Dr Karina von Lindeiner-Strasky

Professional biography

During my studies at Universities in Germany and the UK, I developed my interest in the intersection between languages, literature, and culture.

My DPhil in Modern European Languages (German) at Oxford University (2006) focussed on Klaus Mann, a German writer who went into exile to fight against Hitler and the Third Reich with his pen. During his exile in France, the Netherlands, and the US, he closely interacted with intellectuals from his host countries and attempted writing literary and non-literary texts in English. My research looked at how his political beliefs and objectives influenced the content, style, and language of his novels.

Since 2006, I taught and researched in German departments across the UK and Germany, before I came to the OU in 2017.

Research interests

• Machine Translation in Language Learning, Teaching, and Assessment
• Language teaching pedagogy and methodology for SEND learners
• (German) memorialisation and political discussion in the digital world
• Literature & film

I am currently chairing a research group at the OU investigating the role and function of web-based machine translation tools in language learning. In line with the OU’s responsibility to pioneer the development of language teaching as well as digital learning methodology, we attempt to find new ways to incorporate this technology into language teaching and assessment. 

Together with Andrew Gargett and Ursula Stickler (both OU), I am editing a special edition of CALICO on Web-based Machine translation in language teaching.

Upcoming publications include:

• 'Machine translation in language learning, teaching and assessment', in: Bloomsbury Handbook of Language Learning and Technology, edited by Regine Hampel and Ursula Stickler (with Andrew Gargett)
• A series of 3 articles on machine translation tools in language learning, teaching, and assessment for language learners and teachers on OpenLearn

Teaching interests

German Literature and Culture across all levels.

I have extensive experience in supervising Master, Ed.D and PhD students in the area of German literature and culture as well as language teaching methology.

Impact and engagement

I am one of the founding members and key authors of the Toolkit ‘Taking your Language Learning Online’ (https://www.open.edu/openlearncreate/course/view.php?id=6341). Faced with the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, a team of experts from the OU founded this groundbreaking project to support our Higher Education colleagues all across the world. We created a free resource for Higher Education language teachers, designed with a strong focus on practical advice, in order to help them to quickly learn how to teach languages with the technology available and to overcome technical as well as pedagogical and pastoral challenges. The Toolkit was recognized by the Global Open Education Practice Graduate Network (GO-GN), which awarded our team the 2020 Fred Mulder award for Best Open Practice.

External collaborations

Together with Professor Stefan Neuhaus (Koblenz) and Professor Christiane Schönfeld (Limerick), I am chairing the section "Literatur auf der Kinoleinwand zu Krisenzeiten" at the 2025 conference of the Internationale Vereinigung für Germanistik in Graz.

International links

I am an active member of

• WIGS (Women in German Studies, which I also supported as treasurer from 2010-13)
• Deutsche Germanistenvereinigung
• Internationale Vereinigung für Germanistik