About this series
Building on a strong foundation from the 2020-2021 academic year, the Language Collaboratory continues in 2021-2022 to offer a series of online sessions that will provide space for a stimulating dialogue between a discussant from one of the participating institutions or an invited guest from another institution and session attendees. In the Spring 2022, we will expand on our fall discussions on the theme of student engagement. In addition, the Spring series will offer opportunities for peer-to-peer learning with the inclusion of two new session formats: un-webinars and swapshops.
We hope to provide insights on student engagement from two lenses/perspectives: 1) research-based, and 2) pedagogical and practical. Furthermore, the sessions will examine the implications and manifestations of student engagement praxis in and out of the classroom.
Individual sessions will address how student engagement relates to and intersects with topics such as corrective feedback, task design, learning achievement, group dynamics, classroom environment, students’ willingness or reticence to speak, and others.
About the Sessions
All sessions are held synchronously via Zoom. Sessions are scheduled for Mondays or Thursdays, 3:30-4:00 (4:15) pm central, 4:30-5:00 (5:15) pm eastern. Sessions are 30 minutes in length, with additional 15 minutes of optional discussion for those interested in digging deeper into the topic.
Target Audience
While we welcome any educator to join our professional development sessions, it may be helpful to know that these discussions are specifically oriented to language research and practice in the context of higher education in the USA. As such, K-12 instructors and international participants may find the parameters of our discussions less relevant to their teaching and learning contexts.
Accommodations
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals to engage fully. Automated live-captions are available for every session. To request accommodations or discuss access needs please contact Adolfo Carrillo Cabello ([email protected]) from the University of Minnesota, at least a week in advance prior to the event. Requests made after that point cannot be guaranteed.
All sessions are recorded and can be viewed on the Language Collaboratory YouTube channel.
Thursday, February 17: Understanding the impact of course flexibility: Too little or too much?. Jana Martin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Caitlin Cornell, Michigan State University, Adolfo Carrillo Cabello, University of Minnesota
Monday, February 28: What digital content appears to engage language students the most?. Jana Martin, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Caitlin Cornell, Michigan State University, Adolfo Carrillo Cabello, University of Minnesota
Thursday, March 24: Enjoyment as Engagement: Sample Activities for the Language Classroom. Julie Larson-Guennette, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Thursday, April 7: We are What We Eat: Enhancing Cultural and Linguistic Competency in a Foods Related Course. Asma Ben Romdhane, University of Iowa
Thursday, April 14: Strategies for Creating a Classroom Community of Practice. Kate Paesani, University of Minnesota
Monday, April 25: Transforming L2 Identities: The Affordances of Multilingual Life Writing. Carl Blyth, University of Texas-Austin