Marta Fortes Saez

Work related to my area of research: Project Sustainable Tourism: Conference: €A virtual exchange between university students of Tourism and Business: connecting languages and cultures through a sustainable tourism project [TAPP-Virtual exchange]€ Conference paper: https://upcommons.upc.edu/handle/2117/348624 The aim of this project was to foster awareness about sustainable practices in the area of tourism between business students in the University of Limerick, Ireland, and students of tourism in the university of León, Spain. Project Yes Lab (Youth Entrepreneurship for Society): This project received AHSS research funding and was published in the AHSS newsletter. It was also presented in the €4th International Virtual Exchange Conference (IVEC). Fortes, M. (2022). Language Connectives through immersive virtual exchanges in the Spanish for Business Language Classroom. Valencia 26-28 October. IVEC2022€ The aim of the project was to foster 21st century competencies (linguistic, intercultural, digital and teamwork) while developing social entrepreneurship. This project took place between business students learning Spanish in the University of Limerick and business students learning English in the University of Valencia, Spain. Students contacted real entrepreneurs from local companies based in Ireland and in Spain, asking questions related to the process of becoming an entrepreneur and the steps for identifying a need in the market to start a new business. The information collected was used to create a joint product or social initiative that they presented in the language classroom through Digital Storytelling. €The Entrepreneurship classroom€ This project has received AHSS Teaching Board Funding and funding from MLAL. This project seeks to promote the development of key social entrepreneurship competences in Business Language contexts via 3D Virtual Reality and intercultural environments (Spatial). The Entrepreneurship classroom aims to simulate real professional situations in the 3D multi-user world Spatial with groups of students from UL and partner universities. Activities, workshops, and collaborative projects will be organised in the immersive space with the aim to foster language and professional skills for job and business insertion. BRAIRSWIT Project: The BRAIRSWIT Virtual Exchange (VE) Project aims to connect students from UFES in Brazil, Limerick University in Ireland, and the Bern University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland in a first-hand experience of using online technologies to engage in a virtual exchange with possibilities to use multiple languages to develop professional and intercultural competence through the opportunity to learn and compare different contexts. €Sustainable Universities, creating a Green Campus€: In this Virtual Exchange in collaboration with the University of Castilla La Mancha (Spain) , participants are working together to find solutions to environmental issues within their universities and to address these issues with the aim to create an eco-campus; students from Ireland and Spain will create informative posters to foster environmental awareness amongst their classmates.

September 2019 Present Associate Teacher in Spanish and Module Leader in Spanish for Business. (Full Time). School of Modern Languages and Applied Linguistics, University of Limerick. During the time in this role, I have designed and developed Spanish for Business University Modules: SP4151, SP4152, SP4161, SP4162, SP4164, SP4165, and SP4166; currently designing SP4158. I have gained a wide range of experience coordinating educational courses and organising projects such as virtual exchanges between students from the University of Limerick and students from the Universities of León, Lleida and Valencia in Spain. I have conducted all the administration and organizational tasks involved in the coordination of university modules such as exam preparation, grades entry, team management and the creation of SULIS sites. During my time in this role, I had to adjust my classes to an online environment that included creating and adapting content to online teaching requirements. As part of my PhD, I research the field of Spanish Language Teaching and the use of technology within the Language classroom; I apply this research in the creation of interactive lessons and creative contents for my classes. I also have a strong focus on pastoral care, I am an academic advisor for first and second year students, I am and Academic Visitor for the Cooperative Education Division and I am collaborating in the project Destination College organised by the Access Office at the University of Limerick. Undergraduate Supervision Experience Spring 2020 Present Final year project supervision Providing feedback and guidance to B.A Applied Languages and European Studies students to help them complete and submit their FYPs successfully. To date, I have supervised four students with topics related to linguistics and teaching and with titles such as The Importance of English Pronunciation Teaching for Spanish Speakers or Language Attitudes towards Catalan amongst Erasmus students in Cataluña. Postgraduate Supervision Experience February 2022 Present Master of Arts in TESOL Praxis supervisor. My role as a MA thesis supervisor is to provide individual guidance related to contents, readings, structure and referencing on the reports; feedback on draft copies and final grading of the thesis upon submission. February 2020 Present Professional Master of Education (PME) Tutor. My role as a Tutor for PME students is to guide and give feedback in relation to lesson plans and curriculum development to teach junior and senior cycles in Spanish at secondary level in Ireland. I have supervised and visited seven PME students, liaising between students and the school.

Associate Teacher in Spanish at the University of Limerick, coordinating Spanish for Business (Advanced) modules in the first, second, third, and fourth years. Ph.D. research on teaching Spanish for specific purposes through technology, organising projects, and virtual language exchanges with international universities in virtual reality environments. Degree in teaching and MA in Applied Linguistics in the University of Limerick. Main areas of research: Curriculum development in Business language courses (BLS), development of 21st-century skills such as leadership and responsibility, communication, social entrepreneurship, intercultural skills, and environmental awareness. Creating projects involving the use of technology to develop 21st-century skills amongst university students; virtual exchanges, use of virtual reality and augmented reality in the classroom, use of immersive VLEs, etc.