Design-based research: Learning Italian at university in a community of learners

This paper describes a study where design-based research (DBR) is used as a framework for the design and implementation of an online community of foreign language learners, in the context of learning Italian as a second language at university. An online community of practice that included a group of second and third year students of Italian, and seven native speakers facilitators, was developed and implemented according to the principles that guide community development (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1998). For one semester community members interacted and collaborated with each other through the communication tools of an online learning management system with the objective of completing two authentic activities that involved planning and organising a trip to Australia and Italy, and to develop a comprehensive itinerary and travel guide. This paper describes the four phases of this study and the methodologies of each phase according to the model of DBR outlined by Reeves (2006).