Hello again ka!
I've been given 'IIENetworker' for Fall 2016 and so here I am sharing what I've read and thought about ka.
The issue is devoted to 'Virtual Exchange', which has right away got my attention especially when it talks about exchanges and my own interest these days is also on this topic plus how to make exchanges work for those who can't do it physically.
It's mentioned that virtual exchange is quite recent and that it's built on the use of IT ka.
Chelsea Ridenour has given 7 tips for virtual exchange to continue to evolve and shift. They include 'Define', 'Talk with colleagues, internal and external', 'Involve IT', Baby steps and creativity', 'Prep for glitches', 'Measure the impacts', and 'Share your knowledge'.
Alison Corbett talks about 'Schools Online', which offers partner-finding tools and grants; resources for planning lessons; and partner project activities; online continuing professional development courses; and collaboration tools for online projects.
What I like most is an article by 'Madison Marks', entitled, 'Humanizing the Refugee Crisis through Virtual Exchange: The Basmatna Program.' when the role virtual exchange can come into play.
'Virtual exchange is more than just a screen-to-screen conversation.......we aim to inspire young people to engage in cross-cultural communication that will enable them to be active community leaders and global citizens.......educating and motivating youth to take actions.....towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals.......opportunities for the voices of those in conflict zones to be heard.......humanizing the experience by interacting and learning about daily lives and perspectives of peers across the globe.'
Leslie A. Bozeman and Yao Yi Fu shared that Indiana University-Purdue University has been facilitating global learning through curriculum internationalization and using virtual exchange as a specific tool for more than a decade stressing collaboration, networking, and social media plus its own IT applications. Its 'CourseNetworking' has more than 80,000 users in about 140 countries.
The efforts give opportunities to faculty and students who may not be readily able to travel abroad (Internationalization at Home--IaH lae ka!) The faculty can enhance their scope of disciplinary knowledge, widening their pool of research collaborators, and enriching their own professional interactions through intercultural interaction.
One article that I highlighted most is by Carrie Wojenski on 'Designing a Pre-departure Study Abroad Intervention using Collaborative Online International Learning'.
She quoted a few related articles and basically it's a reminder for all of us that study abroad/exchange experience can be 'a source of tension and conflict as well as an enriching experiences and personal growth' and participants need 'guided education and training while recognizing and understanding their own cultural beliefs and values'
Proper interventions and use of IT tools are needed to influence outcomes drawn from the social interactions experienced. The platforms selected have to respond to students for them to feel connected and comfortable.
Historically, it was believed that global competence and intercultural awareness would be automatic after Study Abroad!
Unfortunately, even now, quite a number of Thai faculty and administrators still think along this line.
We all need to realize that it isn't automatic. It needs to be managed yet flexible with the use of proper tools and platforms to be responsive to our communities and people ka.
Internationalization isn't limited to just exchanges though exchanges has been high on most, if not all, universities in our country. Mutual understanding of the broad definitions and sharing practices to promote 'genuine practical actions' are still far from seen!
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