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Telecollaboration as a Cultural Ice Breaker:. Investigating Undergraduate Students’ Perspectives of Combining Face-to-Face with Computer-Mediated Interactions . Purpose / Background. Computer-Mediated Communication to investigate:
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Telecollaboration as a Cultural Ice Breaker: Investigating Undergraduate Students’ Perspectives of Combining Face-to-Face with Computer-Mediated Interactions
Purpose / Background • Computer-Mediated Communication to investigate: • The value of telecollaboration in foreign language education (Germany) • The value of telecollaboration in preparing to teach diverse populations (US) • The pre-service teacher’s understanding of the importance of diversity in Education (Germany and US)
Method • Pre-service Teacher Participants: • Germany: 26 (PädagogischeHochschule Freiburg [PH]) • US: 10 (Penn State University [PSU], Pennsylvania) • Telecollaboration Project Description • PH Course / PSU Course / Trip • Data Collection Methods • Journals • Pre / Post Surveys • Reflections
Results • PH • Professional development • PSU • Cultural Diversity became more important • Both PH and PSU • Personal development • Reduced discomfort meeting diverse populations • Desired more contact • Value in building relationships with diverse populations • Articulation of value of technology to join cultures
Practical Implications:Value of Telecollaboration Internationalizing the Curriculum: To help dispel cultural misconceptions Promote cultural sensitivity given classroom student diversity Enrich Teacher Education Programs: Enable future educators to experience telecollaboration with potential project partners for long-term connections. Note: How can we facilitate change of roles from participant to teacher?
Future Research Considerations Project development: Task: Contact time, length and type of task. Assessment:Process outcomes consider student work along global dimensions & consider comparative perspectives. How can we assess these long-term goals? Link with university coursework & field experiences Challenges of international partnerships across institutions due to: Time zones and academic calendars Language barriers …
Discussion / Questions Thank You