Conversational Mandarin Chinese Online is a course using the modern computer technology. The first stage of this experimental taching and learning will include 15 lessons. The lessons are designed and taught by Dr. Tim Xie, Dept. of Chinese and Japanese, Univers ity of California, Davis, U.S.A.
Students can learn by listening to the recording, study the text and practice by themselves. Online tutoring can be scheduled to conduct real time consultation and practice using the FreeTel (or any other Internet Telephony programs) in the future. At present, students can request learning materials by email. Sample lessons can be accessed from the Contents Page.
This course is not to teach reading and writing, hence students are not supposed to read and write Chinese characters. Reading and writing course will be designed seperated.
This is a completely individualized course. Students can learn at their own pace. By the end of a lesson, online tutoring and test can be conducted. Send the instructor an e-mail message and the oral tutoring and test can be schduled, then conducted over the Internet.
Students are also suggested to find a local tutor for further help.
In order to learn "Conversational Mandarin Chinese Online", you need to have the following programs:
1. Internet access, email program (Eudora is suggested).
2. Voice E-mail Player 3.0 (required for listening to the recording of the lessons and instructor's supplementary recordings. Can be downloaded free from the BONZI Company.)
3. FreeTel (required for online office hour and tests. Can be downloaded free from the FreeTel Homepage.)
4. Microsoft Word (2.0 or higher) and Pinyin font. Pinyin font can be requested by emailing to Dr. Tianwei Xie.
Since this is a completely new technique of teaching a conversational foreign language through computer, students are welcome to give their comments and suggestions at any time.
All the learning materials (sound, image, script and any other materials) are for students' use only and not allowed to be transferred to any third party in any form without the consent of the instructor.
Dr. Tim Xie Dept of Chinese and Japanese University of California Davis, CA 95616 Tel. (916) 752-4129 Fax. (916) 753-3363 E-mail: twxie@ucdavis.edu