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The unexpected cancelation of in-person academic activities – produced by the health emergency caused by the COVID-19 disease – resulted in a detriment to the immersive nature of students’ mobility experiences. The objective of this research was to conduct an exploratory and descriptive analysis of the outbound mobility experience of students at Universidad Nacional del Sur, in Argentina, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A proposal for a solution to the impossibility of students moving to other countries or universities was to continue mobility virtually. The methodology applied in this research was qualitative: students who participated in a student mobility program during 2020 and 2021 were surveyed and interviewed. Despite the challenges evidenced by the research, the results showed that students felt highly satisfied with their mobility experience. Virtual mobility is a promising option for those people who for various reasons cannot travel abroad but can benefit from the mobility experienced from home.

Copyright of Publicaciones s de la Facultad de Educacion y Humanidades del Campus de Melilla (Universidad de Granada, Espana) is the property of Universidad de Granada and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of RHS: Revista Humanismo y Sociedad is the property of Corporacion Universitaria Remington and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract Background For effective delivery of international experiential training programs, many universities in the global north, have created partnerships with universities in the global south especially in Africa to enhance their capacity and diversity of learning for their students. However, there is hardly any literature that exhibits the importance of African instructors in international experiential learning programs. This study aimed at establishing the importance of African instructors in international experiential learning programs. Methods This was a qualitative case study that examined the importance of instructors and experts from Africa in influencing student learning processes and outcomes in the GCC 3003/5003 - Seeking Solutions to Global Health Issues. Semi-structured interviews with (2) students, (2) University of Minnesota lead faculty for the course, and (3) in-country instructors/experts from countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa were conducted. Data was analyzed thematically. Results Four themes were identified: (1) Filling gaps in knowledge, (2) Orchestrating partnerships for practical exposure, (3) Improving the quality of training, and (4) orchestrating professional personal growth for students. The African in-country course instructors/experts contributed to student learning by providing a true picture reflection of happenings on the ground. Conclusion The importance of in-country African instructors’ can be viewed as that aimed at validating students’ ideas to apply to the local settings, streamlining students’ focus, providing a platform for multi-stakeholder engagement to a particular topic, coupled with bringing an in-country context experience in the classroom.

Introduction. Academic mobility of students is an integral part of quality higher education in Russia. A frequent problem is a difficult adaption to a foreign country. The article looks into to the problem of offsetting negative consequences of cultural adaptation of Russian students in German universities during short-term stay. The aim of the article is to work out recommendations on preliminary preparation of short-term international academic mobility programs between Russian and foreign partner universities, taking into account cultural adaptation of students. Materials and Methods. The research draws on surveys of students participating in the 6-month (1 semester) international Russian-German academic mobility program. As a survey technique, a group continuous correspondence survey was employed. The questionnaire was compiled following the conditions of relevance and representativeness using empirical indicators and descriptive statistics. The method of statistical factor analysis served a tool to identify the main factors influencing the quality of adaptation; for a comparative analysis of the results of the survey, statistical methods of comparing averages and statistical visualization were used. Results. The article analyzes the results of surveys of students of the German-Russian Institute of Advanced Technologies about the main points of education in Germany that cause them difficulties. A comparative analysis of learning in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic (hybrid, almost completely remote learning) with the period before the pandemic (full face-to-face learning) was made. Conclusions are drawn about the prevailing factors that influenced the success of learning in both cases. Examples of practical recommendations are formulated as to the necessary preparation of Russian university students for studying at European universities in the years following the pandemic, taking into account the results of surveys of teachers from the host German university, as well as the observations of an expert from the Kazan National Research Technical University over the teaching process at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. Based on the results of the analysis of factors most affecting the success of Russian students in a foreign university, we propose measures aimed at accelerating and mitigating the adaptation of Russian-speaking students to a long stay in a foreign environment. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hybrid form of education looks most effective, as it increases the success of Russian students studying abroad. Discussion and Conclusion. The proposed approach to the assessment of influencing factors and the developed methods for their elimination will help prevent similar problems in the future. The conclusions made by the authors contribute to the practice of short-stay international academic mobility organization. The article materials are of interest to the scientific and pedagogical community, faculty and management of educational institutions.

Short-Term Study-Abroad (STSA) programs are popular in Japanese higher education; however, participating students’ experiences are under-researched, particularly in areas outside of second-language acquisition. This study empirically assessed the impact of a six-week study-abroad program with a US university (conducted online as a virtual program due to the COVID-19 pandemic) on sophomore Japanese university students’ Global-Mindedness (GM). This mixed-methods study employed experimental (n=53) and control (n=82) groups to investigate the following research question: What is the impact of a virtual STSA program on the GM of participating students? Quantitative data were collected at three time periods (pretest/posttest/post-posttest) using a modified version of the 30- item, five-factor GM Scale (GMS, see Hett, 1993). Descriptive statistics and two-way ANOVAanalyses revealed a significant increase in the experimental groups’ posttest results, which then returned to similar pretest levels in the post-posttest period. Reflection papers, surveys, and semi-structured interviews informed the qualitative perspective, and findings suggested a need for sustained post-program supportive measures to help maintain students’ GM.

Ukraine’s National Strategy for Education Development aims to align its education system with global standards and sustainable development goals. One of the key objectives is to integrate higher education with European norms, offer diverse educational models, and meet information and communication needs. The European Commission supports this integration process by fostering initiatives such as the Bologna process, mobility, and cooperation with programs like Erasmus+. Mobility, enabled by information and communication technologies, is essential for building the European educational and scientific space. This paper explores the different aspects of mobility, such as geographic, social, professional, academic, learning, software, hardware, and technological mobility. It investigates how they relate to each other within socio-pedagogical and technical systems, highlighting their importance for the information society. Using historical and contemporary perspectives, the paper develops a holistic model of mobility in the information society. Future research directions include the dynamic evolution of mobility within higher education systems, its sociocultural implications, and its intersection with technological innovations and state-political transformations. Furthermore, the phenomenon of mobility in technological and pedagogical systems, driven by the spread of mobile information and communication technologies, deserves more attention.

Purpose: Despite progressing research in the field of Virtual Mobility and Internationalization at Home, recent theories and technologies are challenging to implement for Higher Education Institutes (HEIs). The present paper focuses particularly on Albania, where the current education system has not been able to sufficiently incorporate Virtual Mobility and Internationalization in higher education programs. Study design/methodology/approach: This paper analyses the prevalent situation within Albania’s higher education system regarding Virtual Mobility and Internationalization at Home activities. The underlying data has been collected in qualitative semi-structured interviews, conducted with teaching staff and students from Albanian universities who are experienced with Virtual Mobility modules. It was evaluated through a mixed approach of qualitative content analysis by Mayring (2014) using inductive and deductive category formation. Findings: The results show the benefits that an increasing integration of Virtual Mobility activities in the education system could facilitate for students and teachers in Albania’s HEIs. Nevertheless, it became clear that in order to implement a higher degree of Virtual Mobility at university level, it is necessary to overcome the legal obstacles set by the Ministry of Education as well as structural obstacles within the HEIs. Originality/value: Due the actual lack of development, concepts, infrastructures, and legal foundations, the implementation of Virtual Mobility as an affordable instrument to foster the international experience of Albanian students is of high importance. This could raise the quality of academic education and tackle capacity gaps in the education system of Albania towards the grade of international experiences of students.

Background: For effective delivery of international experiential training programs, many universities in the global north, have created partnerships with universities in the global south especially in Africa to enhance their capacity and diversity of learning for their students. However, there is hardly any literature that exhibits the importance of African instructors in international experiential learning programs. This study aimed at establishing the importance of African instructors in international experiential learning programs. Methods: This was a qualitative case study that examined the importance of instructors and experts from Africa in influencing student learning processes and outcomes in the GCC 3003/5003 - Seeking Solutions to Global Health Issues. Semi-structured interviews with (2) students, (2) University of Minnesota lead faculty for the course, and (3) in-country instructors/experts from countries in East Africa and the Horn of Africa were conducted. Data was analyzed thematically. Results: Four themes were identified: (1) Filling gaps in knowledge, (2) Orchestrating partnerships for practical exposure, (3) Improving the quality of training, and (4) orchestrating professional personal growth for students. The African in-country course instructors/experts contributed to student learning by providing a true picture reflection of happenings on the ground. Conclusion: The importance of in-country African instructors' can be viewed as that aimed at validating students' ideas to apply to the local settings, streamlining students' focus, providing a platform for multi-stakeholder engagement to a particular topic, coupled with bringing an in-country context experience in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: After piloting an international and interdisciplinary Virtual Mobility module with eight participating institutions, the experiences will be processed as pedagogical patterns in OER format to facilitate future implementation. Study design/methodology/approach: The lessons learned from the executing institution's perspective will be presented from the perspective of the module supervisor as well as two experienced e-tutors who were involved in the design, implementation and evaluation and were generated through their reflections of them. Findings: The lessons learned focus on improving the organization of international e-tutor teams, the dropout management in group work with several institutions, and adapting the e-tutor qualification to enable adequate and qualitative equal support of all participants. Originality/value: Based on the findings of the Albanian needs report, Virtual Mobility modules have been implemented marginally in the Albanian HEI landscape so far. Thus, the experiences from the pilot are of particular importance for the further multiplication and improvement of the internationalization of Albanian HEIs.

In 2020 and 2021, the international spread of the SARS-COV-2 virus caused academic activities at universities to be carried out virtually. Due to this situation, the face-to-face mobility of the national postgraduate programs affiliated to the National Postgraduate System (SNP) of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACyT) were affected, so that mobility had to be developed virtually. A questionnaire was designed and applied to graduate students in language and linguistics (n=46), with the purpose of collecting their experiences about the implementation of virtual mobility in their programs. The results showed that virtual mobility is considered as a good alternative, since for the participants this modality allowed them to continue developing their academic activities. Additionally, they consider that virtual mobility can help to avoid costs of transportation, rent housing, and transportation time. Furthermore, virtual mobility gives them the opportunity to be present virtually anywhere to participate and develop academic activities. Based on this, we propose this modality as different way to carry out mobility in postgraduate programs attached to the SNP, which would heed to the diversity of life conditions, and family and working conditions of students who study quality graduate programs in Mexico, thus contributing to a better construction of disciplinary and scientific knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly structured nature of the educational sector demands effective policy mechanisms close to the needs of the field. That is why evidence-based policy making, endorsed by the European Commission under Erasmus+ Key Action 3, aims to make an alignment between the domains of policy and practice. Against this background, this article addresses two issues: First, that there is a vertical gap in the translation of higher-level policies to local strategies and regulations. Second, that there is a horizontal gap between educational domains regarding the policy awareness of individual players. This was analyzed in quantitative and qualitative studies with domain experts from the fields of virtual mobility and teacher training. From our findings, we argue that the combination of both gaps puts the academic bridge from secondary to tertiary education at risk, including the associated knowledge proficiency levels. We discuss the role of digitalization in the academic bridge by asking the question: which value does the involved stakeholders expect from educational policies? As a theoretical basis, we rely on the model of value co-creation for and by stakeholders. We describe the used instruments along with the obtained results and proposed benefits. Moreover, we reflect on the methodology applied, and we finally derive recommendations for future academic bridge policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how government-supported digital ID systems evoke novel conceptions of platform-based state-individual relationship by drawing on the concept of platformization and Estonian e-residency as the empirical case. E-residency is a policy concept introduced by the Estonian government, which allows foreigners to apply for a state-issued digital ID in order to gain remote access to Estonian public and private e-services. Based on qualitative interviews with individuals having an e-resident digi-ID, we examine the ways in which they construe e-residency from the perspective of state-individual relationship. Our findings indicate that apart from a transactional service-based relationship, being an e-resident can also imply a sense of membership in the state and thus serve as a basis for transnational belonging. Hence, the digital state is not only perceived as a platform manager and a service provider, but also as a membership organisation enacting its rules of inclusion through its digital ID schemes.

The globally mobile reality of today's world has made the field of intercultural communication increasingly relevant as people more often find themselves in intercultural situations. As a result, language teachers must be more prepared to work in intercultural contexts, and to teach their own students how to communicate across differences in intercultural situations both physically and virtually. The present paper examines this special issue's topic of physical and virtual mobility and intercultural competence through the lens of teacher education. Using narrative inquiry, two teacher educators in very different geographic and socio-economic contexts (US and Colombia) explore their own attempts at developing intercultural communication in teacher learners through a WhatsApp pen pal exchange project in their intercultural communication classes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings reveal different ways in which virtual mobility and other affordances of WhatsApp can be harnessed to achieve various aims of intercultural education, but also how activities such as the pen pal exchange can be improved in order to align more with current theories of intercultural communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article attempts to present a number of key technologies that determine the new quality of life of people. The following content is specified and disclosed: autonomous artificial intelligence in a smartphone, professional robot assistants, available satellite intelligence, podcasts, digital urban planning tools. In the article, the authors hypothesize that Industry X.0 is by far the highest stage of digitalization and represents a concept of innovative and digital production, the components of which are «smart assets», «smart services», «smart business», and «smart government». Structural elements of the authors’ concept of X.0 Industry are indicated, its visual cut in virtual reality conditions is provided and the functioning of this Industry exclusively within the framework of the 7th technological mode is characterized. The authors have developed and presented the protocol of formation of the X.0 Industry through the prism of innovations, technologies in both the industry sector and business management. 4 stages of implementation of this protocol are defined, namely: determination of the innovative landscape of «technological breakthrough» in a particular industry within the formation of industry X.0; assessment of threats; determining the course of further development and the action plan (four main approaches to which organizations can apply: protection, adoption of innovations, initiation of subversive innovations, retreat); implementation of structural changes at the DNA level of the organization. The authors on the basis of a number of factors bring forward the argument that today’s realities of the digital space require the development of a new logic of running a platform business in terms of its digitization. It is concluded that in practice it is necessary to form a broad coalition of educators, government officials, analysts, high-tech specialists, economists, industrialists, scientists who will join the formation of the X.0 Industry on the basis of digitalization and innovatizing. The authors concluded that Industry X.0 is a new approach to the organization of production in the context of virtual reality, which is based on highly intelligent integrated new products and digital ecosystems that form an innovative digital value chain, add new competencies and implement deep cultural changes in the direction of the formation of a new virtual reality.

Internationalisation has been a key theme in higher education (HE) for decades. Multiple initiatives across the world have contributed to creating offerings of high-quality online education, with collaborations across national borders. Two of the concepts that have proved to be influential are Virtual Mobility (VM) and Open Education (OE). Virtual mobility refers to study activities that students enrolled in HE in one country undertake online in other countries without physically moving. Such activities are certified and mutually acknowledged by participating institutions. Open education covers global initiatives increasing access to free online quality education, without or with alternative forms of certification.The research presented in this article identifies the learner skills and competences that are supported by Open Virtual Mobility (OpenVM), a new trend in online education that builds upon these two concepts. A group concept mapping study based on the contributions of experts in both VM and OE resulted in defining seven learner skills and competence areas including: intercultural skills and attitudes; networked learning; active self-regulated learner skills; media and digital literacy; autonomy-driven learning, interactive and collaborative learning in an authentic international environment and open-mindedness. The study provided input for further conceptualising of OpenVM as a bridge between VM and OE.

This study explores how government-supported digital ID systems evoke novel conceptions of platform-based state-individual relationship by drawing on the concept of platformization and Estonian e-residency as the empirical case. E-residency is a policy concept introduced by the Estonian government, which allows foreigners to apply for a state-issued digital ID in order to gain remote access to Estonian public and private e-services. Based on qualitative interviews with individuals having an e-resident digi-ID, we examine the ways in which they construe e-residency from the perspective of state-individual relationship. Our findings indicate that apart from a transactional service-based relationship, being an e-resident can also imply a sense of membership in the state and thus serve as a basis for transnational belonging. Hence, the digital state is not only perceived as a platform manager and a service provider, but also as a membership organisation enacting its rules of inclusion through its digital ID schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The highly structured nature of the educational sector demands effective policy mechanisms close to the needs of the field. That is why evidence-based policy making, endorsed by the European Commission under Erasmus+ Key Action 3, aims to make an alignment between the domains of policy and practice. Against this background, this article addresses two issues: First, that there is a vertical gap in the translation of higher-level policies to local strategies and regulations. Second, that there is a horizontal gap between educational domains regarding the policy awareness of individual players. This was analyzed in quantitative and qualitative studies with domain experts from the fields of virtual mobility and teacher training. From our findings, we argue that the combination of both gaps puts the academic bridge from secondary to tertiary education at risk, including the associated knowledge proficiency levels. We discuss the role of digitalization in the academic bridge by asking the question: which value does the involved stakeholders expect from educational policies? As a theoretical basis, we rely on the model of value co-creation for and by stakeholders. We describe the used instruments along with the obtained results and proposed benefits. Moreover, we reflect on the methodology applied, and we finally derive recommendations for future academic bridge policies.

The rapidly growing number of learning materials and repositories makes the issue of how to find the most relevant and best quality resources to be integrated in teaching and learning offers. Thus, effective quality assessment tools are more and more needed. In the present paper, a case-study focusing on quality assurance in a Virtual Mobility (VM) international project is presented. VM stands for ICT supported activities, organized at higher institutional level, that makes possible or facilitate international, collaborative experiences in a context of teaching and/or learning. Different approaches were combined to ensure the quality of a specific MOOC and the OERs created to promote VM. Three main macro-indicators were identified for OERs evaluation: 1. Quality, 2. Appropriateness, and 3. Technical aspects. Each project partner was invited to search, select and peer-assess OERs related to the skills necessary to be engaged in VM. First results of the peer-review activity and future directions to ensure OpenVM OERs and MOOC quality are presented.

Although the benefits of blended learning have been well documented in educational research, relatively few studies have examined blended mobilities in education in Kurdistan region government and in Iraq. This study discusses a blended mobility approach for a teacher training program designed for in-service English language teachers (ELT) and investigates its effectiveness by comparing the latest participation of the University of Human Development for computer science and proposing the same program for training English for lecturers and students. The research involved proposes new mobility program for teaching and learning English language and using their language skills in an ongoing business project using several software for communication and management of their projects. Results will show the framework for new blended learning and blended mobilities of many different English language teaching (ELT) aspects.

This study explores international students' perceptions of the transition to the online learning environment while they were studying on an Erasmus+ Study Mobility Programme at host universities in Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic in spring 2020. Applying the theoretical framework based on the affective, behavioural and cognitive aspects of adaptation in the case of international students, this study reveals what adaptive responses and decisions sojourners made, and how their study experience and learning capabilities were challenged by the restrictive measures introduced at host universities due to the state of emergency declared in the host countries. Fourteen semi-structured interviews with both incoming and outgoing international students were conducted. Results reveal that studying online with reduced social interaction was a real challenge to Erasmus students. They were lacking cultural knowledge of the destination country as well as the insights typically arising from face-to-face teaching and social interactions. However, findings also expose students' satisfaction with their academic accomplishments. In this regard, specific proposals are made for universities that consider virtual mobility programmes for international students in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The globally mobile reality of today’s world has made the field of intercultural communication increasingly relevant as people more often find themselves in intercultural situations. As a result, language teachers must be more prepared to work in intercultural contexts, and to teach their own students how to communicate across differences in intercultural situations both physically and virtually. The present paper examines this special issue’s topic of physical and virtual mobility and intercultural competence through the lens of teacher education. Using narrative inquiry, two teacher educators in very different geographic and socio-economic contexts (US and Colombia) explore their own attempts at developing intercultural communication in teacher learners through a WhatsApp pen pal exchange project in their intercultural communication classes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings reveal different ways in which virtual mobility and other affordances of WhatsApp can be harnessed to achieve various aims of intercultural education, but also how activities such as the pen pal exchange can be improved in order to align more with current theories of intercultural communication.

The last decade have witnessed the unprecedented development of information and communication technologies. This has, in turn, enabled the growth and development of other sectors, such as, for example, that of distance and on-line learning. In this context of technological expansion in education it is appropriate to reflect pedagogically about technological resources and their educational purpose. That is, how to deploy the available technological resources and media in a fashion consistent with the desired educational objectives and aims. Virtual Service-Learning has emerged as a particular modality of this methodology that combines and reinforces two elements: technology applied to education and service as a pedagogic tool. This format then, reveals itself as an appropriate methodology through which to channel both technical and pedagogic innovation. In this work and, taking as reference a study focusing on two virtual Service-Learning projects, we will address the construction of a theoretical framework that will allow us to understand and improve the development of these practices through this pedagogic modality.

This paper presents the design of two miniMOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) Autonomy-driven learning and Self-Regulated Learning (SRL), developed in the Open Virtual Mobility MOOC. The design is based on two concepts: microlearning and SRL. All the MOOC elements were designed to support SRL. From a descriptive and quantitative approach, the research aims to explore participants' satisfaction and their perception on the supporting roles of the miniMOOC for SRL. Data was collected through an online survey through which 375 answers were collected. Results show the general satisfaction of learners with the MOOC design. As for the SRL design gamification and visualization of pathways were more relevant for certain SRL phases such as monitoring learning. OER and related quizzes were useful for all SRL phases. Quizzes especially supported self-reflection. Open Badges supported the forethought phase of SRL. Social elements such as forums and eportfolios obtained the lowest rates in relation to support of SRL. The paper concludes with recommendations for educational research and MOOCs design.

Virtual student mobility and blended student mobility are becoming a key strategic policy area in European educational policy, with the aim of providing all students in Europe with the experience of mobility during their studies. This article looks at the extent to which these forms of mobility are designed to support transformative learning experiences, through the analysis of three virtual mobility cases in secondary education and three cases in higher education, using the Activity-Centred Analysis and Design (ACAD) Framework. The findings show that virtual mobility offers suitable learning environments where transformative learning can occur. However, structured reflection needs to be more elaborately designed for and supported to achieve its full potential. The article suggests that structured reflection is currently primarily focused on the development of intercultural skills and attitudes, but offers opportunities for other learner skills in virtual mobility (such as collaborative learning and networked learning). The article suggests some methods to do this.

The characterization virtual mobility is based on three main conceptual pillars – international, digital and collaborative. We understand that these characteristics are common to other related concepts although an institutional agreement and the transcript of records for the exchange and recognition of credits seems to be a distinct characteristic of virtual mobility. A recent approach to virtual mobility has added the dimension of open education as the fourth pillar of virtual mobility and the new concept has been framed as Open Virtual Mobility. These different approaches show that the concept of virtual mobility can be interpreted and designed depending on the actual objectives, practices and educational contexts, as shown in the articles in this special issue. Going beyond a single perspective on virtual mobility, and focusing on commonalities, we are proud to introduce the collection of five articles which present different approaches to virtual mobility in the sense of facilitating international and collaborative learning experiences in online learning environments. This special issue offers a wide perspective on virtual mobility, which includes different approaches, methodologies and models towards designing and exploring virtual mobility experiences in practice and research.

The article presents a scientific analysis of a practical application of multilingual and multicultural education at higher education, more specifically, the description of the eTandem project developed and launched by the Language Center of the University of Padua, which won the European Language Label (ELL) in December 2016. The project was selected and nominated since it provides a methodological approach and study strategies which favour multilingualism, mobility for young people and inclusiveness. The project is based on an online exchange between Italian students enrolled at the University of Padua and international students who will be coming to the University. It differs from many other telecollaboration projects in that it involves different languages, levels of language competence as well as various ways of interaction. Indeed, it implies three different ways of communication among participants: (1) one-to-one partnership in the students’ target language; (2) many-to-many interaction in Italian and/or English/French/Spanish as linguae francae on a Moodle platform and/or in a social Facebook area; (3) one-to-many multilingual interaction carried out by e-tutors in Facebook. They provide students with useful links regarding cultural events and things to do in Padua and its surroundings, as well as recent news and interesting linguistic and cultural issues related to different countries. Mobility, informality, autonomy, reciprocity, friendship, fun and multilingual community are the key words of this initiative whose objectives are aimed at developing linguistic, cultural, personal, social and digital skills in different languages, even in the less used and less taught ones.

Copyright of Tejuelo: Didáctica de Lengua y Literatura is the property of Tejuelo. Didactica de la Lengua y la Literatura. Educacion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Virtual Mobility (VM) stands for institutional ICT-supported activities that trigger or facilitate international collaborative experiences in the context of teaching and learning. Some research experiences report the need to enhance Virtual Mobility based on open education principles. Open education is understood as a mode of undertaking education using digital technologies, included OERs and MOOCs. The goal of the present paper is twofold: first, we describe the quality framework for OERs and MOOCs adopted in the Erasmus+ project Open Virtual Mobility for OER and MOOC; secondly, we present an application of the quality approach in a case study in which experience data from 11 MOOC learners were collected and analyzed to improve its quality.

Internationalisation has been a key theme in higher education (HE) for decades. Multiple initiatives across the world have contributed to creating offerings of high-quality online education, with collaborations across national borders. Two of the concepts that have proved to be influential are Virtual Mobility (VM) and Open Education (OE). Virtual mobility refers to study activities that students enrolled in HE in one country undertake online in other countries without physically moving. Such activities are certified and mutually acknowledged by participating institutions. Open education covers global initiatives increasing access to free online quality education, without or with alternative forms of certification. The research presented in this article identifies the learner skills and competences that are supported by Open Virtual Mobility (OpenVM), a new trend in online education that builds upon these two concepts. A group concept mapping study based on the contributions of experts in both VM and OE resulted in defining seven learner skills and competence areas including: intercultural skills and attitudes; networked learning; active self-regulated learner skills; media and digital literacy; autonomy-driven learning, interactive and collaborative learning in an authentic international environment and open-mindedness. The study provided input for further conceptualising of OpenVM as a bridge between VM and OE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapidly growing number of learning materials and repositories makes the issue of how to find the most relevant and best quality resources to be integrated in teaching and learning offers. Thus, effective quality assessment tools are more and more needed. In the present paper, a case-study focusing on quality assurance in a Virtual Mobility (VM) international project is presented. VM stands for ICT supported activities, organized at higher institutional level, that makes possible or facilitate international, collaborative experiences in a context of teaching and/or learning. Different approaches were combined to ensure the quality of a specific MOOC and the OERs created to promote VM. Three main macro-indicators were identified for OERs evaluation: 1. Quality, 2. Appropriateness, and 3. Technical aspects. Each project partner was invited to search, select and peer-assess OERs related to the skills necessary to be engaged in VM. First results of the peer-review activity and future directions to ensure OpenVM OERs and MOOC quality are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital identity systems appear as part of the digital infrastructure that enables individuals to participate in society as digital citizens. This paper examines the implications of Estonia's e-residency, the transnational digital identity scheme implemented by the Estonian government in order to give non-residents of the country remote access to Estonia's digital infrastructure and e-services, for global digital citizenship. We explain the adoption of e-residency by analyzing how individual motives to apply for a digital identity are affected by both individual-level socio-demographic characteristics and macro-level characteristics measuring digital and economic development in applicant's country of origin. The findings suggest that individual motives to adopt e-residency vary depending on both the citizenship of applicants and the level of e-government development in the country of origin. Although attracting more citizens from digitally advanced countries, individual motives indicate that e-residency can compensate certain digital disadvantage to citizens of countries with lower levels of e-government development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Link Class Project presented in this article provides an example of established collaborative group activities to negotiate and build a report together in virtual teams composed of students at Universidad ESAN, Lima (Peru) and Tilburg University, Tilburg (Netherlands). It further analyzes the effects of a campus based internationalization strategy supported by the use of technology. Based on previous experiences with virtual classrooms, the authors adhere to the ancient Chinese philosopher's, Lao Tzu, quote: «If you tell me, I will listen; if you show me, I will see; but if you let me experience, I will learn».

The concept of virtual mobility is increasingly receiving attention in the literature. As one central advantage, virtual mobility enables international and intercultural experiences for non-traditional students regularly found in distance education. However, hitherto there is a lack of empirical data on the students' experiences with virtual mobility. Moreover, adequate teaching methods and course designs have to be identified which stimulate the students' learning motivation and learning success. This article addresses these challenges by presenting results from a joint blended learning course of two distance universities. Constructive alignment was used to implement virtual mobility and digital storytelling. The evaluation of the course demonstrates that the students generally value the opportunity for virtual mobility but likewise appreciate face-to-face contact. It also stresses the importance of suitable teaching methods and adequate course designs to spur the students' collaboration and to achieve the intended learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the UNED Virtual Mobility Campus Net Program, implemented since 2012 in collaboration with European and Latin American universities. Program’s objectives, participating institutions, procedures, and evaluation are exposed. Virtual mobility is understood as a meaningful strategy for intercultural learning by studying an undergraduate or postgraduate degree program at the local, national or international level, in relation to the student’s own studies, utilizing virtual or distance methodology; virtual mobility is also the possibility of studying specific topics or a determinate number of credits or courses. The equality of opportunity is a priority objective for UNED. The diversity of students’ personal situations necessitates formulas that, along with traditional in-person mobility (e.g., Erasmus Program), utilize virtual resources to guarantee for all the students the intercultural experience of living in an academic environment different than one’s own. We hope that the UNED Campus Net Program is of interest to readers and that we can incorporate new partners into the project over the next few years.The article deals with three main dimensions of the UNED Campus Net: objectives, implementation process and participants´ evaluation. We aspire to discuss and improve this experience in cooperation with other institutions interested in implementing virtual mobility in higher education.