In June, Professor Auletta of the University of Florida's Entomology and Nematology Department attended the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) conference in which he presented on how to make international learning experiences accessible for all students through virtual exchange. In his presentation titled, "Science Across Borders: A Virtual Exchange Project to Make International Experiences More Accessible to Students', Professor Auletta shared both quantitative and qualitative data from the outcomes of this project which demonstrated the benefits of virtual exchange. In this project, students connected with entomology researchers from around the world and practiced cross-cultural communication skills, self-awareness, and reflection, just to name a few. To date, this project has connected a total of 187 students with 47 researchers from 29 countries spanning 6 continents. Professor Auletta also shared his approach to designing, implementing, and assessing the project, and provided resources for educators who are interested in incorporating virtual exchange into their own courses.

To learn more about Dr. Auletta's virtual exchange project, Science Across Borders, click here