Twenty-third International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

As the world becomes more interconnected and interdependent, there is an increasing demand for educational institutions to prepare students for solid academic knowledge, technological literacy, critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and global citizenship to be successful (Werner, 2015). A virtual exchange (VE) course in a global context, using the internet and technology, provides a cost-effective pathway for students to explore and embrace differences, connect with the world, offers opportunities to collaborate between faculty and students across countries to facilitate students’ international and global education. We discuss a three-way collaboration among faculty from France, Ukraine, and the U.S. to create an inclusive global learning community using technology-enhanced virtual exchanges for students to learn diverse perspectives and build cross-cultural competencies. The study focuses on how to use the international virtual exchange courses to prepare college students to work with others with diverse backgrounds, including different cultures, languages, races, ethnicities, and different abilities, across disciplines in different countries. We reach the following three productive outcomes: (1) Demonstrate concrete examples of the technology-enhanced virtual exchange course development, instructional materials, and communication platforms; (2) Showcase assessments used for students to demonstrate communication skills across cultures and disciplines; and (3) Discuss evidence-based strategies implemented to provide students opportunities to gain cross-cultural, cross-linguistic, and cross-disciplinary diverse experiences.