Presenters: Regina Brautlacht, Lurdes Martins and Joseph Owino
Conference: “Virtual Exchange – Borderless Mobility between European Higher Education Area and Regions Beyond”
Date and Time: December 11, 2019 • Session 1 - 13:15 – 14:30
Title: Online Collaboration Among European, African and US Students: A Didactical Resume of the Building Bridges Across Continents Project
Country Coordinators
Regina BrautlachtUniversity of Applied Sciences Bonn, [email protected]
Prof. Dr. Daniel AgyapongUniversity of Cape Coast, [email protected]
Prof. Dr. Nils RauhutCoastal Carolina University, USA
Dr. Joseph OwinoUniversity of Nairobi, [email protected]
Prof. Dr. Lurdes MartinsPolytechnic Institute of Viseu, [email protected]
2
Presentation Outline
Virtual Exchange
Theoretical Framework
Building Bridges Across Continents Project
Conclusion
References
Jager, Nissen, Helm, Baroni & Rousset (2019)
VIRTUAL EXCHANGE
People-to-people
Technology enabled
Different cultural
backgrounds
Constructive interactions
Educators as facilitators
Virtual Exchange
Partnership for 21st century Learning (P21)
P21 Framework for 21st Century Learning: Student outcomes and support systems
Collaboration – working together towards a shared goal
Communication – expressing ideas and opinions
Creativity – producing new and unique ideas
Critical Thinking – reasoning, analyzing and solving problems
Information literacy
Media literacy
ICT literacy
Flexibility & adaptability
Initiative & self-direction
Social and cross-cultural skills
Productivity & accountability
Leadership & responsibility
Source: http://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21
The TPACK framework
Source: Koehler and Mishra, 2009
ContentKnowledge
(CK)
PedagogicalKnowledge
(PK)
TechnologicalKnowledge
(TK)
TechnologicalPedagogical Content
Knowledge(TPACK)
TechnologicalContent
Knowledge(TCK)
TechnologicalPedagogicalKnowledge
(TPK)
PedagogicalContent
Knowledge(PCK)
Contexts
Content: Global Topics and Cultural Diversity
Pedagogy: Socio-Constructivism; Competency-Based Learning
Technology: Social Media Tools; Joint Platform; Email; Smart Devices
Building Bridges Across Continents
Goals
19 July 2017 Regina Brautlacht Dr. Joseph Owino Dr. Daniel Agyapong
Collaboration and communication in an international
environment
Getting to understand cultural dynamics and
differences
Practice writing and speaking in
English
Communication Media literacy
Social and Cross- Cultural
Critical thinking
Collaboration Flexibility
Skills
Tasks
Joint Platform
10
Students’ Reflections
Although we are spread across the whole globe, our generation is the first one, that is united by social media. This enormous power could be the key to solve current and future problems.
The videos introduced me to the cultural categories of my colleagues and it gave me a fair idea about their culture and ways of life before the interview. The videos played a major role in my interviews.
Earlier, I had some negative attitude towards visiting some countries especially due to issues of racism and feeling as if I would not be able to get along with them. However, after the videos and the interviews, I can confidently say that I can freely visit these places because at least I realized that the situation is not as I thought.
An interview with Nádia
What did you learn about yourself?
What did you enjoy the most?
What was your main challenge and how did you overcome it?
What are the most important things you learned through the project or the collaboration with other students?
Year 2019 (Winter) 2019 (Summer) 2018
Country Germany, Ghana, Portugal,
Kenya
Germany, Ghana,Kenya
Germany, Ghana, Portugal,
Kenya, USA
Number of STDs 55 35 59
Tools used ✓ Wiki✓ Email✓ Skype✓ Zoom✓ Smartphone✓ Video Editing Software
✓ Wiki✓ Email✓ Skype✓ Zoom✓ Smartphone✓ Video Editing Software
✓ Wiki✓ Email✓ Skype✓ Smartphone
Activity a. Engaging in cultural exchange. b. Making and posting of cultural videos online.c. Interviewing and being interviewedd. Writing personal report.
a. Engaging in cultural exchange. b. Making and posting of videos online.c. Conducting survey and writing survey report.d. Convening, chairing and writing minutes from virtual
meeting.e. Recording of virtual meetings.
Project Duration 4 months 4 months 4 months
Design Exploratory
Project Approach and Design (2018 – 2019)
13
Year 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013
Country Germany, Ghana,
Kenya, USA
Germany, Ghana,
Kenya, USA
Germany, Ghana
Germany, Ghana
+Germany, Italy, Portugal, Franc
Germany , Ghana+
Germany, Italy, Portugal, France
Number of STDs 41 48 80 36 30
Tools used ✓ Wiki✓ Email✓ Skype✓ Facebook✓ Smartphone
✓ Wiki✓ Email✓ Skype✓ Facebook✓ Smartphone✓ WhatsApp
✓ Wiki✓ Email✓ Skype✓ Facebook✓ Smartphone
✓ Wiki✓ Email✓ Skype✓ Facebook✓ Smartphone
✓ Wiki✓ Email✓ Skype✓ Facebook✓ Smartphone
Activity a. Engaging in cultural exchange. b. Making and posting of videos online.c. Conducting survey and writing survey report.d. Convening, chairing and writing minutes from virtual meeting.e. Recording of virtual meetings.
Project Duration 4 months 4 months 4 months 4 months 4 months
Design Exploratory
Project Approach and Design (2013 – 2017)
14
Number of StudentsWe have connected 384 students since 2013.
Challenges
• Lack of flexibility;
• Difficulties in solving problems;
• Different levels of ICT proficiency;
• Lack of netiquette;
• Difficulties in rephrasing;
• Connectivity problems.
Students
Challenges
• Different pedagogical approaches to autonomous learning, scaffolding and tutoring.
• Project management.
• Different levels of institutional and financial support.
• Cultural diversity of the students.
Coordinators
Conclusion
Cultural videos engaged students in meaningful dialogues.
Gaps between social and professional use of digital tools.
Students need to develop more problem solving techniques.
Learning outcomes depend on the level of commitment.
Scaffolding based on country needs.
Student guidelines are crucial.
Need to develop guidelines for coordinators.
Questions?
How do we select our students?
How do we assess our students?
How do we fund the project?
Any other questions?
References• Beelen J., Jones E. (2015) Redefining Internationalization at Home. In: Curaj A., Matei L., Pricopie R., Salmi J., Scott
P. (eds) The European Higher Education Area. Springer, Cham
• Jager, S., Nissen, E., Helm, F., Baroni, A., Rousset, I. (2019) Virtual Exchange as Innovative Practice across Europe. Awareness and Use in Higher Education. Retrieved from https://evolve-erasmus.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Baseline-study-report-Final_Published_Incl_Survey.pdf
• Koehler, M. J., & Mishra, P. (2009). What is technological pedagogical content knowledge? Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 9(1), 60-70.
• P21 - The Partnership for 21st Century Learning. (2015). P21 Framework Definitions. Retrieved from: http://www.battelleforkids.org/networks/p21
• Spiro, R.J., Feltovich, P.J., Jacobson, M.J. & Coulson, R.L. (1991). Cognitive flexibility, constructivism, and hypertext: Random access instruction for advanced knowledge acquisition in ill-structured domains. Educational Technology, 31(1), 24-33
