Visions of Europe: A project between three universities
In the fall term of 2019, a group of enthusiastic language students from the University of Jyväskylä, Finland were collaborating with English majors from the University of León, Spain and the University of Bielsko-Biala, Poland. Thanks so much to my colleagues, Robert O'Dowd and Barbara Loranc-Paszylk for inviting me and my students to this project!
The main theme of the 8-week-long virtual exchange was the comparison of media discourse on European identity and the future of Europe. The students were collaborating online in groups of 6-7, using Zoom, WhatsApp and Google docs. They had to collect and compare data on how a specific topic (e.g. immigration, climate change) is presented in the main news outlets of their own country. They also had to interview their fellow nationals on what they think of the European Union and how it affects their everyday lives. Their findings were shared in the project's online platform in Schoology and also presented to MEP Jan Olbrycht, who was a special guest in the final video conference.
It was a fantastic feeling for me as an educator to bring the world into the classroom (or the classroom to the world?) and see my students participate in a video meeting with a Member of the European Parliament. They had a chance to report on their findings and ask questions from Jan Olbrycht, who listened to them and kindly answered all the questions. It was interesting to hear that for most students, European identity was not so central and they did not feel their country's EU membership strongly affecting their everyday lives (except for the Euro and Erasmus travels).
The collaboration during the 8 weeks was very good in most of the groups, but, as it is natural in virtual teams, there were some hiccups in the communication. The role of the teacher as a coach or mentor is crucial in such situations; in addition to clear instructions, the students need social-emotional mentoring as well. Trying out something new can be scary. Using technology can be challenging. Teamwork, well, teamwork does not always happen according to our expectations.
But with some guidance and support, the students can learn how to overcome their fears and do something novel. Problem-solving, digital literacy, socio-emotional presence, intercultural competence and the management of uncertainty are important working life skills. Virtual exchange is an excellent and safe playground for getting some hands-on experience 🙂.
The main theme of the 8-week-long virtual exchange was the comparison of media discourse on European identity and the future of Europe. The students were collaborating online in groups of 6-7, using Zoom, WhatsApp and Google docs. They had to collect and compare data on how a specific topic (e.g. immigration, climate change) is presented in the main news outlets of their own country. They also had to interview their fellow nationals on what they think of the European Union and how it affects their everyday lives. Their findings were shared in the project's online platform in Schoology and also presented to MEP Jan Olbrycht, who was a special guest in the final video conference.
The collaboration during the 8 weeks was very good in most of the groups, but, as it is natural in virtual teams, there were some hiccups in the communication. The role of the teacher as a coach or mentor is crucial in such situations; in addition to clear instructions, the students need social-emotional mentoring as well. Trying out something new can be scary. Using technology can be challenging. Teamwork, well, teamwork does not always happen according to our expectations.
But with some guidance and support, the students can learn how to overcome their fears and do something novel. Problem-solving, digital literacy, socio-emotional presence, intercultural competence and the management of uncertainty are important working life skills. Virtual exchange is an excellent and safe playground for getting some hands-on experience 🙂.
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