What is Online School Exchange?
Online school exchange is interaction with overseas schools online. By using online meeting tools, etc., students can talk to other students while looking at each other and feel that they are in the same classroom despite being far away.
School exchange has many educational benefits, including promotion of international understanding and hands-on language learning. However, many schools have been forced to postpone such activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amid such circumstances, online school exchanges can help build excitement for in-person visits. An increasing number of schools are forging relationships in advance with schools they hope to visit overseas.
info Examples of Online School Exchange Program
For more information, see the online interaction examples.
Benefits of Online School Exchange
Next we will introduce the benefits of international exchange specific to online settings. By utilizing this system well, you can anticipate more meaningful in-person exchanges.
1 Students can build relationships before the actual visit
Many of the schools and students that participated in online exchanges have maintained their relationship after the program ended. By interacting online before actually visiting the school, it helps build anticipation and increase excitement for the in-person visit.
2 Even if the circumstances make it difficult to visit in-person, students can interact with students overseas
With the COVID-19 pandemic making it difficult to travel overseas, online school exchanges make it possible to interact with schools that were forced to suspend in-person exchanges, as well as create new opportunities for interaction. There are more and more cases of schools with students who get to know each other online before meeting in real life.
Key Points
Points to effective online school exchange and things to be careful of
| Consider the time difference | Time difference must be taken into consideration when interacting online with students in other locations. As such, the areas that you can do exchanges with are limited to a certain extent. If an exchange is difficult during class time, you can utilize after-school hours to broaden the target area. |
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| Internet connection, devices and digital equipment |
In order to ensure a smooth and efficient exchange, you must have a good communication environment (Wi-Fi, etc.), and devices such as camera and microphones. Preparing sufficient devices to suit the number of participants can be considered the first step to successful online exchange. It is also important to check in advance that all your devices are properly connected. |
| Preliminary meeting | In order for the exchange itself to go smoothly, preliminary meetings to properly coordinate are essential. Because you will be interacting with a person in a far away location who speaks a different language, it would be better to not just communicate via email, but also video calls in order to achieve communication without hiccups. If necessary, please engage the services of an interpreter. |
| Time management on the day | Online exchanges are usually shorter than in-person exchanges and typically range from 60 and 90 minutes. Thorough preparation, holding practice runs and strict time management on the day are therefore crucial. |
Applying for Online School Exchange
If you have had an exchange with a Japanese school in the past or have already decided which region or school you would like to hold your exchange with, please contact the relevant section of the local government.
JNTO works with local governments, etc. to match Japanese schools for online school exchange. Please contact us if you decide to do an online exchange with a Japanese school and need assistance finding the right match.
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