Category: Third Space–Events

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”

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”

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.

Dr. Layla Shelmerdine’s research on effective interaction in the virtual classroom is inspired by the increasingly online learning trend during the pandemic. It is vital to develop better practices to promote learning in virtual spaces. During the research talk, the audience and Dr. Shelmerdine agreed that in addition to the content, online interaction also greatly affects the quality of online classes. Continue reading “Student Report: The Analysis of Effective Interaction in the Virtual Classroom – A Research Talk with Layla Shelmerdine”