Fostering Intercultural Competence Through Virtual Exchange: Perspectives of Undergraduate Health Students

• Yolande Heymans ^[1] ; Courtney Strosnider ^[2] ; Jessica Pool ^[1] ; Marieta Jansen van Vuuren ^[3]
  1. [1] Centre for Health Professions Education, North-West University, Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa
  2. [2] Department of Kinesiology and Health, Georgia State University, College of Education and Human Development, United States
  3. [3] Centre for Teaching and Learning, North-West University, South Africa

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• Localización: Open Praxis, ISSN-e 2304-070X, Vol. 16, Nº. 2, 2024, págs. 119-129
• Idioma: inglés
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  • Globalization and the call for global citizenship education have enabled virtual exchange to prepare healthcare students as emerging healthcare professionals for working in an increasingly interconnected and diverse world. Integrating virtual exchange opportunities into undergraduate curricula in higher education equips students with the knowledge, skills, and attributes needed to be responsive to global healthcare challenges. This study reports on the perceptions of undergraduate healthcare students from geographically distant locations on how (if any) participating in an international virtual exchange project fostered their intercultural competence. Anchored in social constructivism and adopting a qualitative methodology, data was collected using an online, open-ended reflective questionnaire. Findings from the thematic analysis highlight that integrating virtual exchange into curriculum design can foster intercultural competence, preparing healthcare students as emerging professionals for the world of work that necessitates an appreciation for diverse ways of knowing, being, and doing to ensure optimal healthcare.