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 Spring 2025 syllabus. 

Training Content

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

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

Synchronous Session 2
  • Select activities to help prepare students for virtual exchange
  • Practice strategies to encourage students to examine and develop their intercultural competency 

Module 3
Sequencing & Task Design
  • Choose student learning objectives that are appropriate for global learning projects
  • Select virtual exchange tasks 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 3
  • Compare and contrast technology tool options for virtual exchange
  • Identify solutions for common challenges implementing VE

Faculty VE Project Presentations *Optional*
  • Attend faculty Virtual Exchange Training project plan presentations to hear and ask questions about different types of VE projects

Eligibility:

  • Graduate students from any department at UF who have a confirmed TA or instructor position that includes or will include virtual exchange

Mode:

  • Online training requires 5 hours of independent work plus three 1-hour synchronous sessions, which will consist of online interaction with facilitators, other course participants, and participants in the VE Training for faculty.
  • Synchronous sessions will be held the weeks of February 3-7, Feb. 24-28, and March 10-14. 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:

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

Important Dates:

  • Application Deadline: January 10, 2025
  • Program Dates: February 3-March 14, 2025

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? To be considered for this program, you must list the course prefix and number, course title, and the instructor of record for the course that you plan to implement VE in.
  • 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.