Online school offers Diné language, government classes

WINDOW ROCK, June 26, 2008

Students applying for the Chief Manuelito Scholarship will have an easier time meeting the requirements for Diné language and government classes thanks to the availability of online courses.

TheAmericanAcademy.com, an online school, began offering the courses in September, according to Principal Rebecca Richards. So far about six students have completed the courses, she said.

Some students - particularly those living off the reservation - have found it difficult to meet the language and culture requirements because their schools do not offer the needed classes.

Teens in far-away states such as Massachusetts and California often find that Navajo language classes, in particular, are out of the question.

And so otherwise gifted students are not eligible for the tribe's most prestigious scholarship.

The idea for offering these courses online originated with the Electronic High School, which started providing them in response to Navajo students in the Salt Lake City and Provo areas.

But when requests began coming in from outside the state, Electronic High contacted the American Academy to fill the need. Both schools are based in Salt Lake City and are accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools.

"We had a lot of calls early on from ONNSFA (the Navajo scholarship office) from students who had heard about online courses offered in Utah wanting access to them," Richards said.

As to the low enrollment, Richards noted that the academy only began offering the online courses last fall - not much time for the word to get around.

Now Richards is in touch with the Navajo scholarship office and the Department of Diné Education to promote the courses.

About 20 students have signed up for the courses, which are conducted on a "rolling" basis to enable each student to do the work on their own time.

The classes are open to everyone, and Richards noted that even a few students on the reservation have taken them.

What about the quality of instruction - can students really cover the same material over the Internet as in a traditional classroom?

The Navajo government course follows the lines of a traditional social studies class and can conceivably be taught via books and tests administered by a proctor.

But how much can you learn in a language class, which depends so much on verbal communication - especially for correct pronunciation?

Language students go through lessons online and interact with the instructor through e-mail. They are graded on written and oral tests.

And how can students be tested on their speaking abilities online? The answer is through voice mail and over the phone.

The school maintains a dedicated phone line and students speak their responses in Navajo, the instructor listens to them, and gives a grade.

Richards touted the "learn at your own pace" aspect of online learning, as well as a classroom in which location is not important.

"The biggest positive in my book is that it breaks down barriers of geography," she said. "Students who wouldn't otherwise have access can learn. Students really interact with the teacher in a one-on-one situation. In a traditional setting it's not directed at them. They also can feel they have some anonymity and aren't embarrassed to ask questions."

Ron Singer teaches American Academy's Navajo courses, and he acknowledges that there are some drawbacks.

"One on one, the classroom setting is probably the best way," Singer said. "However, in this day and age many Navajos live off the reservation and don't have access to those classes. If a person is motivated to learn it, they'll use it. They might even go back to the reservation to use it."

With the additional access to qualifying courses, the scholarship office could see more applications for the Manuelito scholarship. But is there enough money for an increased load?

ONNSFA director Rose Graham says there should be, given the current number of students applying for financial assistance from the tribe.

Last year's Manuelito scholar class numbered 72, up from 64 in 2006 and 60 in 2005, according to ONNSFA data.

Students awarded the scholarship receive $7,000 per academic year provided they are full-time students and maintain a 3.0 GPA, or "B" average.

Funding for the Chief Manuelito Scholarship comes from the scholarship office's annual budget, this year set at $14.6 million.

Most students, of course, don't become a Chief Manuelito Scholar, but most do qualify for a "need-based" scholarship. This means they do not have enough personal or family resources to pay for college by themselves, and so can receive up to $4,000 a year from the tribe.

The Chief Manuelito Scholarship is restricted to undergraduates, although other scholarship aid is available to students who seek a master's or doctoral degree.

Overall, 9,283 students requested scholarship aid from the Navajo Nation of which 5,984 received aid in 2007. Of those who are turned down, the majority have not completed the paperwork and provided documents as needed, Graham said.

What if all those students filed their applications complete and on time?

"Then we wouldn't have enough money for everyone," Graham said. "We would need $48 million to fund one semester if everyone qualified and right now we have 14.6 (million) for one year."

And if it came to that?

"I don't have any other funding sources," Graham said. "We're constantly looking for money."

Most of the scholarship office's funding comes from the BIA with about a quarter coming from the tribe. The rest is from corporate funds, trust funds and private donations.

It has not come to denying students for lack of funds, but as applicants increase at a gradual, but steady, rate - thanks in part to access to online Navajo language classes - Graham and the scholarship office may have to redouble their efforts to find more funding.

Onformation: www.TheAmericanAcademy.com.

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