Teacher’s perspectives on the implementation of teletandem sessions into the foreign language curriculum

• Grant number: 14/05910-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Effective date (Start): August 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): May 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Linguistics, Literature and Arts - Linguistics - Applied Linguistics
• Principal Investigator: Joao Antonio Telles
• Grantee: Joao Antonio Telles
• Host Investigator: Michael Jones Ferreira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil
• Research place: Georgetown University, United States

Abstract

Teletandem is a virtual, autonomous and collaborative context for foreign language learning that uses webcam images, sound and writing resources of VOIP technology (such as Skype) to promote interaction between two people in different countries and languages. This project deals with the institutional and pedagogical implementation of teletandem in the course curricula of Portuguese, Spanish, Catalan, French, Japanese, Turkish, Russian, and Arabic, all taught at a North American partner university. The objective of the project is to analyze teachers' perpectives on such implementation process, as they collaborate, interculturally, with their colleagues abroad. The theoretical framework is based on research results about technology implementation, intercultural communication and teacher development in this area. Data collection instruments and procedures of analyses will follow the principles of Grounded Theory - a research method that involves the construction of a specific theory by departing from the analysis of data and following principles of coding and categorization. This process will form the basis of a theory about the implementation of technology into the foreign language curriculum. By understanding how teachers view this implementation from interucultural, institutional, pedagogical and linguistic perspectives, we expect to (a) draw insights into the implementation processes, (b) be able to better inform future projects of technology innovation in the foreign language curriculum, and (c) find new vistas to online foreign language teaching and learning as well as to intercultural communication that can be compatible to the demands of XXI century pedagogies of foreign language teaching and learning. (AU)