- Cultura Conference -
October 12 and 13, 2007
Massachusetts Institute of Technology


PROGRAM

Friday 2:15 - 6:00pm (Rm 4-249)

Words of welcome: Jing Wang, Head of the Foreign Languages and Literatures at M.I.T.

2:20-2:45: Introduction of the Conference (goals and program) and of the participants, by Gilberte Furstenberg.

2:45-3:05: Opening remarks by Peter Patrikis, former Executive Director of the Consortium for Foreign Language Teaching and Learning.

3:05-3:45: Presentation of the original Cultura model: highlighting its history, its methodology and its newest features.
Chair: Peter Patrikis
Presenters: Gilberte Furstenberg, Sabine Levet, Shoggy Waryn.

3:45-4:00: Coffee break

4:00-5:00: Presentation of two Cultura projects at other institutions and in other languages: issues of adaptation and new pedagogical and technological initiatives.
Chair: Shoggy Waryn
Presenters:
- For the Spanish and Russian exchanges at Brown: Beth Bauer, Lynne deBenedette, Shoggy Waryn.
- For the Spanish exchange at Barnard College: Jim Crapotta, Jesus Suarez Garcia.

5:00-5:30: Informal sharing of past and current Cultura or Cultura-like projects.
Chair: Sabine Levet

5:30-6:00: Group discussions: identifying the main issues for implementing Cultura. Questions raised (these questions will be discussed throughout the next day)
Chair: Gilberte Furstenberg

6:15-7:30: Wine and cheese reception (in 14E-304)




Saturday: 9:00am – 5:00pm

Note: The Tech Fair will take place in the LLARC (Language Learning and Resource Center) Rm 16-644

9:00-10:30 (Rm 16-644): Tech Fair (ten Cultura and Cultura-inspired projects)
- USA-Spain Cultura, by Jim Crapotta and Jesus Suarez Garcia , Barnard College.
- USA-France: "Cultura-Biz" (for business courses), by Anne Poncet-Montange, Bentley College.
- USA-Mexico Cultura, by Beth Bauer, Brown University.
- USA-Russia Cultura, by Lynne deBenedette, Brown University
- USA-Spain exchange by Frédérique Thiebault-Adjout, The Commonwealth School, Boston.
- USA-Italy exchange: “The Italian Virtual Class project”, by Christine Ristaino, Emory University.
- Germany-France exchange, by Christophe Bouyssi, University of Hanover, Germany.
- Europe-Asia exchange: “The East-West Café”, by David Hiple, The University of Hawaii.
- USA-Taiwan exchange: “The Online Communication for Reflective Intercultural Learning Project”, by Susan Bunn, Sam Houston State University and Meei-Ling Liaw, National Taichung University, Taiwan.
- “Captivating Job Aids: Training Cultura Newbies”, Evan Rubin, San Diego State University (LARC).

Note: all the following sessions will take place in Rm 4-249

10:45-11:15: Question and answer period based on the Tech Fair presentations.
Chair: Shoggy Waryn
Panelists: The Tech Fair presenters.

11:15-11:30: Coffee break

11:30-1:00: Spotlight on tools:
Chair: Gilberte Furstenberg
- Demonstration of the new Cultura questionnaire tool by Sabine Levet
- Presentation of other tools, followed by discussion. Panelists: Shoggy Waryn and others.

1:00-2:00: Lunch (outside Rm 4-249)


2:00–3:30: Panel discussions: focus on important issues
Chair: Jim Crapotta and Beth Bauer
- the integration of Cultura into a curriculum: what level? what audience? Beth Bauer, Yasmine Beale-Rivaya, Jim Crapotta, Anastasia Polosukhina.
- the role of partners: Kathryn English, Frédérique Thiebault-Adjout.
- the use of the native vs the target language: what language to use for what purpose?
- issues and modes of evaluation: Christophe Bouyssi, Sabine Levet
- research perspectives: Yasmine Beale-Rivaya, Kathryn English, Meei-Ling Liaw.

3:30-3:45: Coffee break

3:45–4:15: The Cultura Community Site: demonstration and feedback
Chair: Shoggy Waryn
Presenters: Gilberte Furstenberg, Sabine Levet.


4:15-5:00: Looking back on the Conference (= what has been accomplished?) and looking ahead (= the future of Cultura)
Panelist: Peter Patrikis with Gilberte Furstenberg, Sabine Levet, Shoggy Waryn.

Conference sponsors: the Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning, MIT Foreign Languages and Literatures and the MIT Contemporary French Studies Fund.

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