VE teaching seminars

The VE Training Seminars (Tartu and Vilnius) will train teaching staff on virtual exchange facilitation, pedagogy, and best-practices. Tangible outcomes of the seminars will be the training syllabus, slides, case studies of effective implementation, and practical activities.

Seminar in Tartu

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“Introduction to virtual exchanges in the social sciences: tools, methods, processes, and challenges” 

Relevance and scope: Virtual exchange (VE) programs have been rapidly expanding in recent years. More and more universities are providing VE programs to their learners to enhance their digital competencesand transferable skillsas well as to offer an intercultural environment in the study process. Setting up a course using collaborative online learning requires knowledge on task design, choice of digital technologies and online coordination with co-teachers and this is exactly what this workshop is offering. It also enables participants to network with others in order to establish potential virtual exchange courses.

Brief description: two-day training at the Univeristy of Tartu will include lectures on theoretical aspects of virtual exchange and the training will also cover practical exercises, which will introduce teaching staff to VE terminology and didactics, tips, and case studies of effective implementation.

Format: discussion sessions will allow participants to get to know one another and the courses they teach. Working groups will be created, consisting of pairs of teaching staff who will design VE scenarios for their courses. Seminar trainers will hold individual consultations with each group to discuss initial ideas.

Target audience: the two-day workshop is targeted to the academics or programme developers in the field of Social Sciences from EnVision partner universities looking for opportunities to internationalize their courses and give students first-hand experience of intercultural communication.

Learning outcomes: upon completing the training, a lecturer will be able to:
– identify the main features of virtual exchange programs; 
– discuss and argued about didactic approaches of integrating virtual exchange in a course and curriculum;
– identify and select appropriate assessment methods for virtual exchange in a course; 
– discuss and distinguish different communication technologies appropriate for virtual exchange; 
– discuss the issues related to intercultural communication and collaboration; 
– collaborate with a colleague on preliminary ideas related to implementation of virtual exchange. 

• Call for application could be found below in a PDF format. 
• Program of the training could be found below in a PDF format.
• Training material and slides could be found below in a PDF format. 
• Pre-seminar form can be accessed here as a template.
• Post-seminar from can be accessed here as a template.
• Syllabus of the training, registered in the Study Information System of the University of Tartu.

Seminar in Vilnius

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“Evaluating virtual exchange possibilities and integration into social science curricula at Nordic-Baltic universities”

Brief description: two-day training at the Vilnius University will provide the participants of the training with the opportunity to present their collaborative Virtual Exchange scenario and receive feedback from their peers and EnVision experts.

Format: the program includes a combination of lecturers and collaborative group activities. During the second days of the program, participants will present their own VE scenarios.

Target audience: the two-day workshop is targeted to the participants who already participated in the virtual exchange training at the University of Tartu in the autumn of 2023.

Learning outcomes: upon completing the training, a lecturer will be able to:
– present their own Virtual Exchange scenario, elaborating on specific pedagogical approach and rational of their case;
– provide feedback on the Virtual Exchange scenario of their peer work by using EnVision guidelines;
– provide feedback on the potential outline of the Virtual Exchange Toolkit.
– collaborate with a colleague on preliminary ideas related to implementation of virtual exchange.

• Program of the training could be found below in a PDF format.
• Training material and slides could be found below in a PDF format.
• Post-seminar form can be accessed here as a template.