Research in Modern Languages
The research and scholarly activities of faculty members of Modern Languages relate to three areas:
Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
Our Research in Applied Linguistics and SLA
How do people acquire languages beyond their first? What processes and factors impact their abilities to read, write, comprehend, and speak additional languages? What roles do nondominant languages play in societies/cultures around the world?
Literary and Cultural Studies
Our Research in Literary & Cultural Studies
How are identities—race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, social class—constructed differently across cultures? How are identity categories and national imaginaries constructed through cultural products, such as literature, film, theater, visual arts, and social media? Can learning about other cultures help us better understand our own?
Technology-Enhanced Learning and Curricular Materials Development
Our Research in Tech-Enhanced Learning
How can educators use technology-enhanced learning courseware to teach languages and cultures? What does research tell us about building intercultural competence in virtual worlds, multimodal online collaborative learning, and technology-based international collaborations?
Research Partnerships
Research in the Department of Modern Languages is made possible with the support of instutions including:
- The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
- Language Learning
- National Academy of Education and Spencer Foundation
- The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH)
We are proud to collaborate with institutes in the greater Pittsburgh area and beyond, including:
- Carnegie Mellon Museum of Art
- City of Asylum
- The Duolingo English Test
- Japan-America Society