News

Film Showings in the Fall

We ask everyone to plan for Geddes to resume in-person film showings beginning in September.  While we were granted an exception to BU’s policy on streaming during LfA to allow for films to be digitized and posted on Blackboard, this will no longer be an option once we resume face to face teaching.  As such, students will need to come to the lab to view Geddes films either individually or as part of a class group showing.

We encourage you to begin planning for this in your syllabi and to begin to make room reservations via our website as needed.  We will continue to allow instructors to have digital access for a period of time for preparation of materials or to make clips using MyMedia channels.

Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services host a large number of foreign films for a fee.  For students who do not have or wish to subscribe to these services, Geddes will continue to acquire films to allow students to watch films in our lab.

Regarding streaming films at the Mugar Library, most selected titles will be available through the Library’s main streaming services: Kanopy, Swank and Alexander Street, with other services being used as required. Instructors are welcome to request any titles needed for course support via either the online Reserve Request Form or the Krasker Film/Video Form.  Additional information about both services are available at Course Reserves and Krasker Film and Video.

New Film Acquisitions FY2021

Here is a list of newly acquired films from July 1, 2020 through June 30th, 2021.

Geddes Annual Report 2020-2021

The year like no other! Read about it in our Annual Report 2020-2021.

Geddes licenses Extempore for 2020-2021

Announcement: Geddes Advisory Board resulting from successful Faculty Workgroup on Remote Teaching

The attached Letter of Support - Recognition for Faculty Workgroup was sent to member of the CAS administration on July 27, 2020. We are thrilled that the members have agreed to serve on the newly formed Geddes Language Center Advisory Board, beginning in Fall 2020.

New Resource for Online Teaching

The Summer 2020 Faculty Workgroup developed an open site with wide-ranging solutions for language educators. The site expands on the live sessions (called "Pop-up Sessions") taking place throughout May and June. All session recordings can be found here.

ACTFL resource – How to move online in a hurry

OK, you're teaching remotely and things are moving along relatively smoothly. Now what? Is there still room for reflection as we start our third online week? This video by Chris Hromiliak, Chair of the ACTFL Distance Learning SIG, has some solid advice for language educators who don't have the time to design and develop along traditional timelines and according to proven methods.

Geddes Mini-Grant Recipients for 2019-2020

We are pleased to announce four projects that will receive funding in the form of a Geddes Mini-Grant this year. They are:

Boris Corredor: "Language Learning through Film Adaptation"; Svitlana Malykhina: "BU Digital Russian Poetry Project"; Jaemin Roh: "Designing Vlog Projects and Learning Portfolios with SeeSaw"; and Celia Bianconi: "Design and Delivery of an Online Placement Exam for Portuguese." Congratulations to all!

Article Recommendation on Classroom Technology

Here is a good Chronicle of Higher Education article offering a basic roadmap for anyone curious about the relationships between backwards design and adopting classroom technology. The print version is out on our coffee table at Geddes this month.

Forthcoming book co-authored by Prof. Manuela Wagner, Univ. of Connecticut

As one of the presenters at the NERALLT 2018 Conference at Boston University, Dr. Manuela Wagner highlighted the importance of educating today's language learners for intercultural citizenship. Her forthcoming book Teaching Intercultural Citizenship Across the Curriculum: The Role of Language Education which Wagner has co-authored with Fabiana Cardetti and Michael Byram, places much needed emphasis on the connection between the classroom and the outside world. The need "to create learning experiences that lead students to 'go outside' so they discover 'what's inside'" has relevance for us as we continue to build out courses within the BU Hub. Stay tuned for more on this topic at Geddes, including a copy of this volume for check-out by faculty following its publication date later this fall.