An increasing number of U.S. German programs have adopted Klett's Impuls Deutsch college textbook series for novice-and intermediate-language levels (Impuls Deutsch 1 is also reviewed in this issue of Unterrichtspraxis). This software review focuses on the accompanying online platform, BlinkLearning, which houses the activities for the textbooks' flipped classroom approach. It describes the activation process, instructors' and learners' feedback about prominent features, and strategies to work effectively with the platform.Students can purchase access to the textbook's components on BlinkLearning through the publisher's website. Users receive book codes to activate the respective e-workbooks (LERNEN and ZEIGEN) and, if chosen, the e-course book (MACHEN). Teachers receive codes for all three parts and a teacher's manual. Once activated, students have e-book access for 14 months. On its website, Klett provides tutorials for learners and teachers. In case of additional questions, Klett's customer service has been responsive and helpful. Unfortunately, BlinkLearning's technical support has been slower in responding to learners' requests, sometimes taking days.The main features of BlinkLearning, as experienced through working with Impuls Deutsch 1, are as follows:(A) Navigation: The start page is welcoming and user-friendly. For instructors, it features five main tabs: Content (i.e., access to e-books); My Students (i.e., individual class lists, homework assignment feature); Grades (i.e., grade books); Faculty (i.e., enrolled instructors); and My Messages (i.e., communications with students). (B) Content: Instructors decide which chapters, units, and activities students can view; the rest may be deleted or hidden -useful when only parts of the textbook are covered.Teachers may also add their own content. The e-workbooks consist of various interactive activities that students complete outside of class (e.g., fill-in-the-blanks). The ecourse book includes activities for class. It features useful tools (e.g., search bar, text highlighter, pencil, textbox, notes). (C) Assignments: LERNEN and ZEIGEN activities are engaging and well-designed with overall clear instructions. Students appreciate the easy navigation (e.g., clicking through activities, continuing where one left) and access anywhere (e.g., via mobile devices). Some activities are auto-graded; others require the instructor to assign points manually. All scores are manually adjustable. Non-auto-graded activities count as zeros until the instructor reviews them, which can be quite stressful for some students. This default cannot be adjusted. Teachers can change the number of attempts per activity. Based
This study investigated stereotypes about teachers of German that 67 novice learners of German at a U.S. university had reportedly encountered. Consequently, the investigation explored the perceived accuracy of clichés associated with native‐speaker and non‐native‐speaker instructors. Students' stereotypical notions were sorted into categories using principles of grounded theory. Statistical analyses showed that respondents were able to list various stereotypes about instructors of German. Responses also reflected societal narratives concerning native‐speaker and non‐native‐speaker teachers' strengths and shortcomings. Last, and of importance to the future of German Studies, participants considered more favorable stereotypes about teachers as more accurate and less‐favorable clichés as more inaccurate. The study discusses implications for teaching, program advertisement, and research on how learners' imagined construct of the language classroom community may benefit the study of German.
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