Abstract:

This presentation explores how university students can learn Spanish through innovative pedagogical applications developed in Moodle.

It approaches the topic from two complementary perspectives:
(i) students’ active and experiential learning through simulated cultural environments, and
(ii) teachers’ instructional design and material development using Moodle as a central structuring environment for language learning in Spanish courses at Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM).

The project pursues a dual objective. For students, it provides structured and coherent learning pathways that foster comprehension, practice, and meaningful engagement with cultural and linguistic content. For instructors and instructional designers, it offers a practical support guide based on the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) to facilitate the design and organization of learning activities within Moodle.

In this framework, generative AI is used exclusively during the design phase to support instructors in drafting pedagogical materials, guides, and learning scenarios. AI is not integrated into Moodle and does not interact directly with students. This approach ensures that instructors maintain full control over content while avoiding unnecessary reliance on AI and maintaining secure and controlled learning environments.

The presentation will showcase two immersive pedagogical designs developed in Moodle. The first, Virtual Museum of Afro-Colombian Art, uses H5P interactive activities and a 360° virtual visit to guide students through an experiential exploration of cultural and linguistic elements. The second, Gastronomic Fair of Five Spanish-Speaking Countries, expands this approach by integrating multiple Moodle functionalities, including H5P guides, a glossary, grammar quizzes, assignments, and feedback forms.

To support instructors in implementing similar initiatives, a practical guide was developed to translate the ADDIE model into clear and transferable steps for designing and organizing learning pathways in Moodle. This presentation demonstrates how Moodle can support the creation of engaging, structured, and transferable language learning experiences while empowering instructors to innovate in their pedagogical design.

Keywords:

Technology, Spanish language learning, teacher development.