student generated content

Input

Student-generated Content

Content generated by students can be a vital source of L2 input — as well as an affirmation of students' unique knowledge and perspective.

By encouraging the active use of student-generated content in L2 courses, Anna Cellinese (ITA) seeks to engage her students in Critical Pedagogy, defined by Johnson & Randolph (2015) as “… any classroom practice that addresses difference, power, or social stratification in the classroom or in the world” (p. 36). She provides here a description and rationale for this perspective, along with suggestions for implementation in a remote L2 course.


Critical pedagogy and Intercultural Communicative Competence fall under the umbrella of Social Justice, whose aim is to pedagogically challenge and re-think the social status quo, and to prepare students to reflect and act in response to social inequities.

“In order for students to be convinced of their own empowerment, the value of their contributions to knowledge must be evident in all aspects of the course, including classroom discussion, assignments, and assessments.” (p. 34)

Johnson & Randolph, p. 37

In applying the principles of Critical Pedagogy, student-generated content is crucial, since it models egalitarian and democratic principles of knowledge. As in a F2F context, students in a remote L2 classroom can actively take part in:



Granted, these practices require robust technological support, in order to assure the smooth transmission of the shared materials, both synchronously and asynchronously. The instructor should make sure that:


References & Resources

Johnson, S. M., & Randolph, L.J., Jr. (2015). Critical Pedagogy for intercultural communicative competence: Getting started. The Language Educator, 10(3), 36-39.

Norton, B. & Toohey, K. (2004). Critical pedagogies and language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Osborn, T. (2006). Teaching world languages for social justice: A sourcebook of principles and practices. Mahway, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.