This document discusses the challenges students face in virtual mobility courses. It notes that virtual mobility courses involve international collaboration, developing intercultural skills, and using a common language. While virtual mobility provides benefits like different perspectives and improved digital skills, students face challenges with technology use, online learning experience, cultural differences, and time scheduling across institutions. The document provides examples of student testimony praising the valuable experience and new skills gained from virtual mobility courses despite initial difficulties.

1. Vytautas Magnus University / Lithuanian Association of Distance and e-Learning (LieDM)
Challenges students face in virtual
mobility
Dr. Estela Daukšienė

2. Characteristics of a virtual mobility course
• International group collaboration activities
• Intercultural competence development
• Common (English) language
• Virtually accessible learning content (VLE)
• Use of technology for communication and collaboration

3. Main benefits of VM for students
• Different forms of learning and methods of delivery
• Different cultures + different perspectives = wider approach
• Experience and improvement of virtual mobility competences
– Linguistical/language
– Cultural/intercultural
– ICT
– Educational/LO related
– Personal and social
• Possibility to study at 2 or more institutions at the same
semester (and while staying at home)
• Enhanced employability and more career opportunities...

4. Main additional value
More different students – more perspectives – of the same
analyzed topic
•“the chosen subject has to be interesting to be seen from
different countries perspectives”
•It’s innovative way of learning in a inter-cultural word
– Posibility to get most of the cultural differences while
collaborating in international teams
– Even the same course repeated next semester/year will
never be the same

5. • Recognition of ECTS credits and virtual mobility at
student home institution
• Attractive topic
• Rich experience to be appreciated later in their
career by potential employers
Common students’ expectations for virtual
mobility

6. • Different institution, different learning methods, and
language (or accent) students are used to
• Students are afraid to speak in the beginning
• Cultural and personal difference of working in international
group
• Some passive students who challenge the group work
Main challenges that
students face in virtual
mobility courses (based on
research from 6 different VMU
cases)

7. • Prior technological experience and new tools for learning
(esp. in VET sector)
• Prior online learning experience:
– lack of physical contact or person to address with issues
and questions
– it takes more time to collaborate that in F2F course
• Different semester & time schedules
Main challenges that
students face in virtual
mobility courses (based on
research from 6 different VMU
cases)

8. Student testimonies after VM sessions in
TeaCamp
• We became more open-minded for the other cultures…
• We improved various skills and competences
• It was a chance to use knowledge practically
• We learned to collaborate in a virtual environment
• We learnt to better organize our study time schedule
• We had many positive feelings and a valuable experience,
and really appreciate it
• We’ve got more than we expected
www.teacamp.eu

9. Student testimonies after VM sessions in
UbiCamp
• You feel like studying in a different country, you can
compare our study technique and theirs
• It’s something international, productive, interesting,
exciting …
• When I participate in a virtual lecture, I’m more brave to
speak and to write.. I improve my English
• I met new people, new lecturers and new friends…
• It helped me a lot for my professional life

10. VMU Student testimonies after
joint course delivery
• Very optimistic experience, it was a better experience than
we expected
• Unusual, unique experience, and very valuable
• It was not just theoretical background, but also a possibility
to communicate with students from other cultures
• In the beginning it was difficult to understand them, but I
improved my English knowledge and got a broader view of
the topic
• In the beginning I was afraid of that, but now I feel that it
was very good and if somebody has this opportunity you
definitely have to use it

11. Contacts:
Estela Daukšienė
estela.dauksiene@vdu.lt
estela.dauksiene@liedm.net
Let’s open universities for student and teacher virtual
mobility