Virtual Cultural Exchange Students
Virtual Cultural Exchange Students
CEA is proud to enroll international students (Virtual Exchange Students) in our virtual courses alongside U.S. students. Our aim is to create an environment where CEA students can exchange ideas and collaborate academically, intellectually and socially with their peers from around the world. Virtual exchange students come primarily from CEA Study Center locations in France, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Buenos Aires, and are accepted based on a competitive application process. In the classroom, CEA students will have the opportunity to hear perspectives from different countries and cultures during class discussions, group work and course activities. This will not only provide them with a rich classroom experience, but will also further develop them as global citizens and equip them to work in a global environment. In addition to enhancing the classroom experience, virtual exchange students will contribute to the global learning environment in the additional ways:
- Cultural Ambassador - The participation of the virtual exchange students in our programs allows us to provide a peer-to-peer cultural exchange. CEA students will learn about exchange students’ countries and cultures, and build a better understanding of life in each place. This will be done via short videos and profile spotlights in Moodle.
- Language Liaison – Virtual exchange students are asked to host chat rooms on Zoom in their native language in order to give CEA students the opportunity to use their foreign language skills in languages that they study, and to provide initial exposure to vocabulary in languages they haven’t studied.
- Community Leader – Virtual exchange students are encouraged to foster friendships and communicate with CEA students as much outside of class as inside class. We ask our exchange students to contribute to a social environment on social media and through communication apps where students can get to know each other and create a sense of community.
While CEA students and virtual exchange students come to the classroom with different life experiences, perspectives and languages, they share common interests and academic goals. We are excited to offer CEA’s Virtual Study Center to create a platform that brings students together to exchange ideas and to build a global community.