Development of Flexible On-line Arabic Language Training at Deakin University, Australia

Author Mr. Abdel-Hakeem Kasem

About the author:

Abdel-Hakeem Kasem, M.A (applied linguistics, Monash University).

The focus of Kasem's research activities is on Arabic language and culture studies, and cross-cultural communication. Kasem has contributed articles to national and international conferences on issues related to language and culture studies, cross-cultural communication, and applied linguistics. He has also conducted research on the cultural dimension of Australia's trade with the ME.

Furthermore, over the past decade, Mr Kasem has taken an active role in promoting the ME as one of Australia's major trading partners through his long term involvement with the Australia Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Austrade, and many other peak business organisations. He has also contributed significantly to broader scholarship in the field through his position as chief editor of the Journal of Arabic, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies (JAIMES) (1993 - 2000), and through his involvement with the Australasian ME Studies Association. As chief editor of JAIMES he has coordinated research in contemporary and historical issues such as art, language and culture, literature, business and trade, political economy, history and politics, religion, gender, ethnicity, demography and diplomacy.

Publications

Kasem, A. (2005), ' The Effect of Focus on Form in the Accuracy Rate of the Acquisition of Noun-Adjective Agreement in the Written Work of Adult Learners of Arabic', Journal of Language and Linguistics. Rabat, Morocco

Kasem, A, (2002) 'Initiatives in Language and Cross-Cultural Communication for Business and the Community', International Journal of Social Sciences, V10, N1, pp. 71-84, Canada.

Kasem, A, (2002) 'Linguistic Influences in L2 Learning: The Case of Arabic Negation System', International Journal of Social Sciences, V10, N4, pp. 421-444, Canada.

Kasem, A., (2000), 'The Acquisition of English Copula by Native Speakers of Lebanese Arabic', in Ibrahim, Z., et al (eds), Diversity in Language: Contrastive Studies in English and Arabic Theoretical and Applies Linguistics., The American University of Cairo and New York.

Kasem, A. & Mansouri, F. (1998), 'An Integrated Approach to the Teaching of Diglossic Languages in a Foreign Setting: The Case of Arabic', The Journal of Arabic, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 4, No.2, pp:47-68.

Kasem, A, (1988), The Educational Needs and Interests of Arabic Speaking Young Adults, Report commissioned by the Council of Adult Education, Melbourne.

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Arabic is identified as a priority language in many Australian government reports and is seen as a language of strategic importance to Australia's national interest. Relatively recent global events that have highlighted the geo-political importance of the Middle East combined with greater awareness of the business opportunities available in the Arabic-speaking world have pushed demand for Arabic language training beyond the confines of government and academic environments and into the wider community. Unfortunately, Arabic is only taught at seven of Australia's leading tertiary institutions - the Australian National University, Deakin University, Edith Cowan University, Melbourne University, the University of New South Wales and the University of Western Sydney - and all of the programs offered at these institutions are delivered under a traditional on-campus delivery format.

While appropriate for some audiences, traditional on-campus delivery formats often are not convenient for business owners, professionals, consultants, government workers, diplomats and other full-time employees requiring Arabic language training. There is a demonstrated need in Australia for accredited Arabic language courses delivered under a flexible delivery format conducive to the schedule of these types of learners rather than the timetables of institutions.

A project has been designed to address the need to develop, offer and deliver Arabic online units through WebCT software. This innovative and unique project for teaching both Arabic language and culture will utilise cutting-edge technology and course-tool applications in an asynchronous mode. The studying online learning experience will be totally interactive, providing participating students with immediate feedback on their work. It will also provide opportunities for interaction through email, discussion boards and chat rooms, enabling students to communicate regularly and frequently with their tutors and fellow classmates for an enhanced learning experience.

The principal objectives of this project include:

• To maximize the potential reach of the Deakin University Arabic program outside the Melbourne campus and beyond the metropolitan area, thereby eliminating geographical barriers that currently prevent interested students from studying Arabic language, history and culture;
• Provide potential students with a flexible, online delivery service that better meets their Arabic language training needs;
• To enable students to access learning materials whenever they need to and wherever they are in Australia or, indeed, the world;
• To provide enhanced learning opportunities to disseminate knowledge and understanding throughout Australia of Arabic language, heritage and culture;
• To better accommodate the individual preferences and needs of Arabic learners; and
• To provide another formal structure within Australia that could help bridge understandings between the Arabic-speaking world and Australia, thereby encouraging further development of two-way trade and community ties between Australia and the Middle East.

The objectives will be achieved via:

• The development of adequate Arabic on-line material as outlined above;
• Offering Arabic off-campus from Semester One 2007; and
• · Making on-line material available to on-campus, as well as off-campus, students. For the latter, it will be supplemented by two telephone tutorials and a telephone oral exam during the semester.
  

Deakin University's Arabic language courses have been available on the Melbourne campus of Deakin University since 1989. Deakin Arabic is in keeping with the university's mission and strategic plans, the Faculty of Arts focus on globalisation and the Government's policy of increasing links with the Middle East. The course produces graduates with linguistic skills and cultural sophistication. Deakin Arabic is a well-established language program in Australia with an emphasis on communicative competence and innovative teaching methodologies. The program serves the needs of both the Arabic/Australian community and the wider Australian national interests. It is the emphasis on the use of Arabic as a modern international language of diplomacy, trade and culture that has distinguished this program and made it popular with non-Arabic speaking students. The program has won national recognition in Australia and graduates from the program have successfully found full-time employment in government and business, both domestically and internationally, sometimes before graduating.

Deakin University was one of the first Australian educational institutions to respond to Government efforts to make tertiary education programs more compatible with the needs of export?oriented business and industry by pioneering, jointly with the Australia-Arab Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AACCI), the first combined degree program in Arts (Arabic)/Commerce in Australia 1989. The program enjoys the full support of AACCI and many other peak business organisations that provide annual scholarships and internships to our students.