Introduction to virtual co-designed international collaboration

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

What are the basic principles of setting up a class-to-class VIS? What pedagogical and technological choices are involved? And how do you integrate this kind of international cooperation into the curriculum? That’s what this introductory training is about.

What to be expecting? 

The training comprises four half-day sessions. Each half-day session focuses on a different module each time.

Week 1: Introduction to Virtual Exchange pedagogy
In this opening module, participants will be introduced to the concept of Virtual Exchange as an educational practice (what it is, and what it isn’t), and how this relates to VIS projects. 

Week 2: Setting up virtual co-designed international collaboration (VIS projects)
This module will focus on the teacher-designed, class-to-class model, and look more closely at Intended Learning Objectives and project design, analysing examples of such projects in different disciplines, primarily in the Dutch context.

Week 3: Matching pedagogy and technology
The third module of this training turns to the technological tools useful in VIS projects, bearing in mind that technology needs to be at the service of pedagogy. Participants will have the chance to familiarize themselves with some tools that have been used by teachers already implementing VIS, and consider important factors when choosing what tools to use.

Week 4: Common challenges with virtual international collaboration
Starting from real-case scenarios encountered by teachers during their virtual international collaboration projects, the last module focuses on potential difficulties – at the levels of partnership, timing, project design, recognition, to mention but a few – in order to help participants pre-empt these and design their future project for success.

By engaging weekly with the materials and tasks provided, participants will get a flavour of what it feels like to be a student on such an exchange. There will be asynchronous forum discussions as well as a weekly synchronous session with your trainer. 

What will you get out of it? 

By taking this training, participants will:

• Gain knowledge of Virtual Exchange pedagogy and how it relates to VIS. 
• Increase their awareness of the role of VIS in supporting intercultural exchange and the development of transversal skills.
• Be able to identify the characteristics of Virtual Exchange and VIS, as opposed to other types of online learning.
• Understand the main features and components of co-designing virtual international collaborations and  potential challenges to bear in mind when developing co-designed VIS projects.
• Increase their awareness of issues involved in recognition. 
• Enhance teamwork & digital competences.

Sign up

Are you interested? Then register before 12 May by filling in the form below. You can choose from a Dutch or English training on four Thursday afternoons: 1, 8, 15 and 22 June 2023, from 15.00-16.30 (language depending on registered participants). Or an English-language training on four Friday mornings: 2, 9, 16 and 23 June 2023, from 10.00-11.30 am. Participation is free of charge. We look forward to seeing you!

Please note that only one teacher from each VIS project may attend one of the four available training courses. So consider carefully which training course interests you. If you want to register, keep your VIS project ID handy.

Questions?