The Tech Center held its 2022 Hackathon, Hack the Language Flagship, on April 8th and 9th on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park. The event is designed to engage Flagship students from across the United States in ideation of new technologies to support or enhance their language learning experience. This year’s theme was mobile language learning. Twenty-nine students from 13 different Flagship programs collaborated in teams to design mobile experiences that integrated mobile affordances and language learning objectives. Towards the end of the event, each team presented their design pitch to all attendees. A winner was selected by a panel of experts in language learning.
CONGRATULATIONS!
The winning team designed a mobile application called Flagphone to assist students in preparing for study abroad by learning how to navigate the pragmatics of living abroad, such as how to handle issues with banking or housing and communicate effectively in both work and social life through email, calls, texts, or Facetime.
Emma Strouse (Chinese, Arizona State University), Maria Julian (Chinese, Western Kentucky University), Moriah Thomas (Russian, University of Georgia), Quintin Gay (Russian, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill), and Premvanti Patel (Persian, University of Maryland).
About “Hack The Language Flagship!”
“Hack The Language Flagship!” is an amazing opportunity to become involved with a group of like-minded peers who have original ideas and want to drive the language technology innovation agenda together. Imagine the possibility of changing the world of language education over one weekend!
The Flagship Hackathon is a fast-paced event optimized for discovery and creativity. Use your experience and seek advice from experts in the field of language technology to propose technology-based solutions (“hacks”) that may impact the future of language learning.
Explore previous Hackathons
Expert Coaches and Judges
- Peter Glanville, University of Maryland, College Park
- Nahal Akbari, University of Maryland, College Park
- Shannon Sauro, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Ana Oskoz, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- Scott Payne, Northwest Learning Innovations
Hackathon Dream Team
- Young Chun – Event Support
- Naiyi Fincham – Mentor/Event Support
- Suzanne Freynik – Mentor/Event Support
- Molly Godwin-Jones – Mentor/Project Lead
- Angela Haeusler – Event Support
- Richard Medina – Mentor/Event Support
- Julio Rodriguez – Mentor/Director
- Madeline Spring – Mentor/Event Support
- Stephen Tschudi – Event Facilitator
Team 1
Prattle
Payton Morlock
Chinese Flagship
Arizona State
Katharine Strickland
Chinese Flagship
University of Minnesota
Mariah Cady
Russian Flagship
University of Georgia)
Brooke Barton
Russian Flagship
Bryn Mawr College
Nick Umbrewicz
Portuguese Flagship
University of Texas at Austin
Team 2
Comprify
This app focuses on listening comprehension and cultural competency immersion to enable learners to design study sessions that utilize audio files and transcripts to later study in various ways.
Ashley Nichols
Chinese Flagship
Arizona State
Teddy Gonyea
Chinese Flagship
Indiana University
Simi Kolodka
Russian Flagship
University of Georgia
Ashlyn Darline
Russian Flagship
Bryn Mawr College
Beverly Zand
Persian Flagship
University of Maryland
Team 3
TriCooler
This app aims to make learning and immersion more fun and exciting by creating an online community through forums, connections to media-streaming apps like Netflix and Spotify, engaging in live-streams, replying to posts, participating in fun challenges and competitions, and learning about local events in the target language.
Natasha Dorr-Kapczynski
Portuguese Flagship
University of Georgia
Raymond Ortiz
Chinese Flagship
Arizona State
Kittana Wagener
Chinese Flagship
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Jessica Sobieski
Russian Flagship
University of Georgia
Jacqueline McCarty
Russian Flagship
Bryn Mawr College
Team 4
Portal
A content-based app with content sourced from videos, podcasts, songs, and texts in one’s target language to help with input and output practice, especially over breaks from classroom learning.
Hillary Pham
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Mamie Powers
Russian Flagship
Bryn Mawr College
Autumn Sniffen
Chinese Flagship
University of North Georgia
Justin Rogers
Arabic Flagship
University of Texas at Austin
Team 5
Turtlang
Sophie Murtey
Russian Flagship
University of Georgia
Anthony Poon
Chinese Flagship
Hunter College
Gillian Boline
Arabic Flagship
University of Maryland
Mercedes Bengs
Russian Flagship
University of Georgia
Sarah Smith
Chinese Flagship
University of Mississippi
Team 6
Flagphone
An app to assist students in preparing for study abroad by learning how to navigate the pragmatics of living abroad, such as how to handle issues with banking or housing and communicate effectively in both work and social life through email, calls, texts, or Facetime.
Quintin Gay
Russian Flagship
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Maria Julian
Chinese Flagship
Western Kentucky University
Premvanti Patel
Persian Flagship
University of Maryland
Emma Strouse
Chinese Flagship
Arizona State
Moriah Thomas
Russian Flagship
University of Georgia
Contact Information
TECH CENTER
1890 East West Road
Moore Hall 256
Honolulu, HI 96822
tech.center@hawaii.edu
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The Language Flagship Technology Innovation Center is funded under a grant from the Institute of International Education (IIE), acting as the administrative agent of the Defense Language and National Security Education Office (DLNSEO) for The Language Flagship. One should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. Project P.I.: Dr. Julio C. Rodriguez
