Educational Research Statement
doing patient/doctor role-play interactions
with translingual scripts used in tandem sessions.
"As I have observed in program implementation, once partnerships are streamlined and delivery is routinized, the benefits of this cooperative approach to language teaching are extraordinary."
Educational Research Statement
Focus: Virtual Exchange and Language Learning
My research examines international virtual language exchange (teletandem) as a pedagogical framework for advancing linguistic proficiency, intercultural competence, and global collaboration in language learning. Much of this work has been conducted within a language teaching laboratory, where I studied pedagogical processes, student outcomes, and instructor development. This line of inquiry originated in my 2012 dissertation, a transnational study of a teletandem exchange between displaced student populations in the United States and Brazil, conducted in collaboration with Dr. João Telles, co-founder of Teletandem Brasil: Foreign Languages for All.
Building on this foundation, I have developed and studied virtual exchange programs across diverse institutional and disciplinary contexts, including sustained collaborations with educators in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Spain. My research focuses on how program design, instructional structure, and institutional coordination influence student outcomes in communicative competence and intercultural development. I have also supported the adaptation of virtual exchange models for less commonly taught languages, addressing challenges related to scheduling, curriculum alignment, and technological infrastructure.
A central component of this work was a five-year research partnership (2015–2020) with faculty at the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo (UAEH) in Mexico. This project employed qualitative methodologies, including phenomenological and ethnographic approaches, to examine student experiences and refine models for effective implementation. Through this collaboration, we developed multiple teletandem programs across proficiency levels and disciplinary contexts, including medical Spanish and translation studies.
As I have observed in program implementation, once partnerships are streamlined and delivery is routinized, the benefits of this cooperative approach to language teaching are extraordinary.
Findings emphasize the importance of clearly defined instructional goals, intentional partner pairing, and sustained collaboration between instructors. In particular, my work has examined the differences between student-directed and instructor-guided exchanges, demonstrating the need for a balanced, hybrid model that supports both autonomy and instructional scaffolding.
I have disseminated this work through presentations at national conferences, including ACTFL and IALLT, as well as through peer-reviewed publications and book chapters on teletandem and virtual exchange. Collectively, this scholarship contributes to the development of scalable, adaptable models for integrating global engagement into language curricula.
My current research extends this work into interdisciplinary and career-oriented contexts, exploring how virtual exchange can support language learning in fields such as healthcare, law, and business. This line of inquiry seeks to connect communicative competence with professional application, positioning virtual exchange as a tool for both linguistic development and workforce readiness.
Assessment Philosophy
My teaching is informed by ongoing scholarship in second language acquisition, virtual exchange, and inclusive pedagogy. My work in international virtual exchange and critical language pedagogy reflects a sustained commitment to connecting research and practice in ways that deepen my understanding of student learning, potential barriers, and program development.
I design a range of assessment practices, including both structured performance-based measures and ongoing formative evaluation. In addition to formal assessment, I draw on sustained classroom observation and professional experience to identify patterns in student language use, including emerging errors, hesitation, and shifts in participation. This form of real-time pedagogical awareness allows me to diagnose learning needs that may not be captured through traditional assessments and to respond with targeted instructional support.
These insights play an important role in shaping my lower-division curriculum. I use assessment data—both formal and observational—to refine instructional design, address gaps in communicative development, and ensure that students are progressing toward clearly defined proficiency outcomes.
Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to lower-division language programs that are coherent, student-centered, and outcomes-driven. I am committed to supporting both student success and program-level excellence through aligned curriculum design, effective assessment practices, and collaborative instructional leadership.