Paper short abstract:

This paper explores our experiences of designing and facilitating a cross-cultural virtual exchange between UK and US undergrads. We argue that virtual exchange offers a productive pedagogical resource, creating small generative spaces for students to practice ethnographic techniques first-hand.

Paper long abstract:

This paper explores our experiences of designing and facilitating a virtual exchange connecting two UK and US undergraduate anthropology modules/ courses to provide student opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and to practice ethnographic methods. Whilst our work together, begun in May 2020 during the covid19 pandemic, was initially prompted by the shared desire to open out into the world when everything felt as though it was closing in, we detail here subsequent lessons learned via this experiment in virtual learning over the past four years of working together. We argue that virtual exchange can offer a productive pedagogical resource through which to create small generative, international spaces that enable students to practice ethnographic techniques first-hand even when included in the curriculum outside designated ‘ research methods modules’. Virtual exchange can also offer students a more inclusive international ethnographic experience, one which does not require additional costs, and can fit in around work and caring responsibilities. To illustrate our argument, we draw upon our ongoing series of virtual planning and discussion-based meetings in the fours years of running our virtual exchange, and we also employ data from three years’ of surveys and feedback from students’ on their experiences of taking part in the virtual exchange.