This summer, GEO began offering our first #NoPassportNeeded (NPN) remote study abroad courses. Originally, each course was a travel-based faculty-led or language immersion program, but the pandemic inspired us to find new ways of bringing the world to our students. Unlike COIL, these programs were not originally designed as virtual exchanges. In taking them to a virtual platform, they were re-designed for students to engage in the same content and with the same faculty and students, albeit remotely. The goal was to deliver as much original content and cross-cultural engagement as possible via virtual means.
What is a NPN Course Like?
Topics ranged from Environmental Justice to Human Rights to intensive Spanish, which certainly affected the pedagogy. Interaction took place on Skype or Zoom, and through recorded videos, learning management sites likes Canvas or Blackboard, and email. Group discussions were a common feature, as were interactions between native speakers or local guest lecturers and the students.
Takeaway: Class sizes were small and the participants appreciated that it allowed greater access to the professor and more chances to express themselves.
How Do NPNs Differ From Online Courses?
The goal with the NPN programs was to recreate as much of the experience abroad for the students as possible, which meant there was lots of supplemental content. Whether taught by US-based professors or GEO faculty based abroad, all NPN programs included live interactions or recorded sessions with in-country guest lecturers, native speakers, experts, or artisans from the location or country of focus. Cultural excursions, such as walking tours or cooking classes, were also held virtually. Students studying Spanish shared a weekly virtual meal or conversation with their virtual homestay family for the duration of their program.
Takeaway: Some students reported that the courses were more intensive and required a higher time commitment than some other online courses might, but the value of the experience was high.
Does It Work?
We’re happy to report that over 90% of the NPN students said they would recommend a similar program to a friend. In the final evaluations, over 80% of students felt that the virtual excursions, international guest speakers and virtual homestays had been ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, and they had a clear impact on the quality and nature of the experience. Additionally, a large number of those surveyed took part in the intensive Spanish programs, and over 94% of the respondents felt that the courses helped their language acquisition progress very well or extremely well.
The students had a lot of great insights to share, so here they are in their own words:
Access to and Communication With Instructors Is Key
- “The availability of the instructors made this course very seamless. Despite technological difficulties, the instructors made it easy to catch up and stay on a good pace.”
- “Without teacher communication, I would not have been able to pass. They were very supportive and extremely helpful.”
- “The instructor communication in this course was very helpful because without the constant communication & them reaching out to the students, I would not have been able to understand my classes as well as I did.”
Interaction With Classmates Is Invaluable
- “We had a lot of time to have good discussion with our peers in break-out rooms.”
- “My favorite part of the course was the in class discussions we had. They helped me understand more about the literature I was reading and taught me a lot.”
- “Hearing other student’s opinions on readings, history, guest speakers and more helped me to see other perspectives I wouldn’t otherwise and helps give me a different understanding.”
Virtual Cultural Excursions and Guest Speakers Are Highlights
- “We had some cool projects, like making a Cambodian dish which was really fun and interactive to learn about culture even though we couldn’t really go.”
- “The course was connected to the area, and GEO provided a lot of cultural connections to Oviedo and Asturias. Also, throughout the excursions and online activities, I felt connected to these areas, despite not traveling there myself.”
- “Being immersed in the course with Indigenous representatives and students made the overall experience much more captivating and made it so students understood the gravity behind our work.”
Language Acquisition Is Very Successful
- “Having a course taught entirely in Spanish, as well as having conversations with host families from around the world, allowed me to build my confidence in speaking Spanish.”
- “I was speaking with three instructors twice a week on a weekly basis as well as with host families and doing virtual tours where everything was in Spanish.”
- “I enjoyed talking to host families because I learned a lot of Spanish that way.”
- “My Spanish speaking and comprehension have increased dramatically from the beginning of this class.”
- “I have gotten a lot more confident in speaking Spanish, and I feel that I have a lot more experience doing so.”
They Would Do It Again Or Recommend This Over Traditional Study Abroad
- “This is an awesome way to get travel abroad experience without the financial burden. This is definitely something the university should consider keeping post COVID, many students could really benefit from this program.”
- “I have learned a VAST amount and know a lot more compared to what I had learned in a normal classroom setting.”
- “Highly recommend over studying abroad.”
- “Thank you so much for providing an alternative to studying abroad. I was bummed because I wanted my Spanish to get better studying abroad but this program gave me an opportunity to exercise my Spanish and I believe my Spanish improved significantly.”
More Takeaways for Faculty, Advisors and Administrators
The success of a virtual study abroad program depends on many things, and a first important step is that both faculty and students have the necessary access to and comfort using technology to make a program like this possible. Knowing the resources available is a crucial first step.
One of the most common items cited as crucial for success was the access to and communication with faculty, especially when time zone differences exist. When the instructor(s) and students never meet in a physical location, having adequate access to ways to virtually interact with each other are key, whether that be drop-in office hours on Zoom, staying connected after a class session to answer questions, or providing timely responses via email and/or chat messengers. Professors who guide and mentor students through foreign countries may or may not be willing to do the same through the virtual environment. It is, indeed, a very different medium, and it requires different expertise and patience. It’s important to have a comprehensive plan for communication and access to instructors and other students before the course begins.
Another of the largest challenges the students reported were not having clear guidelines. While many felt that assignments were well-explained, just as many felt they didn’t understand grading policies, how to prioritize coursework versus in-person interactions and what the expectations were. When in-person communication cannot take place, it’s even more critical to make sure that there is a syllabus and a schedule and clear guidelines and that these are made available to everyone. Regular check-ins for understanding also need to occur.
Finally, it was noted that this type of experience can be very intense. When a student is in a foreign country, absorbing their lessons and what’s around them is their sole focus, but when doing a virtual study abroad experience, students need to split their time between managing the day-to-day and their coursework and virtual interactions. It’s important for both faculty and students to be aware of these demands to set the correct expectations from the beginning. As one student reported: “No regrets in taking two (of the NPN courses) around the same time, although it was super intensive and barely had time to do anything but my chores (watering my garden, going to the store/food pantry, playing with my kitty and cooking at home) and breathing some fresh air outside (while doing homework or virtual meetings).”
Conclusion
The #NoPassportNeeded programs are a resounding success, and GEO continues to build on these experiences to further connect students with the world wherever they are this year. And although Education Abroad currently faces many challenges as a field in the era of COVID-19, we must also remember what Benjamin Franklin said, “Out of adversity comes opportunity.” Now is the time to explore new ways to bring the world to our campuses. We, as a field, need to stretch ourselves and serve a wider audience and reach even more students than before, including those that may not have chosen traditional study abroad options. Virtual study abroad is one way to do that, and we invite you to talk with us further about how to incorporate it on your campus.
Inspired by success of the Summer 2020 #NPN experiences, GEO now offers #NoPassportNeeded Elements, enhancements for the remote classroom available to both students and faculty alike. Visit https://geo.uoregon.edu/nopassportneeded-elements to learn more.