Research

Implementing e-Portfolio Based Pedagogy into the world language curricula engages students to become self-directed learners from the very process of collecting, selecting, and reflecting upon their chosen "artifacts" (course notes, assignments, recordings, photos, telecollborative exchanges and impressions, discussion forum posts, questions, cultural understandings, journaling, etc.) 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. Consequently, 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, reviewed, and assessed based on task completion, comprehensibility, fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary, 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, social courtesies, motivation to continue language learning, consideration for study abroad opportunities, digital literacies, autonomy, 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 Cultures that is contributing to a rich repository of resource materials for our students in French, German, and Japanese.

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, evaluate, and apply practical everyday concepts in real-world situations. Using the four scaffolded learning modes of the ImmerseMe tool (pronunciation, writing, translation, and immersion), 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.