This virtual exchange project was an interactive collaboration between undergraduate and graduate students at University of Florida and Universidad San Francisco de Quito, Ecuador. Separately, UF students studied different social and behavioral science methods to understand the complexity of the current pandemic and learn about tools for resilience, preparedness, and management of the current pandemic as an investment for future global crises. USFQ students were attending the Global Health program offered USFQ School of Medicine in affiliation with Hospital de los Valles. In the collaborative session, students share their Covid-19 experience, discussing a variety of topics including “Public health systems in US and Ecuador”, “Challenges in times of Covid-19”, “Health, language, and minorities”, “Education, University life, and Covid-19”, “Family life and Covid-19”.
- Global perspectives
- Intercultural awareness
- Collaboration and exchange of new information related to geography and culture
Virtual Guest Speaker
Asynchronous Activities: 2 hours
Local group activities: 1 hour
Individual Work: 2 hours
Learning Management System: Canvas
Message Boards/Video Boards: Flipgrid
The project had two parts: guest lectures from faculty and one synchronous discussion among students.
- Lecture by USFQ faculty to UF class: COVID-19 in Ecuador: Interventions, Lessons and Impacts of the Pandemic
- Lecture by UF faculty to USFQ class: COVID-19 in the US: Interventions, Lessons and Impacts of the Pandemic
Synchonous discussion between UF and USFQ students to discuss the following topics:
- Public health systems in US and Ecuador
- Challenges in times of Covid-19
- Health, language, and minorities
- Education, University life, and Covid-19
- Family life and Covid-19
- Politics, policies, WHO?
Final reflection: what did they learn, what did they walk away with, what were the notable differences, what else would you like to learn or to know (Written assignment)