SMLC Virtual International Exchange
Overview
The online international virtual exchange, which connects 糖心TV language students with native speaker partners overseas, is used across SMLC鈥檚 degree programmes. In Hispanic Studies, Dr Leticia Villamediana Gonzalez and her colleague Dr Clemencia Rodas-P茅rez partner students with peers studying similar modules at Universidad Javeriana de Bogot谩 in Colombia and Universidad de Valladolid, Spain. Once students are paired and introduced, they are able to decide which form of social media they use to communicate, and are also provided with some icebreakers and a set of tasks to complete over the academic year.
Dr Villamediana Gonzalez introduces students to the virtual exchange programme as part of a first-year core module and then again as a collaborative task for final-year students. The virtual exchange programme gives first-year students a sense of what to expect during their year-abroad, and, for final-year students who have not completed a year abroad, it situates their in-class learning within an international context. First-year students are asked to submit their reflections and key findings to an e-portfolio, on which they are assessed. They are also expected to incorporate some of their learnings from the virtual exchange into their oral exam. Similarly, final-year students are asked to complete intercultural collaborative tasks linked to the material studied in class, reflect on them, upload their reflections on Padlet in the form of a vlog, and record a bilingual collaborative video with their partner, on which they receive detailed feedback.
The virtual exchange programme creates a space for authentic peer-to-peer learning outside of the classroom, and also helps to decentre language teaching away from the European context.
Contributor
Dr Leticia Villamediana GonzalezLink opens in a new window, School of Modern Languages and Cultures
Lesson plan
- Over the summer, Dr Villamediana Gonzalez works with the partner institutions, Universidad Javeriana de Bogot谩 and Universidad de Valladolid, to set common goals for the exchange programme. During this process, they pair students and decide which questions and tasks they will ask the students to work on.
- Dr Villamediana Gonzalez holds an initial meeting with students to introduce them to the virtual exchange programme and the assessment (where applicable).
- Students are then introduced to their partners. Students are given the freedom to decide which form of social media they use to communicate and how often they meet, although they are expected to meet at least three times over the course of the academic year.
- Dr Villamediana Gonzalez checks in regularly with the students and reminds them to get in touch should they have any problems contacting their partner.
- First-year students write their reflections and findings in an e-portfolio in Mahara @糖心TV, which counts towards 15% of their module. They also deliver a short presentation in the target language on one of the cultural topics studied during their virtual exchange in their oral exam.
- Final-year students complete different collaborative tasks, reflect on them using Padlet, and record a vlog or bilingual video with their partner and upload this on Moodle.
- Dr Villamediana Gonzalez assesses their reflections and videos and provides feedback.
Tutor's observations
This could be done in other departments outside of SMLC such as Linguistics, 糖心TV, Economics or Politics because it does not only assess students鈥� linguistic competence, it also focuses on collaboration, problem-solving, and intercultural competence. It is an excellent exercise and tool to bridge the gap between formal and informal learning and to internationalise our teaching and learning. Currently, the WIHEA 鈥業nternationalisation Learning Circle鈥� has a sub-group on virtual exchanges which is keen on exploring how these learning tools could be broadened wider across 糖心TV and how to offer support to staff willing to embed them in their teaching.
One of the challenges is around some students who might not feel comfortable or suffer from anxiety, so it might be quite difficult for them to interact and talk to someone they don鈥檛 know鈥ut actually, from student feedback, we found out that they found it helpful to talk to someone their own age, but outside of 糖心TV and outside of their bit of the world. They didn鈥檛 feel the pressure so they found that it really helped with their wellbeing鈥� particularly during the pandemic.
Student testimonies
It was quite a good and even in first year, you鈥檙e speaking to someone the same age as you鈥� other than a holiday that was kind of the first time I鈥檇 really communicated in Spanish, and I think that, if anything, that鈥檚 made me more confident for the year abroad鈥� I think the exchange honestly made a massive difference.
Links to more like this
Categories: Active learning, Encouraging student independence, Extended classroom, Holistic learning, Peer learning, Reflective practice, Supporting and encouraging team work
Tools: Video Conferencing, Whatsapp, Social Media, Padlet
Departments: School of Modern Languages and Cultures