Using the World Wide Web to integrate Spanish language and culture: A pilot study

This pilot study investigates the potential role of Internet resources as a means to gain a deeper sense of the culture of the Spanish-speaking world for college students.Thirteen college students enrolled in the first quarter of Basic Spanish were instructed to utilize the Web to complete five activities that expanded on the aspects of culture studied in the class.Data collected demonstrate that the Web is a suitable tool to increase language and cultural knowledge, as well as a means to increase motivation.Pedagogical implications are discussed.This pilot study set out to assess the potential role of Internet resources as a means for beginning-level students of Spanish as a foreign language to gain a sense of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world as part of their undergraduate language learning experience.