Sessions

Study Abroad - the new normal during a pandemic

The spread of COVID-19 has made it difficult for students to study overseas. In this SA SIG Forum, presenters will share their experiences of implementing online technologies into internationally-centered activities in order to deal with the ongoing pandemic. Suzanne Bonn and Kevin Stanley will share the challenges and successes of adapting their language programs in Canada to students based in Asia and elsewhere. Brian Wistner, Noriko Ishihara, and Akiko Murata will report on their participation in the Collaborative Online International Learning project. Kumiko Yabe shares challenges and accomplishments in converting a preexisting domestic internship course to a virtual internship with organizations in Hawaii. Toshiko Oda covers utility and potential obstacles of short-term online English programs by analyzing two college students’ participation in online programs in Malta. Paul Bird outlines a short hybrid course which introduces debating skills via ZOOM to a group of sixty International Studies students. Prior to the forum, participants are invited to watch the virtual presentations uploaded on the SIG website (https://sa-sig.weebly.com/) in early May. During the forum, participants will be able to ask questions/give comments to presenters, share their experiences/ideas, and discuss further possibilities of study abroad and international exchanges under the circumstances of COVID-19.