Current 研究 Opportunities
Implementing e-Portfolio Based Pedagogy into the world language curricula engages students to become self-directed learners from the very process of collecting, 选择, and reflecting upon their chosen "artifacts" (course notes, 作业, 录音, 照片, telecollborative exchanges and impressions, discussion forum posts, 问题, cultural understandings, 日志记录, 等.) as they synthesize and demonstrate their knowledge of language and cultures. Such an integrative learning approach helps students showcase their semester-long efforts from multiple contexts, connect disparate experiences, and create meaning from their learning in- and outside of the class. 因此, students become better prepared as global citizens - able to connect their interests and abilities to their personal goals.
Students are provided with the unique opportunity to converse with native speakers from around the world. Each conversation practice takes place directly on the TalkAbroad website where students' realtime conversations are recorded, 综述了, and assessed based on task completion, 可理解性, 流利, 发音, 词汇表, and language control. End of semester surveys of students' perceptions of language learning using TalkAbroad indicate a positive impact on students' learning outcomes that include: communicative competence, intercultural competence, 社交礼仪, motivation to continue language learning, consideration for study abroad opportunities, 数字文化, 自治, and student-centered learning.
This project is a continuation of a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) grant-funded research study on Academic Podcasting by Betty Rose Facer, Dr. M'hammed Abdous, and Dr. Cherng-Jyh at Old Dominion University that provides students with the opportunity to (re)listen to course content as a review tool in order to hone their language skills development. It serves as a model replicated by faculty members in the Department of World Languages and 文化 that is contributing to a rich repository of resource materials for our students in French, 德国, 和日本.
This project aligns the curricular concepts and themes discussed in a novice-level French course with authentic scenarios using the ImmerseMe tool for asynchronous learning. The project motivates students to analyze, 评估, and apply practical everyday concepts in real-world situations. Using the four scaffolded learning modes of the ImmerseMe tool (发音, 写作, 翻译, 和浸), students fully engage with real-world applications where they are prompted to interact and negotiate meaning. The project is supported by the ODU Center for High Impact Practices and the HIP-XR Grant.
National Endowment for the Humanities
Summary Findings of the NEH Digital Humanities Start-Up 奖助金, "The Impact of Academic Podcasting: Emerging Technologies for the Foreign Language Classroom." B. Facer, Principal Investigator.