SPAN 102 and 105:  In the fall 2010 I implemented the use of an e-portfolio in my beginning Spanish language classes.  The students had to create an electronic portfolio using WORDPRESS and post their recordings, essays, videos, photostories, and comments throughout the semester.  I hoped that students would add their work from future language classes to their eportfolios as they continued their language studies at Rice. In the end of their studies they would have an electronic portfolio of their language skills.  These links   (2) are to the eportfolios of two of my students who continued adding their SPAN 201 work in the spring of 2011.  

SPAN 301:   In fall 2009 I took my advanced Spanish Language students to Second Life.  At the beginning of the semester the students participated in an email exchange with students of English in Argentina.  Later in the semester the  students met in Second Life twice with their e-pals from Argentina.  My students first went to Second Life to create their avatars and learn how to move and travel in the virtual world.   The first time the students met their epals in Second Life they talked with each other on a private platform owned by a member of IT at Rice.  For the second visit to Second Life the class was divided into two groups and one group of  students went to Barcelona in Second life to visit the area and speak Spanish with their e-pals.  The other group went to Edunation (Eurocall and Calico’s Headquarters) in Second Life.  They explored the island and visited with each other in English. 

SPAN 105:  In the fall 2009 I took my 105 students to Second Life for two different activities. Their first trip to Second Life they created their avatars and visited Chitzen Itza, Mexico and a Spanish Language School based in Cuernavaca.  We explored a Day of the Dead exhibit in November at the Language School.  Then we did two activities on a private platform in Second Life: first a style show and second arranging furniture.  I first took the students to a place to buy clothes for free.  I had created dressing rooms and a stage on the platform and the students’ avatars changed clothes and then modeled their new clothes on a red carpet runway for the other avatars. One student had to describe for the class what another student was wearing .  Each avatar/student had the opportunity to model and then to describe what someone else was wearing.  The second time we went to Second Life the students were studying a chapter on housing.  Students were divided into groups of 3 or 4  and their avatars had a room which they had to decorate with furniture, plants and colors. All the furniture was white and randomly placed on the platform.   They had to discuss which furniture to place in the room and where to put it as well as what colors to paint furniture and walls.  The object was to discuss this all in Spanish and then visit each other’s rooms to talk about how they had each decorated them.

SPAN 102:  In the spring 2011 I incorporated a tandem language learning activity in SPAN 102 with my students and students of English at Monterrey Tec in Monterrey, Mexico.  I had been doing  this type of activity with my intermediate and advanced students for the past 7 years but in the spring of 2011 for the first time I decided to have my first year Spanish students exchange emails, participate in forums and chat with students of English in Mexico.  Our students participated in a forum each week throughout the semester and twice in the semester (Mid March and mid April) they chatted with their tandem partners about specific topics using SKYPE and web cameras.  The project was a success and students were enthusiastic about participating in it.

SPAN 105:  In fall 2011 I developed and implemented a video project in SPAN 105 and suggested, as the coordinator of first year, that other SPAN 102 students also do the video projecct.  Groups of 3 Students signed up for a video topic based on the topics in the chapters.  Each group would create a video by filming something related to the topic and they also interviewed a native speaker about the selected topic.   At the end of the semester there will be an anonymous voting in OWLSPACE in the style of academy awards for Best Video, Best acting, Best Interview, Best Comedy, Most Informative, etc.

SPAN 101:  In fall 2011 I developed and implemented a video project in SPAN 101 and encouraged other 101 instructors to also use it.  The students in groups of 3 interviewed each other to find out more about the students in their class.  The videos were place on OWLSPACE so that everone could watch the other students’ videos.

SPAN 101:  Photostory activity created by my colleague, Luziris Turi.  I have taken the activity and implemented it in my SPAN 101 classes in the fall 2011.   Students in this class will create a PHOTOSTORY in groups of two or three students.  The story will be for a 7-8 year old audience.  They will write and narrate a story for children that has a moral or has educational value.  The class will vote for the best two photostories and we will take a group of volunteers from the class to Poe Elementary to present the photostories to a bilingual class.  The students in the class will then vote for their favorite.  In the spring semester we will do the same project in SPAN 101 and take the Photostories to Tijerina Elementary in East Houston.