.
My student has spent:
Corel Draw 8 $119.95
HTML Book 10.99
Java Boo 19.99
_________________
$150.97
on software, and I suspect that another $200.00 may be necessary for other applications.
Therefore, I would like to request an additional $350.00 for software added
to the $2,500 already granted. It is understood that if any of this money is
not spent on software for my particular project, it will be returned to the
general fund.
Verbs of motion in Russian and other Slavic languages is a grammatical concept
different from other verb usage, and is difficult for non-Slavic speakers to
grasp. In Russian, "to go" is a different verb depending whether or not the
subject is walking or riding on a conveyance, whetherthis "going" is in one
direction or is multidirectional, or whether is has already happened or will
happen once. Textbooks have tried to present these concepts in imaginative and
not so imaginative diagrams, arrows, etc. In this project we suggest that by
presenting the verbs of motion not in the linear way of a textbook but with
multimedia (audio, video and/or animation), the student will be more likely
to grasp the peculiarities in the usage of these verbs.
This project will be two-fold. In the first stage the basic verb forms will
be introduced, and the student will do exercises to show that the depicted concept
of going - by foot or conveyance, to where, when, and how frequently - is understood.
This stage will be presented to the student at the end of the second semester
of Russ. 132, and as review to the Intermediate Russian student at the beginning
of Russ. 231.
In the second stage the prefixed forms of the verbs will be introduced and the
student will navigate around town on foot or by conveyance, demonstrating an
understanding of arriving, leaving, entering, exiting, going around, up to,
through, etc. This stage will be introduced to the student at the Intermediate
Russian level.
At the end of each segment of each stage, to show his understanding of the concept,
the student will be asked to answer questions relevant to the material.
Professors Osipovich and Seifer of Lewis and Clark College and I are proposing
to do this project together in stages. They will apply for Mellon grant money
on their own.
In conclusion, I would like to point out that of the course release that was
granted (value of $3,000.00), only $800.00 have been used, and as a result this
project has not been as costly to the Consortium as had been anticipated.
outcome:
The purpose of this project is to help the student of Russian to be able to
use verbs of motion in an easier manner. As stated in the project description
this is a difficult concept, which the student cannot compare with his mother
tongue and which has not been explained satisfactorily in textbooks. It is our
premise that multimedia technology can bridge this difficulty. The desired outcome
is that students who will be "walking" and "driving" on the monitor screen will
be able to better grasp this concept.
timeline:
I have been advised that at this early "pioneering" stage it is very difficult
to estimate the length of the project. Ideally, I would like for it to go as
follows:
Project work:
Magda Schay (WU)- 1998 Spring Semester,
Tatjana Osipovich (LCC) - 1998 Fall Semester
Donna Seifer (LCC) - 1998 summer, and 1999 Spring
Project testing:
Stage one: T. O. and M. S. - 1998 Fall as review of basic forms. (Hopefully
1998 late Spring as the first introduction.)
Stage two: T.O., D.S. and M.S. - Fall 1999 in Intermediate Russian.
The student will have two tries to get the correct answer, and a success record
will be kept.
amount:
corel draw 8 $119.95;
HTML Book 10.99;
Java Book 19.99
_________________
$150.97
on software, and I suspect that another $200.00 may be necessary for other applications.
Therefore, I would like to request an additional $350.00 for software
added breakdown: Real Audio
Quick Time Movie
Graphics package capable of animated gifs
Claris Home Page and other Web authoring ware
Corel Draw 8
HTML Book
Java Book