New Orientations for French Language Learning: Is Synchronous Distance Education a Viable Solution?

A wave of budget cuts resulting from a global recession that began in 2008 has been driving the dialogue on the future of French/Francophone studies in the United States. Among a variety of possible directions, distance education has emerged as a potential route for universities needing to reduce costs and cater to a growing and diverse student population. This paper describes a first-time beginning French synchronous distance education course and, drawing on research, experience, and student feedback, argues that, with the implementation of certain standards, learning French by distance is not only possible but effective.