Learning in the open: integrating language and culture through student curation, virtual exchange, and OER

Abstract

To address waning enrollments in intermediate 202 language courses, faculty have developed a multiphasic project. In phase one, alongside instructional designers, they created an open, connected platform where 202 students curate – search, select, and share – authentic materials online. In phase two, upper-level students help triage and scaffold the best curations into online interactive modules. Phase three sets up live, virtual exchanges during which students discuss their curations with native speakers. In phase four, open e-textbooks, framed by communicative can-do statements, integrate curations, modules, virtual exchanges, and existing Open Educational Resources (OERs) into sustainable, relevant, and student driven learning materials.