The "Film and Creative Engagement Project": Audiovisual Accessibility and Telecollaboration

Globalisation and the advancement of ICTs invite the development of learners’ strategies and communication skills in higher education to participate fully in digitally networked societies. This paper analyses the results of a pilot study which is part of Film and Creative Engagement (FaCE), a collaborative research project between Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), UK, and Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM), Campus Laguna in Torreón, Mexico. There were two main aims: (1) to create a short project that was inspiring, stimulating and enjoyable that could be transferrable to other high education institutions due to its flexibility; and (2) to provide a training that could help students shape their future, fulfil their academic potential and develop strong, social, international and professional relationships. Secondary goals included bringing Mexican and British university learners into contact via telecommunication to create contexts for interactivity and task-based collaboration. In the context of foreign language learning, the tasks were intended to develop participants’ skills on film analysis (such as cultural and intercultural awareness), and also audiovisual accessibility (subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing and audio description). This is a mixed study with 48 participants and the data was collected through pre- and post-questionnaires, student self-reflection reports and task evaluations. Particularly, the FaCE project helped students, regardless of their career path or specialisation, to enhance their language competence, collaborative work, critical thinking, innovation and creativity, management of information and communication technologies, and international collaboration in virtual environments.