experiential Module
Self-Designed Capstone Project
Embedded Files
an analysis of online language instruction
an analysis of online language instruction
Descriptive Handout
Descriptive Handout
Fostering Interaction & Community-Building in Online Language Courses
MAFLT Faculty Mentor:
Dr. Bruna Sommer-Farias
Spring and Summer 2023
Containing Elements of
Materials Design
Action Research
Auto-Ethnography
Video Overview of Project
Video Overview of Project
Use the chapter markers in the video to navigate
Presentation Slide Deck
Presentation Slide Deck
Waite_FLT898_EMSlidesfromFLT885.pdfoutcomes of my project
outcomes of my project
I returned to the role of language student - a seat I have not filled for 15 years - to begin learning Italian in an online course. I hypothesized that the experience would be beneficial to me in many ways:
Learn a new language I've been interested in for years
Renew my sense of empathy for student struggles
Glean some helpful tips for teaching online and for transitioning my French instruction to be more communicative
Ultimately, the entire process would be an undeniable opportunity for self-reflection on different aspects of my identity: as a language-user, a learner, and a teacher.
Click the link above to see how it turned out! : )
Following my time as a student in the Italian course, I put my teacher-researcher cap back on to create some beneficial documentation for my colleagues and peers. Combining my reflections on the most impactful learning experiences with data and recommendations from notable scholars in the world of computer-assisted language learning (CALL), I have generated two tangible outcomes:
A Practical Guide for Online Language Teachers
(with suggestions and techniques around planning, interaction, and community-building)Literature Review
(containing references and philosophical underpinnings to support my recommendations in the guide)
Experiential Module Reflective Essay
Experiential Module Reflective Essay
Written at the end of my final semester in the MAFLT program, this reflective essay focuses on the second-half of my EM project, outlining my continued interest in learning Italian, the process of writing the literature review, and the entire project's major impacts on my beliefs and practices as a French teacher.
Waite_FLT898_SummerReflectiveEssayfromFLT885.pdfInteresting Excerpt:
I noticed that many of the themes of my project are interconnected. For example, increasing community building in one’s class will likely decrease feelings of anxiety for certain students while also facilitating open interaction between peers, thereby enhancing language-learning outcomes.
Additionally, many of the tech tools that I described had multiple positive influences on the learning experience. For instance, social media apps can be used as communication channels to increase asynchronous interaction, likely nurturing feelings of connectedness between students, not to mention applications for interpersonal writing, textual analysis, vocabulary learning, and intercultural communication!
See the Findings & Recommendations subpage of this portfolio section to view the Literature Review and Teacher Guide that I reference in this essay!
More information on MAFLT's experiential modules
More information on MAFLT's experiential modules
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