Crossing borders and time zones in education through intercontinental virtual exchanges

Author : Werona Król-Gierat, Sabina Nowak

Abstract :Virtual exchange (VE) is an umbrella term used to refer to “the engagement of groups of learners in online language and intercultural interaction and collaboration with partners from other cultural contexts or geographical locations (…) under the guidance of educators and/or expert facilitators” (Gutiérrez & O’Dowd, 2021: 17). The present talk will report on the last three editions of the International Book Club (IBC) which was initiated by Prof. Emerson Case from California State University, Bakersfield and is based on the shared reading and analysis of one book per year by students and teachers from different countries, bridging America and Europe. Project participants have the opportunity to share their experiences related to a single book’s themes through discussions via Zoom, posting on a weblog and making entries on Padlet. This unique experience of IBC is meant to pull a community of students together, cross cultural divides, and enhance understanding of diversity, all while supporting literacy and developing speaking skills.

Keywords :Virtual exchange, intercultural collaboration, International Book Club, online literacy, cross-cultural learning

Conference Name :International Conference on Distance Education and Learning Methodologies (ICDELM-24)

Conference Place Rome, Italy

Conference Date 23rd Dec 2024