Italian Program Wins AAUSC's Innovation in Language Program Direction Award

The American Association of University Supervisors and Coordinators recently announced the winners for their annual Innovation in Language Program Direction competition. According to Mandy Menke, president of the AAUSC, "It was a difficult decision because there were many high quality applications, but yours rose to the top."

The competition "solicits applications for the Innovation in Language Program Direction Award to recognize outstanding examples of curricular and pedagogical innovation in the field of foreign/second languages education within institutions of higher education. In addition to receiving a monetary award, winners will be publicly recognized and given the opportunity to share their project with colleagues." Each application was evaluated on both innovation and impact to students and the overall curriculum. 

Ryan Calabretta-Sajder, associate professor and head of the Italian Section, applied on behalf of the Italian Section. The Italian Section submitted a proposal titled "Using ePortfolios and Virtual Reality to Promote the Study of Italian." Calabretta-Sajder highlighted the importance of ePortfolios within the Italian curriculum, underscording the significant pivot to increased task-based learning modules.

"Through using ePortfolios, we have been able to highly improve assessment methods on an individual, peer, instructor and program level," Calabretta-Sajder said. "Students demonstrate superior knowledge within a more positive framework demonstrating stronger retention rates."

In addition to utilizing ePortfolios, the AAUSC application also focused on the program's use of two virtual reality (VR) applications that place students within the Prati market in Rome, food shopping so that they can then cook a Roman meal in the second, more hands-on VR gaming application.