Abstract
Institutions of higher education have the unique opportunity to lessen marginalization and increase globalization, especially for underrepresented populations such as Hispanic students. Through the incorporation of technology, pedagogy, and the use of Virtual Exchange programs, like Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), institutions can work towards connecting students globally, cross-culturally, and internationally. These types of pedagogical practices may reinforce identity, belonging, and lessen inequity by increasing access, exposure, and relationship-building across global cultures. With the use of technology, we were able to conduct in-depth interviews. Our study investigated access and engagement with virtual exchange from the perspective of underrepresented college student groups, specifically from Hispanic college students. We specifically explored (1) the behaviors and experiences of underrepresented college students who participated in virtual exchange programs, such as COIL, to understand challenges that accentuate gaps in accessibility and engagement and (2) students’ own perceptions as these may differ from those of faculty and administrators. Through our research questions, we aimed at exploring the connections between cultural identification and identity performance in virtual exchange experiences to identify best practices to advance inclusion, representation, and social justice of underrepresent college students in higher education.
Presenters
Maria MarinoTeaching Professor, Communication, Florida International University, United States Stephanie Delgado
Instructional Design Consultant, Instructor, FIU Online/CASE, Florida International University, Florida, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Virtual Exchange, COIL, Hispanics, Identity Performance, Representation, Higher Education
