Faculty Perceptions of Building Collaborative Teaching Capacities within a Transnational Virtual Exchange

A Collaborative Autoethnography

Authors

  • Gregory Weaver University of Maryland
  • Genevieve Hiltebrand San Juan College
  • Grace Ngai Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  • Stephen Chan Hong Kong Polytechnic University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v12iS3.4633

Keywords:

virtual exchange, teacher collobration, international education, virtual classrooms

Abstract

The 2019/2020 academic year brought historic opportunities for faculty to manage virtual exchanges (O’Dowd, 2021), yet limited research exists on how teachers develop their capacity within these programs. As educators collaborating on a transnational virtual exchange, we aim to investigate the process that teachers go through as they co-develop and collaborate in a transnational virtual exchange from our experiences and perceptions. We ask: To what extent do previous lived experiences mediate the process of teacher capacity building in a transnational virtual, collaborative exchange? This collaborative qualitative autoethnography case study explores our experiences as four instructors from the United States and Hong Kong, reflecting our experiences as they relate to teacher capacity building in transnational virtual exchange. The data suggests that previously lived international experiences assisted the instructors in capacity building within a virtual exchange and brought into question the role of cultural humility.

Author Biographies

  • Gregory Weaver, University of Maryland

    GREGORY C. WEAVER, PhD(c), is a Doctoral Candidate, in the Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education at the University of Maryland, United States.  His major research interests lie in the area of internationalization of higher education, online and blended learning, and virtual exchange. Emails: gweaver@umd.edu

  • Genevieve Hiltebrand, San Juan College

    GENEVIEVE HILTEBRANT, MA, is a Math Faculty, in the School of Math, Science, and Engineering at San Juan College, United States.  Her major research interests lie in the area of teacher education, special education and inclusion, and environmental education. Email: hiltebrandg@sanjuancollege.edu 

  • Grace Ngai, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

    GRACE NGAI, PhD, is an Associate Professor and the Head of Service Learning and Leadership Office in the Department of Computing at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.  Her major research interests lie in the area of human-centered computing, including human-computer interaction and affective computing. Email: grace.ngai@polyu.edu.hk

  • Stephen Chan, Hong Kong Polytechnic University

    STEPHEN CHAN, PhD, is an Associate Professor and founding Head of Service Learning and Leadership Office in the Department of Computing Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong.  His major research interests lie in the area of data mining, human-computer interaction and service-learning. Email: stephen.c.chan@polyu.edu.hk

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Published

2022-09-09

How to Cite

Faculty Perceptions of Building Collaborative Teaching Capacities within a Transnational Virtual Exchange: A Collaborative Autoethnography. (2022). Journal of International Students, 12(S3), 135-148. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v12iS3.4633