VIRTUAL EXCHANGE PROJECT SUMMARY
A Virtual Exchange Project was conducted between The University of Missouri-Kansas City, andKaichi International University. Participating in the exchange were Professors Jody Friberg from
Kaichi International University, Professor Stephen Holland-Wemp, and students from English
225—0017 at Applied Language Institute, University of Missouri-Kansas City, and students from
Kaichi International University enrolled in English Speaking BII (i) class. The theme of theexchange was “Community Issues of Concern to You.” Given constraints related to the timedifference between America and Japan, it was decided that email would be the best means ofexchange. Students from both universities were tasked with researching a community issue ofconcern in their respective countries, gathering research to add context to and support theissue, and then sharing what they learned with their peers abroad through email. Detailing theissue of concern, students from Kaichi International University using both empirical and analytic
research, answered questions 1. What is a community issue you are concerned about? 2. Whichpart or parts of Japan are affected by the issue? 3. Who is involved in the issue? 4. What do you
think was the cause of the issue? 5. What are the dangers or problems posed by the issue? 6.
How can the issue be resolved? Answers to these questions as well as research gathered byKaichi International University students was forwarded to peers from English 225-0017 atUMKC. Students at UMKC per mine and Professor Wemp’s exchange agreement, were required
to read and respond to the community issues of concern presented by KIU students. In turn,upon conducting research to explain and substantiate their community issue of concern inAmerica, students from English 225-0017 UMKC, sent emails to BII (i) students, which BII (i)students were obliged to study and respond to. Students working together through theexchange garnered considerable knowledge related to community issues occurring in eachother’s countries they had been previously unaware of. Moreover, they established greaterintercultural awareness, as well as improving cross-cultural communication skills. Not tomention securing better knowledge of syntax, orthography, and lexemes used in a strictly
academic context well beyond the norms of prescribed English language education in Japan.
The exchange lasted one week, after which time email correspondence with English 225—0017
students was collected by me and graded based on content, punctuality, formality, andsupporting evidence. A “Video Presentation” was also required in which students were toexplain briefly in a 4-to-5-minute presentation, what theirs and their UMKC peer’s community
issue was, and what the similarities and differences between the issues were. Grading wasconducted using a rubric with descriptors explaining what students were accountable for.
Comments were made in the rubric regarding students’ level of achievement for each of thedescriptors, with an overall grade for the project noted at the top of the rubric.
Concluding this project was a Virtual Exchange Project Questionnaire created by Prf. Jody
Friberg to ascertain on what level students from BII (i) class felt engaged in the exchange.
Questions included 1. To what extent do you think the Virtual Exchange Project with UMKC
benefited your English? 2. To what extent do you think the Virtual Exchange Project with UMKC
improved your knowledge of community issues in America? 3. To what extent do you think theVirtual Exchange Project improved your knowledge of community issues in Japan? 4. To whatextent was English used by you to conduct research related to your community issue ofinterest? 5. To what extent was conducting research necessary to learning more about yourcommunity issue of interest? 6. What aspect of the Virtual Exchange Project did you find to be
most difficult? 7. If you had to do the Virtual Exchange Project again, what would you like to dodifferently? 8. Would you recommend future BII (i) students participate in a Virtual ExchangeProject as a means of furthering English language study and developing cultural awareness? The
table below represents students’ answers.
Questions
1. To what extent doyou think the Virtual
Exchange Project with
UMKC benefited yourEnglish?
Student response:
2. To what extent doyou think the Virtual
Exchange Project with
UMKC improved yourknowledge ofcommunity issues inAmerica?
Student response:
3. To what extent doyou think the Virtual
Exchange Project
improved yourknowledge ofcommunity issues inJapan?
Student response:
4. To what extent was
English used by you toconduct research
related to yourcommunity issue ofinterest?
Student response:
5. To what extent was
conducting researchnecessary to learning
more about yourcommunity issue ofinterest?
Student response:
6. What aspect of the
Virtual Exchange
Project did you find tome most difficult?
Student response:
8. Would you
recommend future BII(i) students
participate in a Virtual
Exchange Project as ameans of furthering
English language
study and developing
cultural awareness?
Student response:
7. If you had to do the
Virtual Exchange
Project again, what

Benefited a lot

Student Responses
Benefited somewhat
Benefited very little

5
It improved myknowledge a lot

1
It improved myknowledge somewhat

1
It improved myknowledge very little

0
It didn’t improve myknowledge at all

1
It improved myknowledge greatly

5
It improved myknowledge somewhat

1
It improved myknowledge very little

0
It didn’t improve myknowledge at all1
I read or listened to a
lot of English while
conducting research
related to mycommunity issue.

5
I read or listened toEnglish somewhat
while conducting
research related to
my community issue.

0
I didn’t read or listen
to any English while
conducting research
related to mycommunity issue. Iresorted entirely tousing Japanese.

1I felt it was very
necessary to conduct
research.

4I felt it was somewhat
necessary to conduct
research.

1
I read or listened tovery little English
while conducting
research related to
my community issue. I
resorted mostly toreading or listening toJapanese
1
I felt it was not reallynecessary to conduct
research.

5
The amount and levelof difficulty of theEnglish.

1
Maintaining
communication with
UMKC peers.

0
The Final Task Output
Video Presentation.

2
I would highly
recommend future BII(i) students
participate in a Virtual
Exchange Project.

1I would somewhat
recommend future BII(i) students
participate in a VirtualExchange Project.

1
Conducting research
related to mycommunity issue ofinterest.
2I am not really sure itis necessary to involve
future BII (i) students
in a Virtual Exchange
Project.

5a) More time to spend
research and doing
something like Zoom
or Google Meet.

2b) Instead of wesearching about
Japan’s community
issue, we should0c) I want to have aconversation by using
Zoom, etc.

0d) I need a longer
preparation period.

It didn’t benefit myEnglish at all1I felt that conducting
research was notnecessary at all.

2
I would definitely notrecommend future BII(i) students become
involved in a Virtual
Exchange Project.

would you like to dodifferently?

search theircommunity issue tellthem what welearned from thesearch and ask themto add more
information about it.