Virtual Exchange at Penn State Brandywine Connects International Education Students
Penn State Brandywine Professor of Education Lynn Hartle has used virtual exchange technology to give her students an international experience without leaving their home campus.
During the spring semester, Hartle collaborated with Luciana Cabrini Simões Calvo, professor of language teacher education at the State University of Maringá in Brazil, to provide virtual experiences for their students.
These virtual exchange (VE) projects allow groups separated geographically to interact and develop some shared tasks without needing physical travel.
It has spurred “internationalism at home” practices that can be more comprehensive and inclusive for all students.
VE projects help students develop digital, linguistic, and communication skills, as well as critical thinking, increased openness and social inclusion.
“I was looking for ways to include more students in international experiences…Why not utilize Zoom and all the other technology skills students learned to cope with the pandemic?” said Hartle.
The project with Penn State Brandywine started when Calvo was looking for connections globally and found Penn State’s Experimental Digital Global Engagement (EDGE) program.
The program links a class at Penn State with one abroad to develop a shared VE course project.
Hartle had met Tiffany MacQuarrie, the professor in charge of EDGE, and was interested in the program.
Both Hartle and Calvo applied through the EDGE website and the two professors arranged a virtual meeting to discuss a cross-cultural collaboration.
The VE project evolved from there.
“I was looking for ways to include more students in international experiences since our Brandywine Global Programs study abroad opportunities aren’t an option for all students, some of whom are limited by work schedules and finances,” Hartle said.
The virtual exchange was focused on the two courses taught by the professors—Hartle’s Introduction to Teaching English Language Learners and Calvo’s English teacher course.
The exchange focused on support for preservice teacher development, especially in intercultural communicative competence, language practices, local and global perspectives, and collaborative practices through information and communication technologies.
During the March to May 2022 sessions, preservice teachers engaged in joint activities. Including linguistic and cultural autobiographies so teachers in both countries could get to know each other.
They also collaborated to study international and regional cultural norms for teaching and learning a second/foreign language.
Hartle and Calvo presented their processes and outcomes at two virtual international conferences this summer.
Read more about this virtual exchange at Penn State Brandywine.
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