Speakers
Description
Drawing on a Ukraine-Japan collaboration, this presentation explores Virtual Exchange as a peacebuilding community. We demonstrate how collaborative tasks and human encounters transform critical media literacy into tools for real-world mediation. We introduce a pedagogical framework showing how instrumental and ontological capacities must be nurtured to help students navigate the complexities of conflict reporting. Attendees will gain design strategies and ethical guidelines for conflict-sensitive exchanges that balance critical rigor with deep human connection.
Keywords
Virtual exchange, peace-building, collaborative learning
Abstract
Language education is increasingly recognized as a vital site for developing "real-world competencies" to counter disinformation and promote peace (Albrecht et al., 2024; Aristizábal-Cardona & Ortiz-Medina, 2023). However, culturally homogenous classrooms can lack the diversity required to examine the polarized narratives of modern conflict. This presentation explores how Virtual Exchange (VE) transcends these limitations (O’Dowd, 2022), functioning as a transnational peacebuilding community to develop Critical Media Literacy and Conflict-Sensitive Communication skills.
Drawing on empirical data from a VE project between universities in Ukraine and Japan, we introduce a pedagogical framework that synthesizes instrumental skills (technical abilities to analyze syntax, framing, and bias) with ontological capacities (empathy, reflexivity, and interest in the "other"). We argue that genuine human encounters mediated through collaborative tasks create an intercultural dialogue that forces students to negotiate the linguistic and emotional complexity of conflict reporting. Crucially, this synthesis fosters "polyphonic truth," a critical peacebuilding competency where learners develop the linguistic agility to negotiate multiple, conflicting realities without enforcing a single narrative (Sidorkin, 1999). Hence, VE facilitates ontological engagement (Matusov, 2009), transforming critical language skills from an academic toolkit into a dynamic tool for real-world mediation and peacebuilding.
Attendees will leave with three key takeaways:
Design Strategies: How to design online collaborative tasks that combine technical language analysis with peacebuilding objectives.
Pedagogical Insight: Understanding how the "eventfulness" of VE acts as a catalyst for intercultural dialogue and linguistic development.
Ethical Guidelines: Strategies to balance learner safety with meaningful engagement when conducting VE in conflict-sensitive contexts.
Short summary
Drawing on a Ukraine-Japan collaboration, this presentation explores Virtual Exchange as a peacebuilding community. We demonstrate how collaborative tasks and human encounters transform critical media literacy into tools for real-world mediation. We introduce a pedagogical framework showing how instrumental and ontological capacities must be nurtured to help students navigate the complexities of conflict reporting. Attendees will gain design strategies and ethical guidelines for conflict-sensitive exchanges that balance critical rigor with deep human connection.
References
Albrecht, E., Fournier-Tombs, E., & Brubaker, R. (2024). Disinformation and peacebuilding in Sub-Saharan Africa: Security implications of AI-altered information environments. United Nations University & Interpeace.
Aristizábal-Cardona, A. J., & Ortiz-Medina, J. M. (2023). Envisioning paths towards peacebuilding in foreign language teacher education. Íkala, Revista de Lenguaje y Cultura, 28(1), 49–68.
Matusov, E. (2009). Journey into dialogic pedagogy. Nova Science Publishers.
O’Dowd, R. (2022). Internationalising Higher Education and the Role of Virtual Exchange. Routledge.
Sidorkin, A. M. (1999). Beyond discourse: Education, the self, and dialogue. SUNY Press.
Special scheduling requests
One presenter is from Ukraine, so we would like a later afternoon slot. We understand there is no hybrid facilities, so we will take care of the technical issues.
| Scheduling preference | Special request (enter below) |
|---|---|
| Title | Virtual Exchange: Developing Critical Language Competencies for Peace |