Rosalba Esparragoza

I was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and earned a B.A. in Philology and Languages from Universidad Nacional de Colombia, an M.A. in Teaching Spanish and TESOL from the University of Southern Mississippi, and an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership: Higher Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. My doctoral research focused on self-efficacy in language learning and student success.

I am a Lecturer of Hispanic Studies at Davidson College, where I teach Spanish language and culture and explore how generative AI can transform language education. My work focuses on curriculum innovation, educational technology, and the thoughtful integration of AI to foster communication, learner autonomy, intercultural competence, and critical thinking.

I am particularly interested in reimagining the language curriculum for the AI era. My recent projects focus on developing communicative, story-driven learning experiences that integrate culture, technology, and real-world problem solving from beginning through intermediate Spanish. I also collaborate with educators to explore practical and ethical approaches to incorporating AI into language teaching.

I believe language learning is ultimately about understanding people. My goal is to help students communicate across languages and cultures while preparing them to thrive in a world where AI is becoming an integral part of education, work, and everyday life.

Teaching

SPA 101 Elementary Spanish I
SPA 102 Elementary Spanish II
SPA 201 Intermediate Spanish
SPA 260 Conversation and Composition