Curriculum Vitae
updated December 2022
Michael K. Olsen
Department of Foreign Languages
Tennessee Tech University
Box 5061
Cookeville, TN 38505 USA
Email: molsen(at)tntech(dot)edu
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Hispanic Linguistics, Department of Linguistics, University of Pittsburgh, 2013
- Dissertation: The Acquisition of Case in Spanish Pronominal Object Clitics in
- Committee: Alan Juffs (Chair), David Mortensen, Marta Ortega-Llebaria, Richard Donato
M.A. in Hispanic Linguistics, Department of Linguistics, University of Pittsburgh, 2010
MSLT, Department of Languages, Philosophy, and Speech Communication, Utah State University, 2007
B.A. in Spanish, Department of Languages, Philosophy, and Speech Communication, Utah State University, 2006
EMPLOYMENT
Tennessee Tech University, Foreign Languages
2022-present Associate Professor of Spanish
2021-present Director of the Center for English as a Second Language
2018-2022 Assistant Professor of Spanish
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, World Languages and Literatures
2015-2018 Assistant Professor of Spanish & Applied Linguistics
University of Montana, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
2013-2015 Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish
PUBLICATIONS
Refereed Journal Articles and Book Chapters
Olsen, M. K. (in press). The influence of computer-assisted obligatory processing tasks on L2 Spanish object pronouns. Foreign Language Annals.
Olsen, M. K., & Juffs, A. (2022). The effect of animacy on object pronoun distinctions in L2 Spanish. Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, 12(2), 220-249. Advanced online publication in (2020). https://doi.org//10.1075/lab.19024.ols
Sánchez-Gutiérrez, C., Marcos Miguel, N., Olsen, M. K. (2019). Vocabulary coverage and lexical characteristics in second language Spanish textbooks. In P. Ecke & S. Rott (Eds.) Understanding Vocabulary Learning and Teaching: Implications for Language Program Development. Issues in Language Program Direction. Boston: Cengage Learning.
Olsen, M. K., & Barske, T. (2018). Specific challenges faced by world language teacher candidates, cooperating teachers, and program coordinators in developing edTPA portfolios. In P. Swanson & S. Hildebrandt (Eds.) Researching edTPA Problems and Promises: Perspectives from English as an Additional Language, English Language Arts, and World Language Teacher Education. Available here
Olsen, M. K. (2016). Limitations on the influence of English phonetics and phonology on L2 Spanish rhotics. Borealis–An International Journal of Hispanic Linguistics,5(2), 313-331. Online version here
Olsen, M. K. (2015). Current trends among Ecuadorian dialects: Insights from internet interviews. Dialectologia, 14(1), 75-96. Online version here
Olsen, M. K. (2012). The L2 acquisition of Spanish rhotics by L1 English Speakers: The effect of L1 articulatory routines and phonetic context for allophonic variation. Hispania 95(1), 65-82. Online version here
Manuscripts in Preparation
Olsen, M. K. (in preparation). Spanish heritage speaker use and interpretation of Spanish object pronouns.
Olsen, M. K. (in preparation). Social Factors in Spanish Language Contact Situations.
AWARDS
2020 Scholastic Research Award, Tenure-Track Faculty, Tennessee Tech University
2007 Graduate Instructor of the Year, Department of Languages, Philosophy, and Speech Communication, Utah State University.
2007 Best Graduate Paper, Department of Languages, Philosophy, and Speech Communication Symposium, Utah State University.
GRANTS
2021 Faculty Research Grant, Tennessee Tech University. $3,000
2020 Faculty Development Fund, Tennessee Tech University. $249
2019 Faculty Development Fund, Tennessee Tech University. $780
2018 Faculty Development Fund, Tennessee Tech University. $1,250
2017 Online Course Development Grant, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. $4,000
2016 Tech Select Program, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. $1,000
2016 Teaching Partners, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. $500
CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION
Papers Presented
2021 Spanish Heritage Speaker Distinctions of Spanish Object Pronouns, American Association for Applied Linguistics,
March 20-23.
2019 Promises and Challenges of the edTPA for World Languages, Tennessee Foreign Language Teaching Association
Annual Conference, November 8-9.
2018 Research-Based Language Learning and Teaching: Integrating Second Language Acquisition Research and Language Teaching, Forum on Empowering Small and Medium Sized Training Institutions through the Internet, Tianjin, China, December 29.
2018 Spanish Speaking Teacher Candidate and Stakeholder Perceptions and edTPA, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Annual Convention and World Languages Expo, November 16-18, with Susan Hildebrandt, Tobias Barske, Sarah Jourdain, and Peter Swanson.
2017 Are We Teaching Enough Frequent Words? An Analysis of L2 Spanish Textbooks, American Council on the Teaching
of Foreign Languages Annual Convention and World Languages Expo, November 17-19, with Claudia Sánchez- Gutiérrez and Nausica Marcos Miguel.
2017 Specific Challenges Faced by World Language Teacher Candidates, Cooperating Teachers, and Program Coordinators in Developing edTPA Portfolios, Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers Conference, November 2-4, with Tobias Barske.
2017 Heritage Speaker Interpretation of Spanish Object Pronouns, Second Language Research Forum, October 12-15.
2017 Words and Textbooks: Vocabulary Coverage and Lexical Characteristics in L2 Spanish textbooks, Second Language Research Forum, October 12-15, with Claudia Sánchez-Gutiérrez and Nausica Marcos Miguel.
2017 Spanish Heritage Speaker Interpretation and Use of Spanish Object Pronouns, Conference on Spanish in the US/Spanish in Contact with other Languages, April 6-8.
2016 Advancing L2 Spanish Direct Object Pronoun Development through Computer-Mediated Processing Tasks, American Association for Applied Linguistics, April 9-12.
2015 edTPA: New Assessment of Student Teachers, Wisconsin Association for Language Teachers Conference, November
5-7, with Tobias Barske and Grace Firari.
2014 Preempting an Animacy-Based Spanish Object Pronoun System in English-Speaking L2 Learners of Spanish, Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association Convention, October 9-11.
2013 L2 Spanish Formal Distinctions of Pronominal Object Clitics, The Ohio State University Congress on Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics, April 5-6.
2012 The Influence of English Phonetics and Phonology on L2 Spanish Rhotics, Hispanic Linguistics Symposium, October 25-28.
2012 The Effect of Animacy on Pronominal Object Clitic Distinction in L2 Spanish, Second Language Research Forum, October 18-21.
2010 Phonetic Constraints and L1 Transfer of an English Phonological Rule In Spanish L2 Pronunciation, Current Approaches to Spanish and Portuguese Second Language Phonology, February 4-7.
2007 An Analysis of Regular and Irregular Verbs: Cognitive Processes and Spanish Teaching Implications, Department of Languages, Philosophy, and Speech Communication Symposium, April.
Posters Presented
2016 Animacy in L2 Spanish Object Pronoun Distinctions: Cue Availability Overshadowing Cue Reliability, Hispanic Linguistics Symposium, October 7-9.
2010 The Complementizer Particle si in Guayaquileño Spanish, Hispanic Linguistics Symposium, October 14-17.
CAMPUS/COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS
2017 Pronunciation Instruction, Portage County Literacy Council Tutor Roundtable, December 5.
2016 Teaching Pronunciation, Portage County Literacy Council Tutor Roundtable, October 18th.
2014 Syntax or Semantics? The L2 Learner Conundrum in the Acquisition of Spanish Object Pronouns, University of Montana Linguistics Club Lecture Series, April 24th.
2012 The Influence of English Phonetics and Phonology on L2 Spanish Rhotic Articulation, Department of Linguistics Colloquium Series, University of Pittsburgh, October 5th.
2012 The Effect of Animacy on Pronominal Object Clitic Distinction in L2 Spanish, Department of Linguistics Colloquium Series, University of Pittsburgh, March 30th.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Tennessee Tech University
The Sounds of Spanish (Spring 2022)
Dialects of the Spanish-Speaking World (Fall 2020)
Introduction to Spanish Linguistics (Spring 2019, Fall 2022)
Directed Studies in Spanish: Spanish Linguistics (Spring 2019)
Directed Studies in Spanish: Applied Spanish Linguistics (Spring 2020)
Directed Studies in Spanish: The Use of Literature in Spanish Language Classes (Fall 2021)
Materials and Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages (Spring 2022-2019)
Materials and Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages-graduate section (Spring 2022-2019)
[Spanish] Senior Capstone (Spring 2022, 2019)
Teaching Licensure Senior Capstone (Spring 2020, Fall 2020, 2021)
Oral Communication in Spanish (Spring 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, Fall 2019, 2021, 2022)
Written Communication in Spanish (Spring 2023, 2022, Fall 2020)
Transition to Intermediate Spanish (Fall 2018)
Intermediate Spanish II (Fall 2021)
Intermediate Spanish I (Spring 2023, 2020, Fall 2019, 2020)
Elementary Spanish II (Spring 2019, Fall 2018, 2022)
Elementary Spanish II [online] (Spring 2023, 2021, Summer 2020)
Elementary Spanish I [online] (Summer 2022, 2020, 2019)
Elementary Spanish I (Fall 2021)
Field Experiences in Education (Spring 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019)
University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
First Year Spanish I [online] (Summer 2017, 2018)
Advanced [Spanish] Conversation and Composition (Spring, 2017)
Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics (Fall 2016)
Intermediate Spanish Conversation (Fall 2017, 2016, 2015)
Spanish Independent Study: Caribbean Dialectology (Fall 2016)
Teaching English as a Second Language-graduate section (Spring 2017, 2016)
English: Communication for the International Professional (Summer 2017, 2016)
Teaching English as a Second Language (Spring 2018, 2017, 2016)
Spanish American Cult. and Civ.: Spanish American Dialectal Variation (Spring 2018, 2016)
[Spanish] Phonetics and Phonology (Fall 2017, 2015)
Teaching Second Languages (Fall 2017, 2015)
Student Teaching in Foreign Languages (Fall 2017, 2016, 2015, Spring 2018, 2017, 2016)
Seminar on Teaching for Student Teachers (Fall 2017, 2016, 2015, Spring 2018, 2017, 2016)
University of Montana
Spanish: Applied Linguistics (Fall 2014, 2013)
Spanish Phonetics (Fall 2014, 2013, Spring 2014)
Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages (Fall 2014)
Introduction to Hispanic Linguistics (Spring 2014)
Spanish: Advanced Composition and Conversation (Spring 2015, 2014)
Spanish: Advanced Conversations (Spring 2015)
University of Pittsburgh
Spanish Grammar and Composition (Spring 2013)
Special Topics in Applied [Spanish] Linguistics (Fall 2012)
Spanish Phonetics and Phonemics (Spring 2012)
Intermediate Spanish 4 (Spring 2012, 2011, Fall 2010)
Spanish Applied Linguistics (Fall 2011)
Elementary Spanish 2 (Spring 2010, Fall 2008)
Intermediate Spanish 3 (Fall 2009)
Elementary Spanish 1 (Spring 2009)
Bridgerland Applied Technology College
Spanish 3 (Summer 2008)
Spanish 2 (Spring 2008)
Spanish 1 (Spring 2008)
Utah State University
Spanish First Year II (Spring 2008, Fall 2007)
Spanish First Year I (Spring 2007)
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Reviewed a proposal for a National Science Foundation Grant, 2021
Reader, AP Spanish Language and Culture Exam, 2017-present.
Reviewed manuscripts for Linguistic Approaches to Bilingualism, Studies in Hispanic and Lusophone Linguistics, Hispania, Language Learning, Applied Linguistics, and Selected Proceedings of the 2012 Second Language Research Forum
UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Curriculum Director, Center for English as a Second Language, Division of Enrollment and Communication, Tennessee Tech University, 2021-present.
edTPA World Languages Coach, Foreign Language Teacher Candidates, Office of Teacher Education, Tennessee Tech University, 2021-present.
Clinical Experience Supervisor, Foreign Language Teacher Candidates, Office of Teacher Education, Tennessee Tech University, 2020-present.
Departmental Reviewer, Institutional Review Board, Tennessee Tech University, 2018-present.
Member, Tennessee Tech Center for English as a Second Language Formation Committee, Tennessee Tech University, 2019-2021
Member, Teacher Education Committee, Tennessee Tech University, 2018-2021.
Member, Online Course Development Grant Award Committee, Center for Inclusive Teaching and Learning, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Fall 2017.
Faculty leader, Valladolid, Spain Study Abroad, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 2017.
Faculty Co-Advisor, Alpha Mu Gamma, National Collegiate Foreign Language Honor Society, Department of Foreign Languages, Tennessee Tech University, 2018-present.
COLLEGE SERVICE
Member, Professional Education Advisory Council, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 2015-2018.
Supervisor, Foreign Language and ESL Student Teachers, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 2015-present.
Member, Teacher Education Subcommittee, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 2015-present.
M.A. Thesis Committee Member, Hohenstein, Kate. Hiatus Resolution in Tariana Pronominal Prefixation. Graduated May 2014.
DEPARTMENT SERVICE
edTPA World Languages Content Specialist and Mentor, Department of Foreign Languages, Tennessee Tech University, 2018-present.
State Licensure Liaison for World Languages, Department of Foreign Languages, Tennessee Tech University, 2018-present.
Member, Promotion Committee-[name redacted], Department of Foreign Languages, Tennessee Tech University, 2022.
Member, Promotion Committee-[name redacted], Department of Foreign Languages, Tennessee Tech University, 2022.
Chair, Assessment Committee, Department of World Languages and Literatures, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 2017-2018.
Member, Assessment Committee, Department of World Languages and Literatures, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 2015-2017.
Member, Executive Committee, Department of World Languages and Literatures, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, 2015-2017.
Member, Faculty Forum Committee, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, University of Montana, 2013-2015.
Member, Colloquium Committee, Department of Linguistics, University of Pittsburgh, 2010-2013.
Member, Faculty Search Committee, Department of Linguistics, University of Pittsburgh, 2010-2011.
PROGRAM SERVICE
Member, Spanish Lecturer Search Committee, Department of Foreign Languages, Tennessee Tech University, 2020.
Undergraduate Student Research Mentor, Pimentel, Carlui. Spanish of the Caribbean: A Glimpse of the Gemination Process in Cartagena de Indias, April 2017.
Vice President, Second Language Research Club, University of Pittsburgh, 2012-2013.
STUDENT ORGANIZATION SERVICE
Faculty Advisor, Alpha Mu Gamma, National Collegiate Foreign Language Honor Society, Department of Foreign Languages, Tennessee Tech University, 2019-present.
Faculty Co-Advisor, Alpha Mu Gamma, National Collegiate Foreign Language Honor Society, Department of Foreign Languages, Tennessee Tech University, 2018-2019.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Coordinator, Adventure Days-World Languages at UWSP, DC Everest Jr. High School & UWSP, Spring 2018.
Collaborator, Spanish video project: UWSP service learning project with high school students, Pacelli Catholic High School, Spring 2017, Fall 2017.
Collaborator, Spanish Through Technology Outreach Project: UWSP student interactions with 8th grade Spanish students, Manheim Township Middle School, Fall 2016.
Collaborator, Service Learning Project: Meadow Hill Middle School Spanish Video Project-Paraguay, Spring 2014.
Collaborator, Service Learning Project: Spanish Poetry Translation, Missoula Writing Collaborative, Fall 2013.
Service Volunteer, Guayaquil, Ecuador, 1999-2001.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education