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)
EuroPACE:
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