Bonnie L. Youngs
Teaching Professor, French & Francophone Studies;
Director, Advisor, and Faculty, M.A. In Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition
341 Posner Hall
Department of Modern Languages
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
I am a teaching professor of French and Francophone Studies, focusing on teaching, course development and revision through research in applied linguistics and teaching with technology. I work closely with faculty in Modern Languages to help provide the best environment possible for teaching and learning, and the best experience for students. Currently, my work focuses on the adaptation of coursework, assessment, and in-class activities to exploit AI tools, but I acknowledge that many issues come with the use, or not, of AI for the teaching and learning of second, third... languages.
Over the years, I have helped shape the undergraduate curriculum in the Department of Modern Languages. I have held a variety of administrative positions including Director of Undergraduate Studies and group coordinator for the French and Francophone Studies program for more than ten years, and I am currently the advisor for the Applied Multilingual Studies major and minor.
I have represented Modern Languages widely on campus, most recently on the University Education Council, the Dietrich College Council, the Dietrich College committee for the new General Education curriculum, and the Dietrich College AI support committee. Currently, in addition to my other duties, I am director and advisor for the Master’s program in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition, and I teach in the program as well.
Areas of Interest
- Teaching language and culture
- Culture/Intercultural competence
- Teacher development
- Improving learning outcomes with technology
- Applied Linguistics
Courses Taught
- Elementary French, all courses
- Intermediate French, all courses
- Advanced French, courses at the third and fourth levels
- 82-793 Teaching Methodologies for the Foreign Language Classroom
- 66-139 Reducing Conflict Around Identity and Positionality
Selected Awards and Honors
- Barbara Lazarus Mentoring Award, 2019
- Dietrich College Elliot Dunlap Smith Award for Distinguished Teaching and Educational Service, 2012
Selected Community, University, and Professional Service
- Generative AI Liaison representing Modern Languages
- General Education Steering Committee
- Representative for Modern Languages, University Education Council
- Member, Committee for Barbara Lazarus Mentoring Award
- Member, Graduate Teaching Award Committee
Selected Publications
- Youngs, B. (2021). Item-level Learning Analytics: Ensuring Quality in an Online French Course. Language Learning & Technology; Special Issue, February 2021.
- Youngs, B. (2019). SLA Theories and Practices in CALL. In N. Arnold & L. Ducate (Eds.), Engaging Language Learners through CALL: From Theory and Research to Informed Practice (pp. 7-50). Advances in CALL Research and Practice. Bristol, CT: Equinox Publishing, Ltd.
- Youngs, B., Prakash, A., & Nugent, R. (2017). Statistically-driven visualizations of student interactions with a French online course video. Computer Assisted Language Learning, special issue. DOI: 10.1080/09588221.2017.1367311
- Youngs, B., Moss-Horwitz, S., & Snyder, E. (2015). Educational Data Mining for Elementary French Online: A Descriptive Study. In E. Dixon & M. Thomas (Eds.), Researching Language Learner Interactions Online: From Social Media to MOOCs (pp. 347-368). CALICO Book Series Volume 13.
- Bayle, A. & Youngs, B. (2013). Patterns of Interaction Between Moderators and Learners During Synchronous Oral Discussions Online. In P. Hubbard, B. Smith, M. Schulze (Eds.), Learner-Computer Interaction in Language Education: A Festschrift in Honor of Robert Fischer (pp. 66-91). San Marcos, TX: CALICO.