Students Take Flight with Daedalus: Learning Spanish in a Networked Classroom

ABSTRACT While incorporating computer technology is time‐consuming and may be challenging for the language instructor, there is no need to reinvent the wheel when using computers in the classroom for the first time. Teachers in the second language classroom can benefit from the advances made in Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) programs. Leaders in this field encourage instructors to incorporate writing in all disciplines in order to develop critical thinking skills and prepare students for the workplace. Using computers as a medium for teaching a second language increases the amount of writing and trains the students to use computers in their discipline. Current research in composition theory maintains that students learn a grammatical structure more effectively when it is used in context. Bringing technological innovation to the second language classroom will enhance student interest and learning. This article describes the use of Daedalus Integrated Writing Environment (DIWE) in the networked computer classroom to teach Spanish grammar and composition.