This webinar was hosted by the Global Education Conference, and focused on international video exchanges between students of different countries, including Russia, Australia, England, and India. The presentation went through ways to facilitate successful intercultural exchanges between students/classrooms, whether that be through streaming video/audio or prerecorded messages. Suggested methods of international exchange included:
- Preparing for the exchange
- Establishing a respectful environment
- Fostering interpersonal connection between students
These steps are provided in this order specifically to prepare students for a respectful and productive exchange and to facilitate an education-rich cultural communication that broadens their exposure to the world. It is vital in the 21st century that students not simply experience instances of cultural literacy, but practice it as well. Doing so means engaging in many moments of cultural exchange with a preparedness that facilitates their ability to gather as much from the experience as possible.
It was exciting to hear about how these exchanges affected the students. Some students claimed that the experience made other cultures seem more "real" to them. This is extremely important, as the way that we speak about and make decisions concerning other cultures are most often based on how we view them based on our experiences. But it wasn't just the students whose views had changed; the teachers involved with these exchanges learned form the experience as well. The opportunities lent a hand in allowing teachers to evaluate and better understand the content they were teaching by placing the course material into a cultural context. The presentation outlines what is expected of a globally competent teacher:
- Create an environment that values diversity
- Integrate world exploration with content learning
- facilitate conversations and partnerships that are international/intercultural
- Seek out and apply an understanding of different perspectives
- Constantly investigate the world and become an explorer
These expectation can easily be applied to what we expect from our students in the future of their academic, cultural, professional, and personal lives. In this enriching experience, we can facilitate personal and professional development in ourselves and our students.
- Preparing for the exchange
- Establishing a respectful environment
- Fostering interpersonal connection between students
These steps are provided in this order specifically to prepare students for a respectful and productive exchange and to facilitate an education-rich cultural communication that broadens their exposure to the world. It is vital in the 21st century that students not simply experience instances of cultural literacy, but practice it as well. Doing so means engaging in many moments of cultural exchange with a preparedness that facilitates their ability to gather as much from the experience as possible.
It was exciting to hear about how these exchanges affected the students. Some students claimed that the experience made other cultures seem more "real" to them. This is extremely important, as the way that we speak about and make decisions concerning other cultures are most often based on how we view them based on our experiences. But it wasn't just the students whose views had changed; the teachers involved with these exchanges learned form the experience as well. The opportunities lent a hand in allowing teachers to evaluate and better understand the content they were teaching by placing the course material into a cultural context. The presentation outlines what is expected of a globally competent teacher:
- Create an environment that values diversity
- Integrate world exploration with content learning
- facilitate conversations and partnerships that are international/intercultural
- Seek out and apply an understanding of different perspectives
- Constantly investigate the world and become an explorer
These expectation can easily be applied to what we expect from our students in the future of their academic, cultural, professional, and personal lives. In this enriching experience, we can facilitate personal and professional development in ourselves and our students.