Recently the Times reported the number of people taking Chinese at university is falling fast. In my latest blogpost I argue the future of Chinese learning may lie in self-directed online study:
Let me know your thoughts!
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I did a quick check and found an article about this; it confirmed that it’s true, the number of students taking Chinese is going down. But the number of people taking Korean, ASL, and Biblical Hebrew is going up.
Also, some funding and course offerings have gone down. For example, a friend I know wanted to enroll in Japanese but only one section is offered at her school and it doesn’t fit her schedule. (Previously more than one section would be offered.)
Another problem is that with concerns about the job market and the economy, more students are focusing on things they need for their degree and/or for a future job. Scholarships and federal funding for education no longer pay for courses outside of a students declared study plan (i.e. courses required for the major, including electives/general ed.)
I don’t know the whole situation, these are just some ideas that came to mind.
The less we learn about others, the less we understand them. Sadly.
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Reminds me of a project-related interview (for my company) with Hays where I was asked why I like learning languages, esp. Japanese.
Hays’ motto:
You already know your mother tongue and speak English. That’s enough 
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