Frequently Asked Questions

What is distance learning?

Distance learning refers to a course that is delivered—at least in part—remotely. It can be interactive (as Enhanced Ednet is). In EDNET, the teacher can see and talk with students from the various sites at will. Some distance programs—such as Utah EDNET—supplements the distance portion with in-class facilitators.

Who administers and funds EDNET?

Enhanced Ednet is supported by the State of Utah and with additional funds from the Brigham Young University Chinese Flagship Center.

What is STARTALK and does it have anything to do with EDNET?

STARTALK is funded through the National Foreign Language Center. It includes an intensive summer camp for high school students at Brigham Young University, which awards credit for high school level one and two. STARTALK also organizes a teacher training workshop for K-12 teachers. The goals of the two programs are similar—to foster better Chinese language education in Utah and elsewhere. The STARTALK workshop also trains EDNET facilitators.

What is the curriculum like in EDNET?

A Master Teacher begins each course with a broadcasted fifty minute FACT curriculum lecture. This will is delivered in an interactive live broadcast to multiple schools simultaneously. As part of the live broadcast, the Master Teacher can ask a question to a particular student sitting in any participating high school classroom and the student’s response is heard not only by the Master Teacher, but also throughout the entire broadcast network. Each high school also has an in-class language facilitator, who observes the Master Teacher broadcast with the students. The language facilitator then conducts an additional fifty minute FACT portion of the curriculum. In this section of the course, students have an opportunity to practice the skills introduced by the Master teacher with their in-class language facilitator.

A detailed and extensive website accompanies the course curriculum for students and teachers to access important curriculum information and pertinent Chinese language learning website links. Cultural activities will also be a key addition to the classroom instruction as students try out their Chinese in local Chinese restaurants or be part of a local Chinese New Year’s celebration.

Which schools in Utah will participate?

The first group of school will begin participating in Fall of 2007 and include the following:

  1. Logan High School (Logan School District)
  2. Sky View High School (Cache School District)
  3. Bear River High School (Box Elder School District)
  4. Box Elder High School (Box Elder School District)
  5. Tooele High School (Tooele High School District)
  6. Grantsville High School (Tooele High School District)
  7. City Academy (Charter School)
  8. Olympus High School (Granite School District)
  9. Brighton High School (Jordan School District)
  10. Alta High School (Jordan School District)
  11. Jordan High School (Jordan School District)
  12. Riverton High School (Jordan School District)
  13. Copper Hills High School (Jordan School District)
  14. Springville High School (Nebo School District)
  15. Spanish Fork High School (Nebo School District)
  16. Payson High School (Nebo School District)

How can one learn language over a broadcast network? Don’t you need face-to-face contact?

All language approaches have strengths and weaknesses, and a distance program is no exception. While using a remote hookup does not replace an in class teacher, it does allow for an experienced master teacher to reach places that would not otherwise be possible. Recent technology can now bring a rich range of teaching materials (authentic video, photos, PowerPoint presentation, document feeds, etc.), to any classroom. In addition, each Ednet classroom will have a trained Chinese-speaking facilitator on-site to enhance the content provided by the master teacher.