By Nadine Normand-Marconnet, Jeremy Breaden, Thu Do and Lucas Santos
Posted Tue 9 April, 2024

The significant decline in international student mobility during the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the vulnerability of higher education institutions heavily reliant on physical student mobility. The crisis presented an opportunity to reconceptualise international education and mobility (O’Dowd, 2023). Virtual exchange emerged as a valuable alternative to strengthen international partnerships among universities, faculties, educators and students, thus engaging a larger number of non-mobile students in international learning (Commander et al., 2022).

Virtual Exchange, OIE and COIL, different terminology, same goals

Virtual Exchange (VE), Online Intercultural Exchanges (OIE) and Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) are different labels which all refer to online, technology-enabled collaborations between students from different cultural backgrounds. 

Through various digital tools and communication channels, students are guided to engage in discussions, collaborative projects, and cultural exchange without leaving their local setting. This form of international collaboration transcends geographical boundaries, fostering a virtual space where students can explore diverse perspectives and gain a deeper understanding of global issues.

Pedagogies applied in VE, OIE and COIL are designed to maximise collaboration among students and educators in online contexts. Some of the principles for effective collaboration in online learning that these pedagogies embrace are (1) multimodal and multilingual forms of communication, (2) problem-solving projects and tasks that require collaboration, and (3) shared sense of responsibility and ownership from students.

These principles and their implementation are at the core of a community of practice we launched and developed in the last three years with the support of the Faculty of Arts. A group of staff from different disciplines is working to research and enabling pedagogically sound practices in higher education.

Why is Virtual Exchange worth embedding in curriculum?

Let’s consider the ‘pros’ of this pedagogical approach.

1. Global Competence Development

Through guided interactions with peers located in a different region, participants can experience cultural differences. They can gain insights into the norms, beliefs, and values of others by comparing to their own. By knowing themselves better, they are able to meaningfully consider how and why some of their peers are thinking, talking, and reacting in a way that is different from what they are familiar and comfortable with.

They are progressively mastering skills for breaking down cultural barriers, and in turn, fostering a sense of empathy and tolerance. At the same time, by navigating cross-cultural and intercultural communication challenges, students and staff involved in virtual exchange can develop intercultural communicative competence, and increase their capacity to adapt their communication styles to suit the needs of their partners. See, for example, the COIL project of our colleagues for enhancing healthcare.

By knowing themselves better, they are able to meaningfully consider how and why some of their peers are thinking, talking, and reacting in a way that is different from what they are familiar and comfortable with.

2. Cost-Effective and Inclusive Practice

Traditional study abroad programs can be financially prohibitive, or not accessible to students with specific needs. While different from an immersive in-person experience, virtual exchange encourages critical thinking and enables participants to recognise and question their own biases and assumptions. In addition, it provides opportunities to disrupt the traditional hegemony in knowledge production and distribution, and to allow different voices to be raised (see, e.g.  Breaden et al., 2023).

3. Real-World Application

Virtual exchange simulates real-world global interactions, providing students with practical experiences that mirror the challenges they may face in their future careers, which increasingly hinge on collaboration in online environments. The ability to navigate and collaborate across cultures online is an invaluable skill that goes beyond theoretical knowledge.

For instance, asking students to collaboratively explore a particular component of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) is an opportunity to engage with contemporary geopolitical questions. Appreciating differences in approaches and potential strategies to tackle global issues is a process that encourages individuals to develop nuanced understanding of global issues, and the role they can play in shaping world events. By sharing their lived experiences with people who have different linguistic, cultural, social, and disciplinary backgrounds, participants can unpack their unconscious ways of thinking and doing, and become more agile in adjusting their mental maps. 

Virtual exchange simulates real-world global interactions, providing students with practical experiences that mirror the challenges they may face in their future careers, which increasingly hinge on collaboration in online environments.

What are the road blocks to consider in virtual exchange?

Implementing virtual exchange requires awareness of particular challenges at institutional and individual levels.

1. Curricular Integration

Ideally, integrating virtual exchange into the existing curriculum is the best way to ensure that students receive academic credit for their participation, thus encouraging widespread adoption and acceptance by both students and faculty. However, aligning virtual exchange programs with existing courses in partner institutions might trigger faculty resistance, concerns about disrupting established curricula, and the need for additional resources. Addressing these challenges requires effective communication, faculty training, and showcasing the long-term benefits of global competence gained by both students and teaching staff.

2. Structured Facilitation

In principle, virtual exchange requires skilled facilitators who understand both the subject matter and cross-cultural dynamics.  Participants must be guided to approach this type of online interaction with cultural sensitivity and an open mind, recognising that diverse perspectives enrich the exchange, beyond ethnocentric perceptions and dominant Western worldviews. Practically speaking, this learning and teaching experience can become demanding in terms of time and energy, and there is a consensus among scholars and practitioners to call for dedicated professional development in this space. 

3. Assessment and Reflection

Assessing the outcomes of virtual exchange requires a nuanced approach. Traditional assessment methods may not capture the full scope of global competence development. Developing comprehensive evaluation tools, overcoming language barriers in assessment, and balancing standardised measures with qualitative reflections are challenges that educators need to navigate. For these reasons, virtual exchange activities are often offered on a co-curricular basis, which can be a good option for students to foster a deeper understanding of their own cultural biases and the diverse perspectives encountered during the virtual exchange.

4. Robust Technological Infrastructure

Establishing a reliable technological infrastructure is crucial, in order to facilitate seamless communication and collaboration. This may include video conferencing tools, collaborative platforms, and communication channels that support real-time interactions.

Needless to say, technical issues such as connectivity problems, varying levels of digital literacy among students, and compatibility issues can hinder the seamless operation of virtual exchange. Robust support systems, training sessions, and contingency plans are essential to mitigate these challenges.

As educators involved in various COIL initiatives, we have all experienced the consequences of the ‘push-and-pull’ factors related to virtual mobility. We are convinced that cultural awareness, critical self-reflection on identity and power dynamics have a profound positive impact on our students’ personal and professional development. On the other hand, we understand that the range of issues likely to occur in virtual exchanges can impede a large adoption of what is seen as an innovative pedagogy. 

Where do you situate your own practice within this complex picture of benefits and challenges? How do you consider this type of student mobility in contrast with in-person immersive programs? What is your own experience of virtual exchange? Add a comment to join the conversation and be part of our growing community of practice!

References

Breaden, J., Do, T., Moreira dos Anjos-Santos, L., & Normand-Marconnet, N. (2023). Student empowerment for internationalisation at a distance: enacting the students as partners approach in virtual mobility. Higher Education Research and Development, 42(5), 1182–1196. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2023.2193728

Commander, N. E., Schloer, W. F., & Cushing, S. T. (2022). Virtual exchange: a promising high-impact practice for developing intercultural effectiveness across disciplines. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 5, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.21827/jve.5.37329

O’Dowd, R. (2023). Internationalising Higher Education and the Role of Virtual Exchange. Routledge.