Northern Illinois University
World Languages and Cultures
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Background

After completing comprehensive exams at Queen’s University, I began my academic career by establishing a German language program at Middle Georgia College (now Middle Georgia State University). The program included an early distance-learning component, with courses delivered via interactive satellite broadcast to multiple colleges across southern Georgia. This experience marked a shift in my scholarly focus from 19th-century German literature to applied linguistics, translation and technology-enhanced language learning (TELL).

Teaching

I teach German language, translation and applied linguistics, with an emphasis on the pedagogically grounded use of digital tools. My courses explore how technologies such as machine translation and AI-assisted writing tools shape learner awareness, translator agency and linguistic decision-making. I especially enjoy teaching at the elementary and intermediate levels, where students are developing core linguistic intuitions and cultural sensitivity. My instruction regularly incorporates authentic and multimodal materials, including film and digitally mediated texts.

Research

My research focuses on technology-enhanced language learning and AI-informed translation pedagogy. Areas of interest include instructional design, alternate and formative assessment, games and gamification in foreign language education and virtual environments for online and hybrid language and translation instruction. I am currently working on a book project examining pedagogical approaches to educational technology and artificial intelligence in foreign language teaching and translation training.

 Selected Publications

• “Literature and Drama.” Modern Germany, edited by K. Barbe and W. Johnson, Understanding Modern Nations series, ABC-CLIO, 2022, pp. 247–283.
• Cooke-Plagwitz, Jessamine, E. T. S. Sujatna, Nani Darmayanti and Farida Ariyani. “Clause and Predictive Constituents in an Austronesian Language: Lampung Language.” Topics in Linguistics, vol. 21, no. 2, 2020, pp. 62–79.
• "A New Language for the Net-Generation: Why Second Life Works for the N-Gen" World Language Teaching in the N-Generation: Issues and Perspectives (Oxford and Oxford, Eds.) University of Hawai`i Press, 173-181.
• "Learning in 3-D Multi-User Virtual Environments: Exploring the use of Unique 3-D Attributes for Online Problem Based Learning" (Co-authored with Nicholas Omale, Wei-Chen Hung and Lara Luetkehans). British Journal of Educational Technology 40(3) 480–495.
• "New Directions in CALL: An Objective Introduction to Second Life" Volume 25, Issue No.3 of the CALICO Journal 25(3) pp. 547-557.
• Cooke-Plagwitz, J. and Lomicka, L. (Editors) Teaching with Technology. Heinle Professional Series in Language Instruction: Vol 1. Boston: Heinle, 2004.

Memberships

• International Association for Language Learning Technology (IALLT)
• Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ICTFL)
• American Association of Teachers of German (AATG)
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
• Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)

Education

• Ph.D., Queen's University, German Studies
• M.A., Dalhousie University, German Studies
• B.A., Dalhousie University, French and German