Virtual Mobility an alternative or complement to physical

Virtual Mobility - an alternative or complement to physical mobility Mariet Vriens, AVNet K. U. Leuven (Belgium) EDULEARN 2010 5 & 6 July 2010 virtual presentation

Who are we? AVNet: • Audiovisual and New Educational Technologies and Networking • Central service of the K. U. Leuven (BE) Euro. PACE: A European non-profit association of universities, educational organizations and their networks

Projects on Virtual Mobility

What is virtual mobility? “Virtual Mobility stands for the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to obtain the same benefits as one would have with physical mobility but without the need to travel” elearningeuropa. info “ Virtual Mobility is a form of learning which consists of virtual components through an ICT supported learning environment that includes cross-border collaboration with people from different backgrounds and cultures working and studying together, having, as its main purpose, the enhancement of intercultural understanding and the exchange of knowledge. ” Being Mobile Manual

New accents ‘Virtual Mobility is a set of ICT supported activities that realize international collaborative experiences in a context of teaching and/or learning’

Activities in a context of teaching and learning. . . • teaching and /or learning and all the activities that enable this (administrative, organizational, logistical) • these activities can take place in fully virtual or blended learning environment

International cross-border activities between educational institutions from different countries. Such activities are subsequently intercultural by nature

Collaborative Virtual Mobility activities enable collaborative learning, i. e. learning from and with each other

Experiences Virtual Mobility is about the knowledge of, skills in or observation of international differences/similarities gained through participation in an ICT supported, international event.

Types of virtual mobility virtual course or seminar • VENUS: model for virtual seminars and summer schools • REVE: typology of different possible virtual courses virtual study programme • EPICS: full Virtual Erasmus programme • MOVINTER: internationalization of curricula virtual work placement • EU-VIP: models for fully virtual and ICT supported internships virtual support activities to physical exchange • VM-BASE: exploration of the e-coaching concept • Move-IT: disseminate VM-BASE

Key Issues Tools • Synchronous and asynchronous • Typology: reflective, non-interactive, collaborative, communication an social networking tools Pedagogy • Student-centred and active learning • Collaborative learning • The human factor Planning • High level of organisation, planning, timing

Key Issues Localisation • To allow students on different locations to participate on equal terms • Language and culture Accreditation and credits • More flexible curricula require new approaches to validating and accrediting learning Legal agreements and educational policies • Need for comprehensive frameworks

The next phase • The integration of Virtual Mobility in ‘mainstream’ educational activities • Stimulate development of new competences at individual and organisational level

more information? mariet. vriens@avnet. kuleuven. be