The purpose of this app is to assist English-speaking newcomers to Costa Rica with foundational Spanish in integrating into the Costa Rican culture through teaching them language items they need. These items include essential vocabulary, cultural expressions, idioms, and slang commonly used in multiple contexts that include but are not limited to food, shopping, and meeting new people.
As mobile devices allow for ubiquitous learning, the choice of a mobile application made sense. Additionally, the app provides a social space for all users to communicate and share experiences, struggles, and successes in learning both the culture and language.
This app is a helpful technology-supported environment for individuals who wish to quickly integrate into the Costa Rican everyday life. The design aims at providing a user-friendly (accessible, affordable, credible, desirable, valuable, enjoyable, useful, and usable) technology-supported environment to facilitate navigating the Costa Rican culture and language.
A suggested time frame users will need to complete all modules and learn all the content on the app is 8-10 weeks. However, learners vary. It is also useful to remember that this app can be a valuable resource to come back to time and again to revise knowledge or connect with the community.