Global Languages colloquia are informal presentations on current research by faculty, lecturers, and visiting scholars, giving individual presentations or informal group panels.

Title: Metaverse-Based Language Education: Situated and Collaborative Learning

Speaker: Hee-Jeong Jeong, Senior Lecturer in Korean

Description:

In traditional classrooms, limited language learning experiences are provided, particularly at beginner and intermediate levels. The metaverse offers a promising alternative, allowing students to immerse themselves indirectly in unique cultural contexts and improve their language and cultural skills.

In this project, adaptable language learning activities and materials for various levels and languages were developed, utilizing the popular 3D avatar platform. In the presentation, the potential of metaverse-based language teaching will be explored, with an emphasis on situated and collaborative learning, and the advantages and limitations will be discussed.

Title: Teaching through Theater: The German Artistic Response to the War in Ukraine

Speaker: Emily Goodling, Lecturer in German

Description:

This presentation will offer an overview of the materials I collected on the German politico-artistic response to the ongoing war of aggression in Ukraine, before focusing on the theater production Sich waffnend gegen eine See von Plagen (Take Arms against a Sea of Troubles), which premiered at the Schaubühne in 2022 under the direction of Ukrainian theatermaker Stas Zhyrkov. I will discuss some ways in which this production is integrated into the upper-level content course I am currently teaching, as well as scaffolding activities and tasks that would allow it to be scaled to other levels of language instruction.

Location: Zoom Link

(Open to MIT community. MIT ID authentication required)