Profile

Biography

Dr. Jason Jolley is an associate dean of the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities and a tenured professor of Spanish. He has over 15 years of administrative experience and previously served as head of the Department of World Languages and Cultures. His teaching and research focus on Latin American literature, machine translation, language learning, translator training, and open educational resources. He presents regularly at national and international conferences and has served in leadership roles with the Central States Conference and the Mid-America Chapter of the American Translators Association. He also runs the Professor Jason Spanish and Portuguese YouTube channel and has worked extensively as a professional translator in the investor relations sector. He holds a Ph.D. in Spanish with an emphasis in Latin American literature from The Pennsylvania State University, as well as an M.A. and B.A. in Spanish from Brigham Young University.

Details

Education

• PhD, Spanish, 2003, The Pennsylvania State University
• MA, Spanish, 1997, Brigham Young University
• BA, Spanish, 1995, Brigham Young University
• AA, Journalism, 1993, BYU-Idaho

Teaching

• MCL 310 Introduction to Translation and Interpreting
• MCL 410 Translation Capstone Project
• SPN 326 Civilization of Spanish America
• SPN 410 Translation
• SPN 460 Spanish American Literature
• SPN 510/610 Advanced Translation
• SPN 590/690 Advanced Spanish Grammar
• SPN 725 Seminar in Hispanic Literature and Culture

Professional experience

• Associate Dean of Policy, Globalization, and Diversity, College of Arts and Letters, Missouri State University
• Department Head, Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Missouri State University
• Co-director, Foreign Language Institute, Missouri State University
• Professor of Spanish, Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Missouri State University
• Chair of Board of Directors, Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
• Treasurer, Mid-America Chapter of the American Translators Association

Professional affiliations

• American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese (AATSP)
• American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
• American Translators Association (ATA)
• Association of Departments of Foreign Languages (ADFL)
• Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (CSCTFL)
• Foreign Language Association of Missouri (FLAM)
• Mid-America Chapter of the American Translators Association (MICATA)
• Modern Language Association (MLA)
• Ozarks Foreign Language Association (OFLA)

Selected peer-reviewed publications

• Maimone, L., Restrepo Ramos, F., & Jolley, J. (2025). Automated detection of machine translation use in L2 Spanish writing. Language Teaching Research. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688251352263
• Jolley, J., & Maimone, L. (2025). Machine translation and language teaching and learning. Language
  Teaching, 58(2), 173-191. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444824000466
• Maimone, L., & Jolley, J. (2023). Looks like Google to me: Instructor ability to detect machine translation in L2 Spanish writing. Foreign Language Annals, 56(3), 627-644. https://doi.org/10.1111/flan.12690
• Jolley, J. R, & Maimone, L. (2022). Thirty Years of Machine Translation in Language Teaching and Learning: A Review of the Literature. L2 Journal, 14(1), 26-44. http://dx.doi.org/10.5070/L214151760
• Antonio Skármeta: Nuevas Lecturas/New Readings. Eds. César Ferreira and Jason Jolley. Lima: Centro de Estudios Literarios Antonio Cornejo Polar (Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos), 2017.
• Orphans, Adoptive Filiation, and Literary Paternity in the Narratives of Antonio Skármeta. Antonio Skármeta: Nuevas Lecturas/New Readings. Eds. César Ferreira and Jason Jolley. Lima: Centro de Estudios Literarios Antonio Cornejo Polar (Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos), 2017: 27-39.
• Jolley, J. R, & Maimone, L. (2022). Free Online Machine Translation: Use and Perceptions by Spanish Students and Instructors. Central States Report. Ed. Aleidine J. Moeller. Crown Prints: Eau Claire, WI, 2015. 181-200.

Research and professional interests

• Latin American literature
• Machine translation and language learning
• Translator training
• Self-directed language learning
• Open educational resources

Awards and honors