(1703) FOSTERING GLOBAL COMPETENCE AND CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION USING 21~(ST) CENTURY TOOLS: A U.S. AND ISRAELI COLLABORATION

摘要

There is growing consensus regarding the importance of preparing globally competent higher education graduates. Such graduates are able to communicate and collaborate effectively in multiple settings, including intercultural contexts. Instructional opportunities for the development of communication, collaboration, and global competences are multifaceted and may be facilitated with 21~(st) century tools. These technologies offer instructors the flexibility of integrating experiences that are appropriate for the goals of their respective learning environments while removing the financial and logistical difficulties that accompany international travel. This paper describes the ongoing development and implementation of a project that uses 21~(st) century technologies to construct a lowcost international communication experience between American and Israeli undergraduates. Students who participated in the initial phase reported positive experiences and successfully navigated cultural and language barriers. Areas for improvement are addressed as part of the project’s second phase, which has evolved into an international collaborative exercise. Students within these technologysupported environments can still reap the benefits of mediated international experiences especially when given the opportunity to communicate, collaborate and learn with international peers.