Third Space Lab – DKU Multilingual Storybook

Launched on May 11th, DKU Multilingual Storybook is an intercultural project initiated by the Third Space Lab in which DKU students create, translate, and illustrate. The children’s stories are written in Professor Stephanie Anderson’s LIT109: Writing Stories for Children classes and translated in Professor Emmanuelle Chiocca’s French102: Beginning French 2 classes, with illustrations from a small number of DKU student illustrators and CISK students. This is a non-profit project and the content contained in it is licensed and not for commercial use.

You can find the DKUY Multilingual Storybook here.

Bonne lecture!

Report on the Live Tour of Prehistory: Exploring the Lascaux Cave of Southwest France

Reported by Scott Mauldin

The DKU Community was invited on Friday, April 7th, to a live tour via Zoom of the Lascaux Cave complex, one of the world’s most famous and significant sites of prehistoric cave paintings. For nearly two hours, Lascaux guide Olivier and Lascaux IV technical coordinator Laurent Puichaud demonstrated the wealth of paintings, carvings, and other archeological traces from the cave system, located in Southwest France, which was inhabited and decorated more than 17,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. The more than 600 paintings and 6000 figures in the cave depict many of the animals that the artists shared the area with, including images that resemble extinct species (aurochs), species no longer found in the area (Przewalski’s horses), or even mythical animals (unicorn). Significantly, the cave also depicts geometric and abstract shapes, giving insights into the development of human art and psychology, and possibly spirituality. The guide answered many questions from the more than 50 students, faculty, and staff in attendance.

The event was organized by Emmanuelle Chiocca, Assistant Professor of Applied Linguistics and International Education in the Language and Culture Center, and was originally planned only for the students of her French 102 course. However, after high excitement and interest, the event was opened to the entire DKU Community. The event was sponsored by the Third Space Lab, Humanities Research Center, Language and Culture Center, and the Office of Undergraduate Studies, which helped to cover the fees for the tour as well as refreshments for attendees of the on-campus viewing.

If you are interested in watching the recording of the live tour, please email Dr. Emmanuelle Chiocca at emmanuelle.chiocca@dukekunshan.edu.cn or join the Third Space Lab Sakai site with your Duke Net ID.

Third Space Lab Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk: Rubric Co-construction in EAP Classrooms: Student and Instructor Perceptions

You are cordially invited to attend the TSL Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk by Dr. Zhang Tong on Rubric Co-construction in EAP Classrooms: Student and Instructor Perceptions.

Date/Time: Friday, March 31, 12pm, (China Standard Time).
Location: IB 2025 or Zoom (Remote attendees will receive the Zoom link via email.)

Snacks and bubble tea provided.

Please RSVP by 5 pm Thursday March 30th:
https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0wGbsf0drNT4qLc

Abstract

Co-constructing rubrics has been suggested as an effective strategy to support English Language Learners (ELLs) in self-assessment and metacognitive development. However, implementing rubric co-construction in EAP classrooms can be challenging and time-consuming for college students and instructors. This study aims to explore student and instructor perceptions of rubric co-construction in first-year college writing classrooms. Sixteen Chinese first-year students and their instructors participated in semi-structured interviews to discuss their experiences with the rubric co-construction process. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed that both students and instructors perceived benefits from rubric co-construction, including increased transparency, support for self-regulation and metacognitive activities, and enhanced formative use of rubrics. However, the findings also unveiled pedagogical concerns related to the features of first-year ELLs in college. The data further suggested that instructors negotiated between institutional expectations and their teaching practices and beliefs. This study offers insights into implementing teacher-student rubric co-construction in EAP teaching contexts and provides implications for instructors and curriculum designers.

Student Report on Linguistics, Humanities, and Data Sciences: Their Intersections and Implications

Reported by Yongkun Vicky Wu, class of 2026

This talk by Yachao Sun, Xiaofei Pan, and Ge Lan on Linguistics, Humanities, and Data Sciences: Their Intersections and Implications is part of the Third Space Lab (TSL) Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk. The program is broadly associated with research projects related to languages, cultures, and intercultural communication.

This research talk given by Prof Yachao Sun, Xiaofei Pan, and Ge Lan was divided into four parts: introduction to the project, the Data+X research, the Stanza paper, and to the progress of the project and call for collaboration.

Continue reading “Student Report on Linguistics, Humanities, and Data Sciences: Their Intersections and Implications”

Third Space Lab Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk: Linguistics, Humanities, and Data Sciences: Their Intersections and Implications

You are cordially invited to attend the TSL Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk by Yachao Sun, Xiaofei Pan, Ge Lanon Linguistics, Humanities, and Data Sciences: Their Intersections and Implications.

Date/Time: Friday, Feb. 17, 12pm, (China Standard Time).
Location: IB 2026

Snacks and bubble teas provided.

Please RSVP by 5 pm Thursday Feb. 16:   https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1Na5ryXivJDlIzA Continue reading “Third Space Lab Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk: Linguistics, Humanities, and Data Sciences: Their Intersections and Implications”

Student Report on Teaching Intercultural Citizenship in Universities

Reported by Vicky Yongkun Wu, Class of 2026

This talk is part of the Third Space Lab presentations with Irina Golubeva on “Should we teach intercultural citizenship at universities, and what do students think about this?. The program is broadly associated with research projects related to languages, cultures, and intercultural communication.

The research talk delivered by Dr. Golubeva concentrated on teaching intercultural citizenship in universities and students’ perceptions of the problem. Introduced by the host, Prof Chiocca, Dr. Golubeva is the Professor and the Director of the Master’s Program in Intercultural Communication at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (USA). Her research interests include but are not limited to the development of intercultural competence and multilingual awareness, internationalization of Higher Education (HE), and conceptualization of active intercultural citizenship. Continue reading “Student Report on Teaching Intercultural Citizenship in Universities”

Third Space Lab Presents: Irina Golubeva – Should we teach intercultural citizenship at universities, and what do students think about this?

HRC Third Space Lab presents: “Should we teach intercultural citizenship at universities, and what do students think about this?” with Irina Golubeva.

Date/Time: Dec 2, 10pm China time, 9am EST
Zoom ID: 248 487 9248
RSVP here Continue reading “Third Space Lab Presents: Irina Golubeva – Should we teach intercultural citizenship at universities, and what do students think about this?”

Student Report on Improving International Learning Through Virtual Exchange

This event features Robert O’Dowd from the University of León, Spain, on Developing authentic international learning experiences through Virtual Exchange.

Reported by Vicky Yongkun Wu, Class of 2026

Virtual Exchange (VE), also Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) or telecollaboration, refers to students and teachers’ engagement in intercultural collaborative projects with partners from other countries using digital technologies. In the post-pandemic and technologically advanced era, VE is crucial in fostering a range of employability skills, preparing students for physical mobility, and promoting university inclusivity.

In the research talk, Prof Emmanuelle Chiocca first briefly introduced the Third Space Lab and Dr. O’Dowd. The Third Space Lab focuses on identity, language, language learning motivation, and student change in intercultural and translingual environments. Major events of the lab include guest lectures, Brownbag lunch talks delivered by LCC faculty members, workshops, etc. According to Prof Chiocca’s introduction, Dr. O’Dowd is an Associate Professor of English as a Foreign Language and Applied Linguistics at the University of Leon, Spain, and have published works on the application of Virtual Exchange in higher education. Continue reading “Student Report on Improving International Learning Through Virtual Exchange”

Third Space Lab Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk: Zhang Xin and Emmanuelle Chiocca  

You are cordially invited to attend the TSL Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk by Co-Directors of the Lab, Dr. Zhang Xin and Dr.  Emmanuelle Chiocca on Distinguishing Oneself: First-year International Students’ Pre-College Motivations and Expectations in a Sino-Foreign Joint-Venture University in China.

Date/Time: Fri, Nov 18, 4pm BJT
Location: CC1095 and Zoom (register to receive zoom link)

Snacks and bubble teas provided. 

Please RSVP by Thursday, November 17https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_575R4kSqToMders

Continue reading “Third Space Lab Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk: Zhang Xin and Emmanuelle Chiocca  “

Student Report: Viewing Feedback Literacy as Independent Backpacking – A Research Talk About Improving Feedback in L2 Learning

Reported by Vicky Yongkun Wu, Class of 2026.

This research talk is part of the Third Space Lab Brown Bag Lunch Research Talk presented by the Humanities Research Center. The program is broadly associated with research projects related to languages, cultures, and intercultural communication. 

Joseph Davies is a senior lecturer of English language and assistant director for graduate English for Academic Purposes at Duke Kunshan University, China. During a research talk on October 28th, 2022, Prof Davies introduced his research on feedback literacy among L2 learning students. Based on the fact that students and teachers are generally dissatisfied with the feedback practice, he explored ways of improving the situation in a productive manner. Continue reading “Student Report: Viewing Feedback Literacy as Independent Backpacking – A Research Talk About Improving Feedback in L2 Learning”