Educational Platforms and Their Effectiveness in Teaching Romanian as a Foreign Language

Abstract

The study investigates the effectiveness of educational platforms in teaching Romanian as a foreign language, addressing a critical gap between technological availability and actual language acquisition. It aims to identify the conditions under which digital platforms genuinely support communicative, linguistic, and intercultural development. The research builds on established theories of second language acquisition and computer-assisted language learning, which emphasize comprehensible input, meaningful output, feedback, and contextualized use of language. It positions itself critically in relation to studies that equate technological use with pedagogical efficiency. The study employs a qualitative analytical approach based on a functional typology of educational platforms, combined with didactic analysis of learning tasks, platform functionalities, and observed learning outcomes in higher education contexts. The findings show that platforms are effective only when integrated into a coherent didactic strategy. Indicators of effectiveness include functional fluency, reduction of systemic errors, learner autonomy, and intercultural competence. Uncritical use of technology leads to an illusion of competence without real communicative transfer. The study offers guidance for teachers, researchers, and academic administrators on evidence-based integration of digital platforms into language instruction. The article proposes an original integrative model that reconceptualizes platforms as pedagogical environments mediated by the teacher and activated by the learner, demonstrating that effectiveness depends on didactic coherence, not technology alone.