D3 Article in professional conference proceedings
Against all odds : Problem-solving as a skill critical to virtual exchange (2021)

Radke, K., Háhn, J., & Dekker, I. (2021). Against all odds : Problem-solving as a skill critical to virtual exchange. In K. Elliot (Ed.), International Virtual Exchange Conference 2021 : Conference proceedings (pp. 84-88). Drexel University; East Carolina University. https://iveconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IVECFinal_Proceedings_2021.pdf

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Radke, Katarzyna; Háhn, Judit; Dekker, Ivonne

Parent publication:  International Virtual Exchange Conference 2021 : Conference proceedings

Parent publication editors: Elliot, Kathlyn

Conference:

Place and date of conference: Philadelphia (PA), USA, 26.-29.10.2021

Publication year: 2021

Pages range: 84-88

Number of pages in the book: 105

Publisher: Drexel University; East Carolina University

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

Persistent website address: https://iveconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/IVECFinal_Proceedings_2021.pdf

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/81978

Abstract

Virtual Exchange (VE) brings together groups of learners from different geographical locations and cultural backgrounds to engage them in online intercultural collaboration and interaction. Although VE projects are designed and implemented by educators as part of the students’ educational programmes, they often go beyond the setting of traditional courses offered by higher education institutions. Because of their innovative nature, VEs require the students to leave their comfort zone and think outside the box to develop new creative strategies of communication and collaboration in order to find solutions to problems that crop up in this new learning environment. This presentation showcases the problem-solving strategies employed by the students  of Creative Business (the Netherlands), Tourism (Poland) and Language Studies (Finland) who were engaged in two interdisciplinary VE projects carried out in the times of Covid-19 pandemic in spring 2020 and 2021, City break in Europe: Understanding tourists' needs and motivations and City exploration: Emerging tourism trends in the Covid-19 era. During their six-week collaboration the Dutch, Polish, and Finnish students joined their forces and critically analysed the official websites of their municipalities (Utrecht, Poznań and Jyväskylä), focusing on the language, graphics, audience, marketing strategies and new attractive forms of sightseeing. As the final product, the students collaboratively designed an innovative tour of the three cities. To reach their project goals, the students, confronted with multiple collaborative hurdles and stuck in the Covid-19 pandemic, were forced to find effective ways of dealing with the physical distance, cultural differences, varying language levels, foreign accents, disciplinary gaps, malfunctioning technology and various security measures imposed in their countries to prevent the spread of the disease. Most studies addressing the challenges of VE offer tips and recommendations for teachers on how to improve the pedagogical design of the projects. Challenges are interpreted as problems that should be minimized to make the VE experience smooth for the students. In our study, we suggest that problems are affordances or even benefits because they provide a learning experience for the participants of VE. 

Keywords: online study; studies in an institution of higher education; internationality; problem solving; interculturalism; COVID-19; tourist services

Free keywords: virtual exchange; thematic analysis

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2022