The UNG STARTALK Chinese pilot program consists of a two-week residential immersion summer camp and 60 hours of hybrid outreach activities during academic year.
Features of the UNG STARTALK Chinese pilot program
Standard based teaching: astronomy topics selected from Georgia Performance Standards for High School Astronomy.
Proficiency and Performance based teaching: using ACTFL and STARTALK guidelines to design learning and assessment activities.
Diverse and inclusive student population: collaborate with Chinese programs at high schools in Georgia and focus recruitment efforts on high school youth with limited learning options.
Cross-disciplinary curriculum: Faculty at K-16 levels, with expertise in language teaching, literature and film appreciation, science education, physics, and computer science work together to develop content-based curriculum and extracurricular plans that enriches this stem-based language and culture learning program.
Learning Goals
By the end of the program, students are expected to:
Improve their language proficiency to at least a sublevel at ACTFL OPI test scale.
Deepen their understanding of Chinese culture connected to the topics of astronomy and the related myths.
Develop their knowledge of astronomy.
Develop interest in federal careers, such as working in NASA and other aeronautics related educational and research institutes.