At the end of a wet and windy week in Pittsburgh, we're grateful for a few rays of sunshine peeking through the clouds. We welcomed a new group of student workers to the Global Languages & Cultures Room who will be here to assist visitors and keep the place running throughout the summer. See below for opening times and feel free to email them if you want to visit or use the room.
Over the summer we're going to start planning another set of workshops. Last year we ran sessions for language groups, grad students, and other student groups in the department. We had planned a series of electives at the start of the semester but these weren't convenient for all.
Throughout the year there's been much discussion around technology and lots of interest around creating media, exploring immersive technologies, and using apps with various digital devices such as phones and tablet computers. Let us know if there is something specific you or your group would like to learn about.
Please let me know if you would like to include any events or upcoming projects that you'd like me to mention in this newsletter, thank you again for your great comments - keep them coming!
Links and Stories
Pittsburgh's City of Asylum is hosting Edward Gauvin: Comics in Translation on Monday 10th June. Edward is a translator of comics and graphic novels and he'll be discussing his work with Susan Harris, editor at Words Without Borders.
If you're a fan of comics, you'll enjoy this droll (but truthful) look at academia from the pen of Jorge Chan who publishes Ph.D. Comics. Thank you to our colleague Felipe Gomez (who inspired this comics edition) for sending through the link.
If you want to make comics with your students, then there are some excellent tools out there reviewed by The Technology and Mobile Learning website. Many teachers are using Manhua and Manga forms not only for the delivery of language learning but asking students to create their own publications that can be used for assessment.
I also found this texting conversation creator which might be another useful storytelling tool, you pick names for characters and play out a conversation. I could see this being used in language learning to replicate conversations for students to analyze and discuss, you might even include particular texting syntax or emojis, by the way - if you're not sure about some of the Japanese emojis included on your phone, then here's a list of what they represent.
On Screen
I made a promise to myself to stay away from cat videos, but The Quintet of the Sunset by Jie Weng shows us a magical world where cats become the incredible characters we know them to be. This beautiful stop-motion film reminded me a little of Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs, which also uses the form to full effect.
You're welcome to forward this newsletter to colleagues in other institutions who might find it useful, then can
There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking.
Hagakure - Yamamoto Tsunetomo,