Managing Study Abroad During a Global Pandemic: Transitioning a Service-Learning Course From on the Ground to Online

Introduction

This chapter describes an innovative online Spanish course that provided students with experiential learning via a virtual language exchange. The course was developed when the Valdosta State University (VSU) summer study abroad program in Cádiz, Spain was cancelled for the summer of 2020 due to the global pandemic. This course was especially critical for students enrolled in the Spanish for Professionals (SFP) certificate program who were planning to graduate at the end of the summer term. In order to keep students on track for graduation and to help them maintain their language proficiency, SPAN 4500 (Professional Practicum or Study Abroad) was transitioned from on the ground to the online environment for delivery during the summer of 2020. Due to the global pandemic, not only were VSU summer study abroad programs cancelled in 2020, but all field experiences in the local area were also negatively impacted during the spring and summer semesters of 2020. Many VSU students who were scheduled for field experiences in local schools, businesses, and clinics were unable to complete the in-person requirements; therefore, alternative assignments were created, wherever possible, to help students stay on track academically.

In this chapter, the author provides a description of the design, development, and delivery of the fully online professional practicum course. The ADDIE model—Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation—which underpinned the instructional design process, is also described so that others may replicate it (Dick & Carey, 2014; Gustafson & Branch, 2002; Magliaro & Shambaugh, 2006). Furthermore, best practices for online course delivery, the principles of communicative language teaching (CLT), and the World Readiness Standards(The National Standards Collaborative Board, 2015) and Proficiency Guidelines (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, ACTFL, 2012) informed the course design, and connections between each of these elements are detailed. Finally, the author explains the necessary steps for creating a successful virtual language exchange, including the pitfalls to avoid as well as recommendations for technology tools, applications, and resources to facilitate a language exchange in both commonly and less commonly taught languages.

The chapter begins with a brief overview of the recent research on the pandemic’s impact on U.S. study abroad programs. Following this, the author provides the context and background of the VSU sponsored summer study abroad program in Cádiz, Spain, which she established in 2010. Also included is a description of the SFP program and how student engagement in field experiences abroad has contributed to their professional knowledge base. Following the introduction, a review of the literature on the ADDIE model, best practices in online language course delivery, CLT, and standards-based language instruction are presented. Following this, the course design and layout are detailed so that others may replicate them. The chapter concludes with pitfalls to avoid as well as recommendations for those who wish to transition field experience courses online and/or add a virtual language exchange component to an existing course irrespective of delivery mode (online, hybrid, or traditional).