Summary
– Main objectives of the Virtual Exchange
Students practice with technology-mediated collaborative group work, peer support and giving and receiving constructive feedback;
Intercultural experience for students who not all have experience with a diverse group of students.
– Targeted learning outcomes
(1) developing competencies in technology-mediated collaborative work
(2) making a link between the exchange experience including reflection and a practical application of the theory discussed in class
– Global task description
During weekly video-conferencing sessions, two students from the University of Groningen and two students from Jyväskylä University discuss topics related to intercultural communication. They screen-record their meetings and upload the recordings for future use. Students are expected to reflect on their telecollaborative meetings. During seminars, it is discussed whether and how the students’ experiences relate to the content of the class, that is, how the theoretical concepts of intercultural communication can be mapped onto the weekly practice.
Partners
| Partner / department | Course | Language of instruction | Number of students |
| University of Groningen, Communication and Information Sciences | Intercultural Communication | English | 64 |
| University of Jyväskylä, Language and Communication Studies | Introduction to Intercultural Communication | English | 51 |
Start and end date
4 February 2019 – 15 March 2019
Duration
6 weeks
Discipline
Languages
Integration and assessment
During seminars students reported back on their Virtual Exchange (VE) encounters. Furthermore, they were asked to report on their seminar tasks during the VE meetings.
Participation was assessed by contribution and reflection, but these were not graded.
Technology tools used
– Learning environment
Google Classroom
– Collaboration tools
Google Hangouts Meet, WhatsApp (if the students want to), any tool students might choose themselves
– Reflection tool
Very short blog in Blackboard (University of Groningen students), Moodle (learning environment for University of Jyväskylä students)