The Virtual Exchange Learning Community will hold its inaugural meeting on Friday, January 17 at 12:00 p.m. in Weiser Hall 1010. Learn more about U-M Virtual Exchange projects from experienced faculty and staff, share your ideas, and get answers to your questions.
Grant funding in support of new classroom exchanges will be available soon. Check back here to access the application form once it's available. You can also learn more about Virtual Exchange here.
What is Virtual Exchange?
Virtual Exchange is a method of teaching that connects students in a U-M course with partners in other countries, providing students with an international experience as part of their regular course activity. The goal of these exchanges is to engage students with international peers and perspectives, and foster mutual understanding. Past exchanges have included discussions using live videoconferencing during class and collaboration on shared multinational projects outside of class using common chat and video platforms. New ways to connect students develop all the time, so bring your imagination!
Why use Virtual Exchange?
Through exchanges with international peers, students gain an understanding of the subject matter from a broad range of perspectives and develop valuable skills in communication and collaboration across cultures. Faced with the need to explain their own cultural and personal perspectives, students also learn a lot about themselves!
History of Virtual Exchange at U-M
Such courses have been held at U-M since the early 2000s and have covered a wide range of subjects. Over the last several years, Global Teaching with Videoconferencing and Engaging the World From Your Classroom have been names used to describe the project that has now grown into the Virtual Exchange Learning Community.
Purpose of the Learning Community
The Learning Community is intended to bring together experienced faculty and instructional staff in order to foster more Virtual Exchange courses in units across the University of Michigan. Faculty and staff representing all subjects, units, and campuses are welcome! Bring everything from basic curiosity about virtual exchange to well-developed course ideas. You do not need an identified foreign partner in order to participate.
What's Next?
Click here to register for the lunch event where you can learn more about projects from experienced faculty and staff, share your ideas, and get answers to your questions. If you can’t attend on January 17, we still want to hear from you, so please reach out to [email protected].
