M.S.

in Instructional Science and Technology

California State University
Monterey Bay
Running head: COLOMBIAN DIALECTS 1

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY

MONTEREY BAY

Colombian Dialect Variants

CAPSTONE REPORT

Submitted in partial satisfaction of requirements of the degree of

MASTER OF SCIENCE in

Instructional Science and Technology

Giovanna Milena Rodriguez Uribe

December13th, 2019

Capstone Approvals: (At least one advisor and capstone instructor should approve)

Dr. Donald Fischer ___________________________ _____________

Advisor Name Signature Date

Dr. Bude Su ___________________________ _____________

Capstone Instructor Name Signature Date
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
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COLOMBIAN DIALECTS

Table of Contents
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................3
Introduction/Background ................................................................................................................4
Background on Project ................................................................................................................4
Problem Description.....................................................................................................................4
Target Audience............................................................................................................................4
Environmental Scan .....................................................................................................................4
Solution………………………………............................................................................................5
Goals and Objectives…………………........................................................................................5
Learning Objectives......................................................................................................................5
Proposed Solution to Fill the Gap…….........................................................................................6
Learning Theories/Instructional Principles.................................................................................. 6
Learning Strategies and Justification ...........................................................................................8
Media Components.......................................................................................................................8
Challenges.................................................................................................................................... 8
Methods and Procedures ................................................................................................................ 8
Design…………………………………………………………………………….…………...…8
Steps to Complete the Project …………………………………………………………………...9
Resources ………………………………………………………………………….………...……9
Technical Skills Required………………………………………………………………………..9
Timeline/Progress Report…………………………………………………………………..……9
Milestone Checklist………………...………….……………………………………………...…9
Evaluation/Testing Report………………………………………………………………….……10
Formative Evaluation……………………………………………………………..…………….10
Summative Evaluation…….……………………………………………………………………12
Conclusion………………………………………………..……………………………………...14
References………………………………………………………………………………………..16
Appendices……………………………………………………………………………………….17
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
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Executive Summary
The Defense Language Institute (DLI) prepares learners to perform linguistics tasks
around the world. One of those languages taught at DLI is Spanish, which is taught to students
using standardized language features. Some of those features allow them to recognize main
differences such as the prevalence of /θ/ sound in Spain like the sounds “th” in the word “thirsty”
in English and the "sh" sound to pronounce the consonants "ll" and "y" in Argentina, giving
students the primary language tools required to deal with some real-life scenarios. However,
when it comes to understanding the specifics of each country, such as Colombia, they lack
essential knowledge required to understand the inherent socioeconomic and cultural differences
of the inhabitants of each region in this country. This situation defines a linguistic gap that needs
to be addressed to understand Colombian Spanish deeply. The Colombian Spanish includes
differences in pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary and syntax, as well as common
expressions across geographical areas and social groups. They reflect the country's history and
socio-cultural changes. It is of great importance that students at DLI understand these differences
to provide an efficient service as linguists.
This solution contributed to the development of a deeper understanding of Colombian
Spanish language to assist linguists in real-life scenarios, achieving Final Learning Objectives
(FLO) topic objectives, and 2+2+2 proficiency levels.
The primary audience for this solution was Spanish language students who had
previously taken the first two semesters of Spanish at DLI. This solution was delivered in the
Spanish language in its entirety.
The content of this solution was developed using the Universal Curriculum and
Assessment Tool (UCAT). This solution required the learner to proceed in sequential order. This
solution applied principles of Andragogy for the adult audience. Merrill's Principles of
Instruction were implemented as students could engage in real-life scenarios where their
previous knowledge was activated, and new knowledge was integrated into their lives as
linguists. There were also elements of Gagne's Nine Elements of Instruction such as gaining the
audience's attention through images, videos and interactive activities promoting recall and
learning with immediate feedback. This solution adhered to the 12 Principles of Multimedia
learning to guarantee consistency throughout the design.
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
California State University
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Introduction/Background
Background on Project
The DLI Spanish Basic Course teaches standardized Spanish. Learners are exposed to a
wide variety of authentic materials that provide students a plethora of vocabulary strengthening
comprehension skills (Listening and Reading) and productive skills (Speaking and Writing). The
challenges linguists face daily require the acquisition of not only the standard Spanish which will
help them perform their obligations but also a deeper understanding of the linguistic features of
the Spanish language per region within each country.

Problem Description
DLI Spanish Basic Course current efforts on preparing students for the final proficiency
exams and real-life challenges are limited as they focus on Standard Spanish. DLI’s mission
requires linguists that are well versed in all the target language intricacies beyond the basic
standard level, as well as an in-depth knowledge of the culture. Therefore, obtaining a more
profound knowledge and practice about Colombian Spanish dialect will ensure DLI linguists
receive the tools needed to handle more specialized tasks involving Colombian Spanish which in
turn shortens the time for linguists to reach required professional proficiency.

Target Audience and Context

The primary target audience was Spanish foreign language students who had previously
taken the first two semesters of Spanish at the Defense Language Institute, had covered almost
the entire basic grammar requirements and were prepared to read, listen and understand the
Spanish language. Students were at different levels of Spanish proficiency at this point. All
students had acquired enough vocabulary and skills to deal with more advanced and specific
materials like dialects. All students possessed high school diplomas and some college and
master’s degrees. They had basic computer knowledge and could navigate the internet and had
previously been exposed to UCAT. The students were only required to be able to navigate the
internet. There were no issues expected for navigating through UCAT.

Environmental Scan
Students at DLI go through rigorous training to graduate as linguists. This training
requires not only learning the language but also understanding culture and socioeconomic trends
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
California State University
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COLOMBIAN DIALECTS
in the countries in which the language is used. In the case of Colombia, DLI offers a variety of
resources to help students become familiar with the language. Some of those resources include a
cultural orientation where historical, geographic and governmental generalities are taught , a
basic familiarization with accents in which instructors from different regions read the same
passages with the accent of their country of origin (Colombia, Cuba or Ecuador etc), and survival
language kits focused on the different military branches’ needs, all accessible through DLI’s site.
These products prepare students for the basic course and some real-life scenarios. The scope of
these materials is limited, considering the vast range of dialects within the different regions in the
country. Therefore, a more in-depth study of the dialects of Colombia is critical to master native-
like proficiency and perform linguistics tasks better.

Solution Description

Goals and objectives

This solution intended to provide both theoretical and practical training to Spanish DLI
students to become more proficient in Colombian Spanish to perform the daily linguist duties
accurately by applying this knowledge in different real-life scenarios related to their future
assignments.

Learning Objectives
Objective 1: Given a list of vocabulary and phonetic differences, DLI Spanish learners
will be able to identify the area of origin of the speakers with 100 % accuracy.
Objective 2: Given content knowledge of the different Colombian regions’ idiosyncrasy
and dialects, DLI Spanish learners will be able to diagnose the cause of Colombian
miscommunication with 90% accuracy.
Objective 3: Given content knowledge of the different Colombian regions’ idiosyncrasy
and dialects, DLI Spanish learners will be able to find a linguistic solution to Colombian
miscommunication with 90% accuracy.
Objective 4: Given short video clips of Colombian speakers, DLI Spanish students will
be able to identify the origin and transcribe passages from specific regions with 90% accuracy.
Objective 5: Given a scenario with a Colombian citizen, DLI Spanish students will be
able to solve linguistic challenges with 90% accuracy.
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
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Proposed Solution to Fill the Gap
In this scenario-based solution, a linguist is sent to Colombia. The linguist knows basic
Spanish but has never been exposed to the dialects of this country. This situation presented
students with a series of difficulties/challenges that needed to be addressed to survive in this
country. The learner was required to learn about dialects which were taught by a Colombian
person acting as mentor. This solution was comprised of three units: pronunciation, grammar,
and vocabulary and expressions of three dialects: “Paisa,” “Costeño” and “Rolo,” and was also
delivered 100% in the target language.

Learning Theories, Instructional Principles

Andragogy. This solution included aspects of Andragogy because adult students were
able to make decisions and be self-directed through the module. Andragogy emphasizes the idea
that “Adults are most interested in learning subjects that have immediate impact on their job or
personal life” (Pappas, 2013). That is why this solution engages students in problem-solving
activities, which are of great value for an adult language learner.

Merrill’s principles of instruction. David Merrill (2002) in First Principles of

Instruction, offers fundamental concepts needed to make learning productive and organized.
“Online learners must actively engage with the eLearning content to fully grasp the information
and apply it in the real world. This involves a multi-phase process of activation, demonstration,
integration and other essential components” (Pappas, 2017). This design included the
fundamentals of this approach by taking learners on a journey to different Colombian regions
and applying critical linguistic features required of their future jobs.
Principle 1: Learning should be task or problem-centered.
Principle 2: Learning is promoted when previous knowledge or experience is activated.
Principle 3: Learning is promoted when instruction demonstrates the concepts to be learned
rather than telling what the content is about.
Principle 4: Learning is promoted when learners are encouraged to use their new knowledge or
skills to solve problems.
Principle 5: Learning is promoted when learners are encouraged to integrate new skills or
knowledge into their everyday life. (Merrill, 2002, pp. 45-55)
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Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction. Robert Gagné proposed the nine events of
instruction to help design engaging and meaningful instruction. These events “Follow a
systematic instructional design process that share the behaviorist approach to learning, with a
focus on the outcomes or behaviors of instruction or training”. (“Gagne’s Nine Events,”n.d.).
This solution conformed to the Nine Events of Instruction by gaining attention through images
and videos, informing the learners about the objectives of the module and promoting recall by
using interactive activities with feedback through familiar situations to help students connect to
their background knowledge.

The 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning. Richard Mayer’s (2001) 12 principles for

multimedia were created to improve the learning experience and decrease the cognitive load.
This solution went along with these principles due to “their applicability over the long haul.
While education's growing use of technology as an instructional aid calls for the use of guiding
constructs like these more than ever” (Walsh, 2017). This way this solution ensured a meaningful
and useful learning experience.
1. Coherence Principle.
2. Signaling Principle.
3. Redundancy Principle.
4. Spatial Contiguity Principle.
5. Temporal Contiguity Principle.
6. Segmenting Principle.
7. Pre-training Principle.
8. Modality Principle.
9. Multimedia Principle.
10. Personalization Principle.
11. Voice Principle.
12. Image Principle.
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
California State University
Monterey Bay
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Learning Strategies and Justification
Scenario-based instruction was the primary approach selected to achieve the goals of this
solution. In this project, DLI students were immersed into situations in which they practiced their
knowledge, developed skills and were able to learn from their mistakes by reading the feedback.
It also made students use their critical thinking, “Scenario-based instruction enhances critical
thinking” (Mcintyre & Mirriahi, n.d.) to make decisions about when to use what dialect to
perform tasks in different contexts. They are expected to make these kinds of decisions after they
complete their studies at DLI.

Media Components
This training was launched in the Universal Curriculum and Assessment Tool (UCAT).
UCAT allows embedding videos and has a variety of options for activities such as multiple-
choice, open questions, categories, and transcription, among others. UCAT also allows
downloading a stand-alone version in case the Internet fails to work. Students navigated through
different tabs to access the content. Each tab consisted of videos (instructional and
informational), content materials (audio, graphics, and readings) with activities to apply the
Colombian Spanish dialects knowledge required to meet the challenges proposed in the scenario.

Challenges
The obstacles encountered in this project were related to the use of UCAT. Even though
its access has been expanded outside of the military base for its users, it is still time consuming
to upload the materials with frequent crashes. One of the main issues encountered with UCAT
was the fact that when the training was delivered to students as homework, it disabled the
feedback options of the training. This is something a regular instructor would not know on a
regular basis, making instructors very dependent on the UCAT developers. It made the process
time consuming because only the Academic Advisor had the permission to make such changes.
It was necessary to have several meetings with UCAT developers to fix the issues.

Methods/Procedures

Design
ADDIE is a well-structured and organized model that allows cohesiveness and
effectiveness in Instructional Design. ADDIE’s five steps Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement,
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
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and Evaluate, have the potential for a great learning experience to the learners and that learning
is likely to take place. ADDIE’ s principles governed this solution because the scenario was
developed through analyzing the target audience, there were specific instructional goals related
to the job, and there was clarity about the learning objectives. Before the implementation of this
solution, a user test was conducted to verify its effectiveness and make more changes as needed.
The solution concluded with a summative evaluation measuring students’ learning through pre
and post-tests and a satisfaction checklist.

Steps to Complete Project

Before beginning developing this solution, a gap analysis was done identifying current
needs and the target audience. The solution was presented to the SME for approval to find
implementation support. To finish this project, it was necessary to design the storyboard first.
The storyboard helped organize the scenario and activities in the design. The visual and audio
materials were chosen and presented to the SME for feedback. Once the storyboard was done,
the entire project was uploaded to UCAT, and the pre and post-test was designed as well as the
usability checklist.

Resources
The participants required a laptop, connectivity to the internet and access to UCAT for
the implementation of this solution. There were no costs as UCAT is current DLI resource. Once
the project was finished, UCAT’s support team uploaded the training into the UCAT’s site so
that students could access it. Students did not need UCAT training as they were already
familiarized with the program since the beginning of the third semester. This project was
accomplished with existing financial and human resources.

Technical Skills Required

There were no additional skills required for this solution.

Timeline/Progress Report
Milestone Checklist
Several meetings with the supervisor were scheduled to discuss the details of this
solution.
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
California State University
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Date Deliverable Comments

Sept 3, 2019 Capstone Proposal Capstone storyboard

continued to be designed and
discussed with SME for
feedback and suggestions
Sept 24, 2019 Capstone Storyboard The storyboard was shared
with the advisor and SME.
Oct 22, 2019 Project Checkpoint All major elements of the
proposal were designed and
ready for implementation.

Nov 12, 2019 Capstone Project The training was taken by

DLI students including pre
and post tests and usability
survey (Oct 21-25).

Nov 19, 2019 Festival Web page Executive summary in

Weebly was finished

Dec 3, 2019 Capstone Summary 1 Page summary was written

Dec 10, 2019 Final Report Submission DVD or USB with all the
deliverables was submitted
December, 2019 Project Presentation

Evaluation/Testing Report

Formative Evaluation (Usability Survey)

The purpose of this survey was to attain information about the student’s impressions and
navigation of the design. The usability test used a scale that ranged from strongly disagree to
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agree for the first eight questions strongly and asked two open-ended questions whose main
objective was to know what aspects of the design were enjoyed the most and what
recommendations students could make for future improvement. (See Figure1)

Figure 1. Usability Survey. Data collected from the participants after they finished their post-
test.
The color palette helped the navigation. Students also felt comfortable understanding the
materials considering they were authentic audio and videos in the target language without
subtitles neither in Spanish nor in English. They were expected to understand most of them due
to the level of proficiency they have acquired by the third semester. All the activities had
knowledge checks with feedback, which were helpful to narrow essential concepts and self-
check. Four of five students agreed they were going to notice the differences among the three
dialects taught in their future careers are linguists. These findings are great news and are an
excellent example of how UCAT can serve as a platform for future projects outside the basic
course. The amount of content, the explanations, and the organization helped their learning. One
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student felt the explanations and examples were not clear, and another student felt neutral about
it. This situation could have happened since there are several levels of proficiency in the third
semester. The fact that the participants were in the third semester does not mean they can
understand the language correctly. The students were chosen randomly, not looking at their
grades or levels of proficiency.
For Question 8 (What did you enjoy the most?), students mentioned they enjoyed the
voiced slides much better than reading by themselves. They expressed they were fun and enjoyed
not only the expansive vocabulary but also the quality of the audios. Besides, the story with the
cab driver was “humorous and entertaining,” and the explanations came clear in the story. They
also mentioned that the design provided excellent examples of the various accents and
differences in culture. Not boring!
For Question 9 (What would you recommend making this training better?), students
recommend to either give more time for the training or reduce the amount of content for one
hour. They also recommended reducing the amount of vocabulary presented for some of the
matching exercises or divide the matching activity in two parts. They also suggested not to add
explanations or accent marks in the transcription exercises feedback so that UCAT can mark
more correct answers. (see Appendix A)
To improve this experience, I recommend extending the time to two hours (or more)
depending on the DLI academic schedules or student’s standing in the class. Some students
might require extra time to fully grasp the subject and develop the necessary skills.
Besides extending the time, this capstone project can include translation exercises, that
can help recognize how different the two languages (Spanish and English) operate and change
meanings.
The results of the usability test indicate that this capstone project can help reduce the gap
to reach the native-like levels by offering authentic materials and useful activities in a design
based on a real-life scenario that captures the interest of the students and facilitates the learning
of different Colombian dialect nuances.
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
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Summative Evaluation
To measure the effectiveness of this capstone project, data was collected in two periods
before and after applying the intervention on one single group of five students using the same
questionnaire embedded in UCAT. (See Appendix B)
The alternate hypothesis stated that after students take this training; their scores would
improve (µb < µa, where b refers to pre-test scores and a refers to post-test scores). Therefore, the
null hypothesis for this project is that there is no statistical difference between the pre and post-
tests scores. After performing the statistical analysis, it can be concluded that there is a
statistically significant mean difference between the pre-test and post-test results. See Table 1
with the results showing a statistically significant higher score after the intervention.
The t-stat was 3.54. A one tail paired sample t-test was chosen to compare pre and post-
test mean scores. As table 3.1 shows, the experimental T statistic was 3.54, which is higher than
the critical one-tail t-value of 2.13 with a p-value of 0.012 smaller than the alpha critical 0.05.
Therefore, the null hypothesis should be rejected. Results indicate a significant difference from
pre-test (M=3.8, SD=1.92) to post-test (M=6.2, SD=0.84), [t(4)=3.5, p<.05, and d=1.25]
concluding that the results are statistically significant.
By finding the Cohen's d value, it was possible to deduce that the design is valid due to
the difference between pre-test and post- test scores. The effect size Cohen's d= 1.25 is
significantly larger than 0.8 threshold for large effect. It was calculated using the following
formula M1=3.8-M2=6.2/1.92 st dev. All statistical results support the conclusion that the tutorial
is very likely to support proficiency growth and professional success on the job.
Table 1
t-Test: Paired Two Sample for Means
 M.S. in Instructional Science and Technology
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Conclusion
To reach native-like levels of proficiency in a second language, students need to master
the different dialects within that language. Through this capstone project, students learned three
main dialects from Colombian Spanish, which will be of great help in their future jobs.
This project was intentionally designed in the target language due to the participants’ familiarity
with the Spanish language in the third semester. For most students, their current proficiency level
helped them understand most of the content.
To help students with less proficiency, vocabulary matching activities and self-
explanatory videos were carefully selected. However, it was still a little hard for less proficient
students even at the third semester. Extra scaffolding is required to facilitate the decoding,
storage and retrieval of the new words. Adding transcriptions to the self-explanatory videos can
help students who have listening difficulties. This facilitates the understanding of the
explanations from the videos. There were also practical activities after each vocabulary matching
exercise to help students use the new words in context, facilitating memorization. They filled in
stories using and completed sentences.
Due to the length of the transcription exercises, this project should be implemented in a
2-3hour period if decided to be used in a typical day at DLI. Also, if more scaffolding activities
are added, it will extend the length requiring even more time for students to do it. This project
can also be used as an extended homework within one week. This extension will provide
students with more opportunities to repeat until they master the content.
UCAT is still a platform under construction, which has many limitations. Students and
instructors use the same basic features: multiple choice questions, matching exercises, categories,
fill in the blanks with not many effects that cater to the specific needs of the learners. Every
generation will be more advanced in terms of how they use the technology, and right now, it is
the instructor’s creativity, the one that can help give UCAT that spark needed to be used in a
more meaningful way to learn second languages.
If this project is assigned as homework in the assignment section in UCAT, it disables all
the feedback features. Therefore, I suggest only add the pre and post-test as homework so UCAT
can grade it and launch the training in the main UCAT platform, so the feedback is not
deactivated.
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Every language at DLI should create this kind of material to all students who want to
deepen their knowledge of the language. It also helps students transition into the real world
outside the school. In the future, I see many languages incorporating this idea and exploring
other real-life scenarios to target native-like proficiency levels. This training can be part of the
students’ GPA, replacing some Area Studies activities.
When UCAT has developed more features, it would be able to offer a better navigation
and learning experience.
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References

Clark, Ruth C. & Mayer, Richard E. (2016). E-Learning and the Science of Instruction (4th ed.).
Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Defense Language Institute. (n.d.). [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.dliflc.edu
Gagné, R. M., Briggs, L. J., & Wager, W. W. (1992). Principles of instructional design (4th ed.).
Forth Worth, TX: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich College Publishers.
Northern Illinois University. (n.d.). Faculty development and Instructional Design center.
Gagne’s Nine Events of Instruction. Retrieved from
https://www.niu.edu/facdev/_pdf/guide/learning/gagnes_nine_events_instruction.pdf
Mcintyre, Simon & Mirriahi, Dr. Negin. (n.d.). The University of New South Wales. What is
Scenario Based Tranining [Video File]. https://www.coursera.org. Retrieve from
https://www.coursera.org/lecture/teach-online/what-is-scenario-based-training-crtLX
Pappas, Christopher. (2013). The Adult Learning Theory-Andragogy-of Malcom Knowles.
Retrieved from https://elearningindustry.com/the-adult-learning-theory-andragogy-of-
malcolm-knowles
Pappas, Christopher. (2017). Merrill’s Principles of Instruction: The Definitive Guide. Retrieved
from https://elearningindustry.com/merrills-principles-instruction-definitive-guide

Walsh, Kelly. (2017). Mayer’s 12 Principles of Multimedia Learning are a Powerful Design
Resource. Retrieved from https://www.emergingedtech.com/2017/06/mayers-12-
principles-of-multimedia-learning-are-a-powerful-design-resource/
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Appendices
Appendix A
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Appendix B
Pre and Post test