CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — Students studying Italian at Dartmouth College are immersing themselves in the language, 140 characters at a time.
Professor Tania Convertini requires her students to follow prominent Italian individuals and organizations on Twitter and to tweet back-and-forth with one another in Italian. She says the approach both recognizes that today’s students are deeply attached to smartphones and other technology and creates a community that extends beyond the classroom.
While the Twitter homework is just one way Dartmouth is using newer technology in teaching, Convertini says it’s particularly valuable in foreign language classes because it exposes students to authentic language in real-life, real-time situations.
