Creating globally competent adults who are actively aware and contribute to the world as a whole, is embedded within the concept of higher education. Many universities and colleges offer a plethora of study abroad opportunities for students in all major areas. The year 2020 took its toll not only on how education is delivered, but also the opportunities for students to participate in study abroad experiences. To compensate for the lack of mobility created by the COVID-19 pandemic, some institutions are developing cultural exchanges and opportunities through a virtual lens. This type of collaboration can offer insight into the cultural nuances and global mindset that comes when immersing oneself in a culture other than your own. This paper uses the basic tenants of the COIL (Collaborative Online Intercultural Learning) Model to develop a virtual study abroad exchange between students in the U.S. and Armenia. Approximately 15 students seeking a Graduate Degree in English Language Teaching are paired with approximately the same number of undergraduate pre-service teaching candidates from a mid-western university in the U.S. A shared collaborative assignment is used to compare and contrast teaching pedagogy used in the respective countries, while also exploring cultural attitudes toward education. An ethnographic approach is used to collect data in the form of field notes, original documents, student and faculty interviews and student work. This paper shares the preliminary development, curricular decisions, and data collection methods of the project as a whole.

Authors:
Sherie Klee, Grand Valley State University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr Sherie Klee is a University Professor/Principal Lecturer at Grand Valley State University in United States

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