Highlighted Session: Can Virtual Exchanges Increase Access to Global Learning? Lessons from international research and on-the-ground practice

Group Submission Type: Highlighted Paper Session

Proposal

Virtual exchange was already on the rise prior to the pandemic but has become increasingly critical in an altered landscape of international education where traditional mobility has been disrupted and newer models are needed to globally prepare young people. At the same time, the past two years have brought international education to an inflection point because of three intersecting developments: geopolitical tensions and growing nationalism; a rising social justice movement that has refocused attention on existing inequities in international education; and a global pandemic that has further affected access to international education opportunities.

Against this backdrop, virtual exchange programs have become increasingly critical as a way to bring international education to a more diverse population of students and educators around the world, while also offering schools, higher education institutions, and organizations a cost effective and efficient way to engage globally. During a time of great global disruption, virtual exchanges enable mutual understanding and educational diplomacy.

Despite the expansion of virtual exchange in recent years, with more regional, national, and multinational initiatives being established, the dynamics of the field have not been adequately studied, and little is known about the diversity and spread of programs that leverage technology to foster knowledge and cultural exchange. Individual educators are often left wondering how much virtual exchange is occurring beyond their programs and contexts, and if it varies from what they provide. Overall, significant data gaps exist in understanding the global breadth and depth of virtual exchange; the extent of participation by different groups of youth, students, and adult learners; and the short-term outcomes and longitudinal impacts of such initiatives.

Based on two recent global surveys and accompanying research reports and practitioner perspectives from the field, our panel aims to fill this gap in knowledge. The session will bring together the primary investigators of two large-scale, multinational research projects—the Stevens Initiative’s third Survey of the Virtual Exchange Field (henceforth, SOTF) and UNESCO’s Moving minds: Opportunities and challenges for virtual student mobility (VSM) in a post-pandemic world report—to assess the scale and scope of virtual exchange and mobility around the world, as well as its potential for increasing access for diverse student populations. These two groundbreaking efforts to examine the implementation of multiple virtual exchanges can help improve an understanding of varied programs and the diversity of the entire field.

In unique ways, each project examines the presence and practice of virtual exchange at the global level, using data to answer questions about the field while illustrating differing approaches, outcomes, and regional implementation. The presenters will also highlight how program practitioners, administrators, and other institutions can use these large research projects to advocate for more investment and implementation of virtual exchange. Taken together, these efforts are very complementary: Moving Minds is more qualitative and shows institutional linkages, SOTF is more quantitative, showing the diversity and spread of virtual exchange while also revealing critical gaps in data collection and reporting.

The two research- and data-based presentations will be accompanied by a practitioner perspective from the University of Maryland, College Park, focusing specifically on emerging research conversations in the field as reflected in a forthcoming special issue of the Journal of International Students on international virtual exchange and a forthcoming edited volume titled Digital Internationalization. Additionally, data will be shared from the University’s Global Classrooms initiative, a unique opportunity for faculty members to create project-based, immersive, collaborative, virtual exchanges for U.S. university students, connecting them with peers abroad.

Following the panel presentation, a large portion of the session will be reserved for a moderated discussion during which presenters will articulate challenges and good practices related to research in the field of virtual exchange, while also discussing lessons learned and implications for implementing virtual exchange. Along with session participants, the panelists will reflect on some inherent limitations surfaced by the studies and research, including: the lack of consistent definitions and classifications of virtual exchange around the world; the difficult of maintaining and reporting program and participant data, especially within smaller virtual exchange programs; how to measure change and the long-term impact of virtual exchange, especially when program-level data is itself nascent; and the need to better understand the quality and the specific context within which virtual exchange occurs. The discussion can help inform the work of other researchers in the field, while also equipping practitioners and virtual exchange implementers to advocate for more research and develop sound data-collection and research practices.

Ultimately, our panel will highlight a growing and evolving field, while offering useful metrics for the virtual exchange sector. These findings also come at a critical time, given the global pandemic, the disruptions to in-person education and exchange, and a rising tide of nationalism. Looking ahead, it is possible that virtual exchange programs will have an even stronger role to play in addressing some of these shifts, in diversifying teaching and learning, and in enabling students and educators from a range of backgrounds to develop global competencies. Data that quantifies and explores virtual exchange qualitatively will help equip international education professionals to make important decisions regarding their students and communities.

Sub Unit

• Study Abroad and International Students SIG

Chair

• Rajika Bhandari, Rajika Bhandari Advisors

Individual Presentations

• Increasing International Education Access post-COVID-19: A Global Survey of Virtual Exchanges - Kyle Kastler, Stevens Initiative, The Aspen Institute

• Moving Minds: Opportunities and Challenges for Virtual Student Mobility in a post-pandemic World - Emma Sabzalieva, UNESCO IESALC

• Bridging Research and Practice in Virtual Exchange: A Higher Education Perspective - Taylor C Woodman, University of Maryland