The value of virtual exchanges in education has never been more apparent than in the recent research undertaken by our colleague in Global Education, Kassandra Brenot, Ph.D., at Santa Catalina School in Monterey, California. Her action research, “Developing Global Competence through Virtual Exchange in Year 10, 11, and 12 Girls in the Spanish Language Classroom,” earning her an Honorable Mention at the International Coalition of Girls’ Schools annual conference in Cleveland last June, highlights the profound impact these exchanges have on students’ global competence, language skills, and technological proficiency.
Not only did I find Dr. Brenot’s research aligned with so many of my own goals, but I thought it might be interesting to share it—as well as my reactions—with you all, since so many of us often need to highlight the positive effects of running virtual exchanges well beyond anecdotal evidence that comes from inside the walls of our classrooms. Dr. Brenot’s research resonates deeply with the Level Up Village mission. As you’ll see, her findings not only validate the efficacy of virtual exchanges but also underscore the critical role they play in a well-rounded educational experience.
Key Findings and Their Resonance with Level Up Village’s Mission
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Developing Global Competence:
Dr. Brenot’s study emphasizes that virtual exchanges are instrumental in helping students investigate global issues, recognize diverse perspectives, communicate ideas effectively, and act toward sustainable development. This shouldn’t be a tough sell for our readers: you probably already know and believe this much to be true!
Better yet, the findings align seamlessly with Level Up Village’s courses, which are designed to connect students across different geographies, enabling them to collaborate on projects ranging from environmental science to digital storytelling.
Dr. Brenot notes, “VE should be championed as an important component of global education because it connects students internationally defying geography and travel inequities, and spurs students to investigate the world, recognize perspectives, communicate ideas, and take action” (Brenot, 2023).
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Enhancing Language Skills:
The improvement in Spanish language proficiency among Dr. Brenot’s students through structured virtual exchanges illustrates the potential of integrating language learning with global education. Brenot asserts that these exchanges “improved my students’ Spanish language skills, and expanded their technology skills,” highlighting the dual benefits of VE (Brenot, 2023).
Level Up Village’s courses encourage similar growth using the target language as a lingua franca to deepen linguistic and cultural understanding. And think—the more you challenge them outside of the classroom to expand their vocabulary and their digital fluency skills, the more they’ll hone these abilities…of course, while language immersion may be your goal, the other byproduct that will appeal to your administrators, the students, and their families is…
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Expanding Technological Skills:
The report highlights the expansion of students’ technological skills as they navigate various platforms and tools during their exchanges. Brenot describes this integration as a natural step for a generation of learners normalized to digital interaction, “As instruction through digital screens becomes normalized for an entire generation of pandemic learners, it is vital to adopt VE as a learning tool” (Brenot, 2023).
We already know that this is a fundamental component of Level Up Village’s offerings, where students utilize cutting-edge technology to collaborate on assignments, share resources, and communicate asynchronously with peers abroad. Don’t forget the added bonuses of the platform being accessible over a multitude of platforms and devices, and the closed and protected operating system for added data protection and digital privacy!
Practical Applications and Inspirations
Inspiring Action Locally and Globally:
One of the most compelling outcomes of the research was students’ inspired action towards addressing local and global challenges, particularly food insecurity. This mirrors the objectives of many Level Up Village courses and encourages students to apply their learning to real-world problems, fostering a sense of agency and responsibility. Brenot highlights how “students took action to solve ‘glocal’ issues” as a direct result of their global engagement through virtual exchanges (Brenot, 2023).
Thanks to the variety of subjects included in the Level Up Village courses, such as “Human Impact on the Environment: Our Communities,” a lot of this work is done for you, the instructor, and allows you to focus on a guiding role for your students.
Empowering Educators:
Dr. Brenot’s call for educators to be well-versed in global competence education underscores the need for comprehensive professional development—something Level Up Village facilitates through training and resources for teachers leading our courses. By equipping educators with the right tools and knowledge, we can enhance the delivery of virtual exchanges and maximize their impact.
The Future of Virtual Exchanges
As we look ahead, integrating advanced technologies such as AI and possibly holograms, as suggested by Brenot’s research, could further transform virtual exchanges. These innovations promise to make virtual interactions more engaging and immersive, reducing barriers to international education and enabling truly global classrooms.
Dr. Brenot’s action research is a beacon for all of us engaged in global education. It provides a robust framework for assessing the impact of virtual exchanges and serves as a motivational force for educators worldwide to embrace these tools. At Level Up Village, we are excited to continue advancing this agenda, ensuring that every student has the opportunity to become a well-informed, responsible global citizen.
For educators looking to integrate global competence into their curricula, Level Up Village courses offer a ready pathway backed by research and proven outcomes. We invite you to explore how our asynchronous virtual exchanges can enrich your educational offerings and provide your students with invaluable global perspectives. Together, we can prepare the next generation of students to engage with and improve the world.
If you’d like to dive deeper into Kassandra Brenot’s research, check out her newest piece in the upcoming issue of Interconnected, the annual report on Global Education collected, edited, and published by the Global Educators Benchmark Group.
