Abstract
The use of innovative language in education is a current and pressing issue in a digital landscape where knowledge and skills are acquired in much more complex and fragmented ways than in the past (Di Blas, 2016; Selvaggi, Sicignano, & Vollono, 2007). We are experiencing a lot of interest in flipped classrooms, interactive learning environments and serious games, MOOCs platforms, and e-learning projects, which universities are increasingly adopting. The web series is a highly effective format, characterized by short episodes that can also be enjoyed individually, low budget, and a serialized and therefore potentially engaging narrative identity, and is particularly suitable for use on digital platforms. The aim of this paper is to preliminarily present the expected benefits of an interactive web series made by the University for Foreigners of Perugia for a B1 online Italian Language course, before deeper investigation of their suitability for language learning.
Highlights
The use of innovative language in education is a current and pressing issue in a digital landscape where knowledge and skills are acquired in much more complex and fragmented ways than in the past (Di Blas, 2016; Selvaggi, Sicignano, & Vollono, 2007)
Learning a foreign language inevitably requires an analysis of the context and circumstances that influence its proper use
We have considered and discussed the potential benefits of using a web series made by the University for Foreigners of Perugia in a B1 online language course as a tool to boost students’ motivation to get in touch with Italian language and culture with interactive activities, and to foster their communicative and sociopragmatic skills at the same time
Summary
The use of innovative language in education is a current and pressing issue in a digital landscape where knowledge and skills are acquired in much more complex and fragmented ways than in the past (Di Blas, 2016; Selvaggi, Sicignano, & Vollono, 2007). In order to achieve effective communication, students are required to develop the ability to critically evaluate perspectives, practices and values within their own as well as other cultures. These issues are underlined by the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (Council of Europe, 2001), which recommends a curriculim oriented toward enhancing students’ integrated skills. Video is one of the most effective tools allowing learners to immerse themselves in a different culture (Biscarini et al, 2019b) The potential of this resource in language teaching has been exploited since the development of the communicative approach; through videos, learners receive sociolinguistic, cultural, and pragmatic information illustrating the worldview and values of the society that produced them (Bosc & Malandra, 1999). It is assumed that nonverbal communication is part of Italian culture, and in an intercultural perspective, gestures, facial expressions, looks, touch and distances, signs and habits could be a starting point for overcoming stereotypes in order to develop a more complex and multifaceted vision (Caon, 2016)
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