Online Intercultural Exchanges offer a form of computer-mediated learning whereby students from geographically remote classes work together online (in pairs or small groups) on learning tasks developed by teachers or educational facilitators. They allow students to have a meaningful intercultural experience as part of their education, increasing mutual understanding and global citizenship. Besides, our students’ feedback has also shown that this pedagogy has helped them to boost their mental health and wellbeing. This was particularly evident during the Covid-19 lockdown.

Promoting student societies to help build a culture of student collaborative learning.

Students from a wide range of different backgrounds come together once a week to learn and/or practice different languages and partake in activities. This is an example of a session run by the Study Happy Team in the library.

Providing the choice of different kinds of assessments on different modules to enable students to choose a path that most suits them but also gives them variety. This can additionally involve creating assignments different from the traditional essay or exam. It hopes to relieve stress by spreading assignments throughout the year rather than having them all at the end.

The carousel invites half the participants to form a standing circle facing outwards with their backs to each other. The other half form a circle around the first group and face inwards so that you have two circles of pairs facing each other. A question for discussion is offered and each pair discusses the question for 2 minutes before a bell sounds and there is a pause to check in (body and mind). The outer circle rotate to the right so that a new pair is formed. At this point the question can remain the same or change for a new focus of discussion. This rotation can continue until all students in each circle have had the opportunity to speak with each student in the outer circle.

Students develop Multiple Choice Questions as part of a formative assessment process, a percentage of which contribute to their summative assessment. This fosters respect, reciprocity and shared responsibility and provides understanding of the development of their assessment as well as investment in a collaborative partnership approach to their assessment.

At the end of the introductory day the new group is consulted to see whether they would like to be included in the formation of a WhatsApp (or other social media type platform) group. The purpose of this group will be for the group to support each other in between taught elements of the programme. It might be a place where the students can informally discuss the teaching content and assignments. We also suggest that it can be used as a platform for setting up a buddy system for assignments where the students pair up to proof read each other’s work prior to submission (eg: checking referencing and typos, critiquing etc) It is also suggested that it is an opportunity to practice the attitudinal qualities of mindfulness in particular compassion for all members of the group.

In the Chemistry department, every student in their 1st year has compulsory intercultural training as part of their core modules.