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.