virtual exchanges
Giving youth THE online space to develoP empathy
WHAT ARE THEY?
Virtual exchanges are sustained online dialogues among a small group of people located in different countries or communities. They are facilitated, semi-structured interactions that aim to help young adults develop critical thinking skills and capacity for cross-cultural communication.
​
These programs seek to
-
build bridges between cultural communities
-
deepen understanding of others' perspectives
-
boost cross-cultural competence
-
foster critical digital literacies
-
combat racism, intolerance, xenophobia and radicalization
WHO CAN BENEFIT?
This site focuses on virtual exchanges at the university level that are integrated into courses or form part of stand-alone programs. Evidence is growing that carefully designed programs can provide meaningful cross-cultural experiences for young people inside and outside of higher education.
Virtual exchanges can be used to
-
give young people an international experience without going abroad
-
prepare students to undertake an international exchange
-
better equip international students for studies in Canada
-
provide hands-on digital literacies practice for teacher candidates
AT A GLANCE
​
After watching the two-minute introduction to virtual exchanges above, visit other pages to
-
explore a timeline of key events
-
learn about examplar programs
-
meet a few scholars conducting research in this burgeoning area
-
consider the field's challenges and research gaps
-
explore suggestions for further reading
OVERVIEW
This site aims to help educators explore the promise and the challenges
of virtual exchanges that engage young people in transformative dialogues and digital co-creation projects with peers in other places. At a time of rising intolerance around the world, virtual exchanges that take a decolonizing approach
to global citizenship education seek to provide safe and engaging online spaces
for young adults to develop intercultural skills and critical digital literacies.