This professional development program is designed for UF graduate students who are interested in pursuing faculty careers in the U.S. and abroad. Improve your ability to teach with technology, work with students from diverse backgrounds, and develop an international network of collaborators for teaching and research. Through this dynamic online program, you will learn how to integrate international experiential learning into your on-campus teaching and explore innovative active learning techniques that can be used to enhance any course. This training will be particularly useful for graduate students who are planning to support or incorporate virtual exchange in courses they teach or TA for.

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Please see the table below for more information on what will be covered in the training. Please click here to view the Fall 2024 syllabus.

Training Content

Synchronous Session 1
  • Course introduction/overview
  • Virtual exchange (VE) elements and structure
  • Common challenges implementing VE

Module 1
Introduction to Virtual Exchange
  • Recognize different formats for virtual exchange
  • Explain the benefits of virtual exchange
  • Define potential topics for your virtual exchange

Module 2
Preparing for Virtual Exchange
  • Recognize the traits that make two virtual exchange partners compatible
  • Schedule synchronous sessions while accounting for time zones
  • Define strategies for navigating language differences
  • Identify resources to encourage students to examine and develop their intercultural competency

Module 3
Sequencing & Task Design
  • Recognize the elements of measurable student learning objectives
  • Apply telecollaborative task design theory to virtual exchange using the typology of 12 different types of tasks and task sequences identified by O’Dowd and Waire
  • Recognize the process for choosing technology for VE and resources available at UF to help
  • Identify resources and services at UF that will assist in the development of virtual exchanges

Synchronous Session 2
  • Develop elements of a virtual exchange lesson plan
  • Describe resources and services at UF that will assist in the development of virtual exchanges

Virtual Exchange Project Plan Submission
  • Complete a virtual exchange lesson plan

Eligibility:

  • Graduate students from any department at UF. You do not need to have a confirmed TA position that includes virtual exchange to apply for this program.

Mode:

  • Online training requires 5 hours of independent work plus two 1-hour synchronous sessions, which will consist of online interaction with facilitators and other course participants.
  • Synchronous sessions will be held the week of September 9-13 and the week of October 7-11. Specific dates and times for the synchronous sessions will be determined based on the availability of participants.

Deliverable:

  • Outline for a virtual exchange module for a current or future course

Award:

Duration:

  • 7-hour online training, taking place over six weeks

Important Dates:

  • Application Deadline: August 15, 2024
  • Program Dates: September 9-October 18, 2024

Requirements:

  • Why are you interested in participating in this program?
  • Summary of teaching accomplishments – Please describe your prior experience as a TA or instructor (if applicable) and any professional development you have done related to teaching.
  • Will you be a TA/instructor for a course at UF that you plan to implement virtual exchange in? If yes, please list the course prefix and number, course title, and the instructor of record for the course.
  • Please describe when and how you plan to implement the virtual exchange designed during this course.
  • Upload a copy of your CV.

Questions

Contact Carrie Martins at cmartins@ufic.ufl.edu.