UF Faculty Step-by-Step

The Office of Global Learning (OGL) provides support and resources for UF faculty to develop virtual exchange (VE)/COIL projects within the courses you teach or extracurricular programs you lead. Through VE/COIL, your students can collaborate on assignments with peers abroad, acquire global perspectives on your discipline, and develop international collaborative skills.

For examples of VE/COIL projects implemented by UF faculty, visit the UF VE/COIL Project Catalog. To hear from faculty and students about their experiences with VE/COIL, including how their projects were designed and what they learned, visit the Global Learning Media Library.

STEP 1

Attend an information session

For an introduction to virtual exchange and the resources available to you at UF, please register for one of the Office of Global Learning’s upcoming information sessions.

STEP 2

Find a partner

If you have international collaborations already, you are welcome to reach out to your contacts and identify your own virtual exchange partner. We recommend using the UF partnership guide to help direct your conversation with any potential partners.

If you would like help finding a partner, please fill out the form linked below, and a member of the Office of Global Learning will be in touch to help you.

Partner Request Form for UF Faculty

STEP 3

Participate in training

The Office of Global Learning offers cohort-based and self-paced professional development programs for UF faculty and their VE partners, during which participants work on the development of their own VE projects and learn about the requirements for implementing a successful VE within a course that they teach regularly. Choose the program that best fits your schedule and needs.

STEP 4

Pilot and assess your VE project

Remember that the key to VE is flexibility and that your project does not have to be perfect the first time. Some faculty will choose to pilot a shorter version of their VE the first time, or just try out the entire project and then make updates for the second time based on that experience. Don’t forget that the Office of Global Learning (OGL) can administer a pre- and post-VE survey to UF students so that you can assess the effectiveness of your project. Contact OGL’s data analyst, Gerardo Lopez, at glopezdiaz@ufl.edu to request the survey administration for your class.

STEP 5

Expand on Your Experience

Once you have implemented your VE project, there are many ways you can build on your experience, such as attending and presenting at international education conferences, publishing a journal article on your VE, or visiting your VE partner to discuss ways to expand your collaboration.

Does my course need to be about a topic that is specifically international for me to include a virtual exchange project in the course?

No, pretty much any topic can be enriched by gaining different perspectives on it. Just think, how would it enhance your students’ understanding of your course topic to discuss it with peers in another country? Remember, the virtual exchange doesn’t need to be about your main course topic – it could also be tied in through a sub-theme or just one aspect of your course content.

Should the virtual exchange be throughout my entire course?

Virtual exchange can be from one week to the entire semester long, but the most common length is 4-8 weeks. You and your partner should discuss the best way to fit VE into your specific courses.

Does my partner need to be teaching a course in the same discipline as mine?

You are welcome to partner with a faculty member from another field for your VE project, and this is actually quite common. As long as both your students and theirs will be gaining something from the VE, it’s ok for the students to be gaining different things.

What if I have trouble finding a VE partner?

UF faculty can fill out the virtual exchange interest form linked below, and a member of the Office of Global Learning will be happy to help you identify partner options.

Contact:

Carrie Martins
Coordinator, Faculty Development Initiatives
cmartins1@ufl.edu

Does my course need to be 100% online in order to use virtual exchange?

Virtual exchange (VE) may be incorporated into online, hybrid, or face-to-face courses. Since VE activities don’t necessarily have to be completed during class time, this offers a lot of flexibility and can be particularly helpful if your partner is in a time zone that is very different from yours.

Is there formal training on virtual exchange available at UF?

Yes, the Office of Global Learning offers cohort-based and self-paced professional development programs for UF faculty and their VE partners, during which participants work on the development of their own VE projects and learn about the requirements for implementing a successful VE within a course that they teach regularly.

Is there support available after my first virtual exchange implementation?

The Office of Global Learning offers a variety of resources for UF faculty to build on their VE experience and connect with others who are also implementing VE. Join the Global Learning Community of Practice to stay informed about conferences and other professional development opportunities, while connecting with colleagues who share your interests.