Virtual Exchange in Global Health

This Global Health Virtual Exchange offers a unique opportunity for students to collaborate with peers from Centro Universitário Christus (Unichristus) in Brazil to address the global health challenge of Dengue. Students will engage in a cross-cultural learning experience, gaining insights into public health challenges and solutions from both a Global Health and One Health perspective.

Throughout the course, students will examine the impact of Dengue in Peru, comparing the country's healthcare system with those of their own countries (the U.S. and Brazil). Working in groups, students will identify and propose strategies to reduce the impact of Dengue through collaborative problem-solving and innovative public health interventions.

This course will enhance students' intercultural competencies and foster global collaboration. By engaging with students from Brazil, students will gain a deeper understanding of effective communication strategies and culturally sensitive approaches to tackling health issues in different global contexts. 

• Student-to-Student Dialogue
• Student-to-Student Project

• Synchronous Activities: 1 hour/week
• Asynchronous Activities: 1 hour/week
• Local Group Activities: Our final UF meeting was an in-person celebration of VE, where we enjoyed Brazilian dishes recommended by the Brazilian students
• Individual Work: 1 hour/week

• Zoom,
• WhatsApp,
• Google Sites,
• Padlet,
• Canva

• Icebreaker:

Week 1: During the first synchronous session students will introduce themselves and exchange, with the whole class and in small groups, about their names, personal interests, favorite places in their cities and other topics. They will also discuss their expectations regarding virtual exchange, and how they will contribute to its success.

In addition, students are asked to bring a "cultural artifact" (or a picture of the artifact) they consider typical for their local/regional/national culture to the session. Cultural artifacts can be tangible or intangible objects (food, cultural objects, music, dances, rituals, etc.), sites, buildings etc. that students consider typical and illustrative for their culture. During the session class students will be invited to show the chosen artifact and share its cultural significance with the whole class.

Asynchronous:

 Week 2: Using Padlet, students introduce themselves and learn a little more about their classmates in this virtual exchange, their majors/study fields, daily (study) routines and career plans 

Week 3: Using Padlet, students shared photo of what they did over spring break (UF) and Carnival (Brazil)

• Engagement Activity:

Students engage through synchronous meetings and Padlet activates.

• Collaboration Activity:

During the "teamwork phase" of this Virtual Exchange in Global Health students will be assigned to team of 6-8 peers from both universities to do research about Dengue Fever, examine the impact of Dengue in Peru, and propose strategies to reduce the impact of Dengue in that country. Teams are expected to work independently both asynchronously and synchronously. Each team needs to meet synchronously at least once a week and submit weekly progress reports. 

As a final deliverable all teams will design Health Infographic that provides background information about Dengue Fever and the Peruvian context and highlights the proposed public health-based initiative to reduce the incidence of Dengue fever in Peru. Instructions for the infographic design are provided below. The Infographics will be presented during the last synchronous session.

• Reflection Activity:

Students were asked to write a weekly reflection on the learning experiences. Students were also asked to complete pre and past assessment surveys.