Longitudinal civic engagement: Undergraduate students’ reflections on an intergenerational virtual exchange
Educators have underscored the synergy between language education and civic engagement due to the potential of enhancing students’ linguistic and cultural growth through participating in social action, which is where languages and communities converge (e.g., Palpacuer Lee et al., 2018Palpacuer Lee, C., Curtis, J. H., & Curran, M. E. (2018) Shaping the vision for service-learning in language education. Foreign Language Annals, 51 , 169–184. Palpacuer Lee, C., Curtis, J. H., & Curran, M. E. (2018) Shaping the vision for service-learning in language education. Foreign Language Annals, 51, 169–184. ). Virtual exchange can facilitate such engagement by reaching global communities. We present findings from a longitudinal intergenerational virtual civic engagement between intermediate-level undergraduate learners of German at a private research institution on the East Coast in the U.S. and older adults in Germany. Participants engaged with tandem partners via Zoom or WhatsApp. Particular focus is on three returning tandem partnerships. The exploratory study is part of a larger program (Fuchs, 2024Fuchs, C. (2024) Intergenerational service-learning through virtual exchange across a foreign language program. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 7 , 107–122, Fuchs, C. (2024) Intergenerational service-learning through virtual exchange across a foreign language program. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 7, 107–122, ) and situates itself within a sociocultural framework for telecollaboration (Dooly & O’Dowd, 2012Dooly, M., & O’Dowd, R. (2012) Researching online foreign language interaction and exchange in foreign language education: Introduction to the volume. In M. Dooly & R. O’Dowd (Eds.), Researching online foreign language interaction and exchange (pp. 11–41). Peter Lang. Dooly, M., & O’Dowd, R. (2012) Researching online foreign language interaction and exchange in foreign language education: Introduction to the volume. In M. Dooly & R. O’Dowd (Eds.), Researching online foreign language interaction and exchange (pp. 11–41). Peter Lang. ). Both authors were participant-observers (Richards, 2003Richards, K. (2003) Qualitative inquiry in TESOL. Palgrave Macmillan. Richards, K. (2003) Qualitative inquiry in TESOL. Palgrave Macmillan. ). Our research set out to explore the following questions: (1) How do university language students in returning tandem partnerships perceive their virtual civic engagements with older adults in Germany? (2) How do all students perceive the impact of their civic engagement on their academic experience in relation to the course? Qualitative data were coded by the authors using NVivo 12. Findings suggest that returning tandem partnerships can be particularly helpful, especially for lower-level students, as evidenced in students’ reflections on their perspective changes, comfort levels, and the overall impact of the intergenerational exchanges.
Publication history
1.Intergenerational civic engagement as enacted through service-learning
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Goal 4 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) asks educators to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all”, which includes, among others, “global citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity” (United Nations, 2015United Nations (2015) Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development | department of economic and social affairs. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org.2030agendaUnited Nations (2015) Transforming our world: The 2030 agenda for sustainable development | department of economic and social affairs. United Nations. https://sdgs.un.org.2030agenda). While critical voices have questioned the concept of global citizenship in the absence of global passports (Kramsch, 2022Kramsch, C. (2022) Re-imagining foreign language education in a Post-COVID-19 world. In C. Lütge, T. Merse & P. Rauschert (Eds.), Global citizenship in foreign language education concepts, practices, connections (pp. 15–40). Routledge. Kramsch, C. (2022) Re-imagining foreign language education in a Post-COVID-19 world. In C. Lütge, T. Merse & P. Rauschert (Eds.), Global citizenship in foreign language education concepts, practices, connections (pp. 15–40). Routledge. ), UNESCO emphasizes that the concept is about the mindset and actual actions that a citizen takes based on their understanding of how the world works, their valuing of differences in people(s), and their collaboration with others to find solutions to global challenges. In a similar vein, Rauschert and Byram (2018)Rauschert, P., & Byram, M. (2018) Service learning and intercultural citizenship in foreign-language education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 48 (3), 353–369. Rauschert, P., & Byram, M. (2018) Service learning and intercultural citizenship in foreign-language education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 48(3), 353–369. stress the potential for language learning to foster civic engagement.
One example of a major challenge addressed in this project that reflects UNESCO’s global citizenship mission is ageism, a term referring to negative stereotypes and prejudices about older adults that can often lead to discrimination and negative consequences for the older adults’ quality of life, discrimination in the workplace, or poorer mental or physical health (Yoelin, 2021Yoelin, A. B. (2021) Intergenerational service learning within an aging course and its impact on undergraduate students’ attitudes about aging. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 20 (3), 277–292. Yoelin, A. B. (2021) Intergenerational service learning within an aging course and its impact on undergraduate students’ attitudes about aging. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 20(3), 277–292. ). There is evidence illustrating that intergenerational service learning (S-L) programs effectively address a range of contemporary issues faced by older adults and young people, such as social concerns (e.g., isolation, inadequate support systems) (Newman et al., 1997Newman, S., Ward, C. R., Smith, T. B., Wilson, J. O., Mc Crea, J. M., Calhoun, G., & Kingson, E. (1997) Intergenerational programs: Past, present, and future. Taylor and Francis.Newman, S., Ward, C. R., Smith, T. B., Wilson, J. O., Mc Crea, J. M., Calhoun, G., & Kingson, E. (1997) Intergenerational programs: Past, present, and future. Taylor and Francis.) or ageism. S-L programs have a long tradition in the U.S. (Newman et al.,1997Newman, S., Ward, C. R., Smith, T. B., Wilson, J. O., Mc Crea, J. M., Calhoun, G., & Kingson, E. (1997) Intergenerational programs: Past, present, and future. Taylor and Francis.Newman, S., Ward, C. R., Smith, T. B., Wilson, J. O., Mc Crea, J. M., Calhoun, G., & Kingson, E. (1997) Intergenerational programs: Past, present, and future. Taylor and Francis.), and S-L has been defined as a “form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs together with structured opportunities intentionally designed to promote student learning and development” (Jacoby, 1996Jacoby, B. (1996) Service learning in today’s higher education. In B. Jacoby (Ed.), Service-learning in higher education: Concepts and practices (pp. 2–25). Jossey-Bass.Jacoby, B. (1996) Service learning in today’s higher education. In B. Jacoby (Ed.), Service-learning in higher education: Concepts and practices (pp. 2–25). Jossey-Bass., p. 5).
As a virtual outreach effort to assist older adults in Germany and the U.S., especially during the pandemic, intergenerational civic engagement has been implemented across the curriculum in a German Language Program at a private research higher education institution on the East Coast since Spring 2021 (see Fuchs, 2024Fuchs, C. (2024) Intergenerational service-learning through virtual exchange across a foreign language program. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 7 , 107–122, Fuchs, C. (2024) Intergenerational service-learning through virtual exchange across a foreign language program. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 7, 107–122, ). The overall purpose of this longitudinal S-L program is to raise awareness of the challenges older adults may face and to promote intergenerational learning. Data presented include two semesters, Spring and Fall 2022 (see participant lists in Tables 1 and 2). Specifically, the civic engagement component in this study involves intermediate-level undergraduate students of German as a foreign language and German-speaking older adults in Germany. This study also fills the niche of using a between-countries approach to S-L by including participants who could not meet in person but interacted online using technologies (see Porto, 2021 (2021) Long-term impact of four intercultural citizenship projects in the higher education foreign language classroom. The Language Learning Journal, 49 (6), 648–667. (2021) Long-term impact of four intercultural citizenship projects in the higher education foreign language classroom. The Language Learning Journal, 49(6), 648–667. ). To reach a global community overseas, virtual exchange was implemented due to its ability to combine “the deep impact of intercultural dialogue and exchange with the broad reach of digital technology” (EVOLVE, n.d.European Commission n.d.). What is Virtual Exchange?. EVOLVE. https://evolve-erasmus.eu/about-evolve/what-is-virtual-exchange/European Commission n.d.). What is Virtual Exchange?. EVOLVE. https://evolve-erasmus.eu/about-evolve/what-is-virtual-exchange/).
This study is further informed by dimensions of intercultural citizenship, a concept closely related to global citizenship, i.e., a relational dimension (getting involved with other speakers, becoming intercultural speakers and mediators), a critical dimension (analyzing and reflecting on one’s own thoughts, assumptions, and preconceived notions), and a civic dimension (outreach and action in local and global communities) (Byram, 2008Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.). These dimensions foreground a focus on community connection, in addition to linguistic, communicative, and instrumental aspects of language instruction (Byram, 2008Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.). Community connection in this study is realized through S-L, and the underlying principles are reciprocity (e.g., Brammerts, 1996Brammerts, H. (1996) Tandem language learning via the internet and the International E-Mail Tandem Network. In D. Little and H. Brammerts. (Eds.), A guide to language learning in tandem via the Internet (pp. 9–22). Centre for Language and Communication Studies.Brammerts, H. (1996) Tandem language learning via the internet and the International E-Mail Tandem Network. In D. Little and H. Brammerts. (Eds.), A guide to language learning in tandem via the Internet (pp. 9–22). Centre for Language and Communication Studies.) and reflection (e.g., Belz, 2005Belz, J. A. (2005) Telecollaborative language study: A personal overview of praxis and research. In I. Thompson & D. Hiple (Eds.), Selected papers from the 2004 NFLRC Symposium: Distance education, distributed learning, and language instruction. NFLRC.Belz, J. A. (2005) Telecollaborative language study: A personal overview of praxis and research. In I. Thompson & D. Hiple (Eds.), Selected papers from the 2004 NFLRC Symposium: Distance education, distributed learning, and language instruction. NFLRC.), rooted in the situated activity of students of German engaging virtually in intergenerational dialogue with German-speaking older adults in Germany. One central aspect of this study is students’ engagement in critical reflections on their engagement with the older adults because “no experience having a meaning is possible without some element of thought” (Dewey, 1916Dewey, J. (1916) Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. Macmillan Publishing.Dewey, J. (1916) Democracy and education: An introduction to the philosophy of education. Macmillan Publishing., p. 150). Or, in Kolb’s words, “[l]earning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience” (1984Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall.Kolb, D. A. (1984) Experiential learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Prentice Hall., p. 38).
The hyphenation of the term service-learning indicates the symbiotic relationship between service and learning, with reflection and reciprocity being the two main principles (Jacoby, 1996Jacoby, B. (1996) Service learning in today’s higher education. In B. Jacoby (Ed.), Service-learning in higher education: Concepts and practices (pp. 2–25). Jossey-Bass.Jacoby, B. (1996) Service learning in today’s higher education. In B. Jacoby (Ed.), Service-learning in higher education: Concepts and practices (pp. 2–25). Jossey-Bass.). As Palpacuer Lee et al. (2018)Palpacuer Lee, C., Curtis, J. H., & Curran, M. E. (2018) Shaping the vision for service-learning in language education. Foreign Language Annals, 51 , 169–184. Palpacuer Lee, C., Curtis, J. H., & Curran, M. E. (2018) Shaping the vision for service-learning in language education. Foreign Language Annals, 51, 169–184. stress, these two principles form the basis for “ethical and sustained engagement of higher-education institutions with partner organizations and community stakeholders” (p. 170). Moreover, S-L, as a course-based, credit-bearing educational experience, allows students to participate in an organized service activity to meet identified community needs and reflect on the service activity that helps them gain further understanding of course content, appreciate their discipline more broadly, and enhance their “sense of civic responsibility” (Bringle & Hatcher, 1995Bringle, R., & Hatcher, J. (1995) A service-learning curriculum for faculty. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 2 , 112–122. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.3239521.0002.111Bringle, R., & Hatcher, J. (1995) A service-learning curriculum for faculty. Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning, 2, 112–122. http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.3239521.0002.111, p. 112). In this study, students receive experiential learning credit for their civic engagement with older adults, which is part of the institutional graduation requirement.
One defining characteristic of contemporary models of civic engagement is mutually-beneficial collaboration, where all stakeholders contribute knowledge, skills, and experience in determining the issues to be addressed, the questions to be asked, the problems to be resolved, the strategies to be used, the outcomes considered desirable, and the indicators of success (Bringle et al., 2009Bringle, R., Clayton, P., & Price, M. (2009) Partnerships in service learning and civic engagement. Partnerships: A Journal of Service Learning & Civic Engagement, 1 (1), 1–20. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/4580Bringle, R., Clayton, P., & Price, M. (2009) Partnerships in service learning and civic engagement. Partnerships: A Journal of Service Learning & Civic Engagement, 1(1), 1–20. https://hdl.handle.net/1805/4580). To this end, students in this study were asked prior to their civic engagement to identify the community goals to be addressed through their engagement. After their engagement, students were asked to consider their service and relate it to their own academic, professional, civic, or personal goals.
Educators have highlighted the convergence between language education and civic engagement through S-L, noting its potential to enhance students’ linguistic and cultural development through social action; this convergence of languages and communities offers a rich space for growth (e.g., Palpacuer Lee et al., 2018Palpacuer Lee, C., Curtis, J. H., & Curran, M. E. (2018) Shaping the vision for service-learning in language education. Foreign Language Annals, 51 , 169–184. Palpacuer Lee, C., Curtis, J. H., & Curran, M. E. (2018) Shaping the vision for service-learning in language education. Foreign Language Annals, 51, 169–184. ). S-L can strengthen both the academic curriculum in schools and promote civic responsibility (Rauschert & Byram, 2018Rauschert, P., & Byram, M. (2018) Service learning and intercultural citizenship in foreign-language education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 48 (3), 353–369. Rauschert, P., & Byram, M. (2018) Service learning and intercultural citizenship in foreign-language education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 48(3), 353–369. ), and positive outcomes on student learning have been well documented in meta-analyses (e.g., Novak et al., 2007Novak, J. M., Markey, V., & Allen, M. (2007) Evaluating cognitive outcomes of service learning in higher education: A meta-analysis. Communication Research Reports, 24 (2), 149–157. Novak, J. M., Markey, V., & Allen, M. (2007) Evaluating cognitive outcomes of service learning in higher education: A meta-analysis. Communication Research Reports, 24(2), 149–157. ; Warren, 2012Warren, J. L. (2012) Does service-learning increase student learning?: A meta-analysis. Michigan Journal of Community Service-learning, 56–61.Warren, J. L. (2012) Does service-learning increase student learning?: A meta-analysis. Michigan Journal of Community Service-learning, 56–61.). Since the late 1990s/early 2000s, S-L has been implemented extensively in Spanish (e.g., Nelson & Scott, 2008Nelson, A. L., & Scott, J. L. (2008) Applied Spanish in the university curriculum: A successful model for community-based service-learning. Hispania, 91 , 446–460. Nelson, A. L., & Scott, J. L. (2008) Applied Spanish in the university curriculum: A successful model for community-based service-learning. Hispania, 91, 446–460. ) and writing programs (e.g., Deans, 2000Deans, T. (2000) Writing partnerships: Service-learning in composition. National Council of Teachers of English.Deans, T. (2000) Writing partnerships: Service-learning in composition. National Council of Teachers of English.), with the goal to bridge the achievement gap. Such initiatives include implementation of programs like bilingual roundtables, working with children through a migration education tutoring program (Nelson & Scott, 2008Nelson, A. L., & Scott, J. L. (2008) Applied Spanish in the university curriculum: A successful model for community-based service-learning. Hispania, 91 , 446–460. Nelson, A. L., & Scott, J. L. (2008) Applied Spanish in the university curriculum: A successful model for community-based service-learning. Hispania, 91, 446–460. ), or organization of first-year writing courses at a community college to improve grades and to bolster fall to spring retention rates (Wells, 2020Wells, K. (2020) Learning Communities and Service Learning: The Effects of Combining Two High-Impact Learning Practices on First-Year, Full-Time Community College Students Enrolled in First-Year Writing [Doctoral dissertation]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. https://proquest.com/openview/d9986da156ad3bace934900e48163a55/1?cbl=18750&diss=y&pq-origsite=gscholarWells, K. (2020) Learning Communities and Service Learning: The Effects of Combining Two High-Impact Learning Practices on First-Year, Full-Time Community College Students Enrolled in First-Year Writing [Doctoral dissertation]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. https://proquest.com/openview/d9986da156ad3bace934900e48163a55/1?cbl=18750&diss=y&pq-origsite=gscholar). More recently, S-L has expanded to include English learners (e.g., Schneider, 2018Schneider, J. (2018) Teaching in context: Integrating community-based service learning into TESOL education. TESOL Journal, 10 (1), 1–15. Schneider, J. (2018) Teaching in context: Integrating community-based service learning into TESOL education. TESOL Journal, 10(1), 1–15. ) and student teachers in the field of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (Wurr, 2013Wurr, A. J. (2013) Engaged teaching and learning: Service-learning, civic literacy, and TESOL. TESOL Journal, 4 , 397–401. Wurr, A. J. (2013) Engaged teaching and learning: Service-learning, civic literacy, and TESOL. TESOL Journal, 4, 397–401. ; see also Baker, 2019Baker, L. (2019) Community-based service-learning in language education: A review of the literature. International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement, 7 (1), Article 2. Baker, L. (2019) Community-based service-learning in language education: A review of the literature. International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement, 7(1), Article 2. ; Wurr & Hellebrandt, 2007Wurr, A. J., & Hellebrandt, J. (Eds.) (2007) Learning the language of global citizenship: service-learning in applied linguistics. Anker.Wurr, A. J., & Hellebrandt, J. (Eds.) (2007) Learning the language of global citizenship: service-learning in applied linguistics. Anker.).
Perren and Wurr’s (2015)Perren, J., & Wurr, A. (Eds.) (2015) Learning the language of global citizenship: Strengthening service-learning in TESOL. Common Ground Research Networks. Perren, J., & Wurr, A. (Eds.) (2015) Learning the language of global citizenship: Strengthening service-learning in TESOL. Common Ground Research Networks. edited volume presents small but significant gains in language competency in participants who engaged in second/foreign/additional language teaching and learning S-L projects and positive impacts on the communities in which English language learners and teachers served. These results reflect similar benefits to implementing S-L in the curriculum (Wurr, 2018 (2018) Advances in service-learning research with English language learners. Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education, 8 , n.p. (2018) Advances in service-learning research with English language learners. Journal of Service-Learning in Higher Education, 8, n.p.). For instance, Taiwanese English learners benefitted from staying in a socio-economically disadvantaged community in the Philippines as opposed to a study abroad in an English-speaking country (Wu, 2018Wu, C.-H. (2018) Intercultural citizenship through participation in an international service-learning program: A case study from Taiwan. Language Teaching Research, 22 (5), 517–531. Wu, C.-H. (2018) Intercultural citizenship through participation in an international service-learning program: A case study from Taiwan. Language Teaching Research, 22(5), 517–531. ). In another study, students demonstrated gains in linguistic self-confidence and reduced anxiety about speaking with expert language speakers (Pellettieri, 2011Pellettieri, J. (2011) Measuring language-related outcomes of community-based learning in intermediate Spanish courses. Hispania, 94 (2), 285–302. Pellettieri, J. (2011) Measuring language-related outcomes of community-based learning in intermediate Spanish courses. Hispania, 94(2), 285–302. ).
Moreover, there are some existing projects that have addressed intergenerational S-L in language education. For example, although university-level learners of English in France initially expressed a preference for virtual interactions with American peers, they found their exchanges with older adults beneficial, especially with regard to receiving help with vocabulary (Johnson, 2016Johnson, E. (2016) Intergenerational telecollaboration: What risks for what rewards. In S. Jager, M. Kurek & B. O’Rourke (Eds.), New directions in telecollaborative research and practice: selected papers from the second conference on telecollaboration in higher education (pp. 97–103). Research-Publishing. Johnson, E. (2016) Intergenerational telecollaboration: What risks for what rewards. In S. Jager, M. Kurek & B. O’Rourke (Eds.), New directions in telecollaborative research and practice: selected papers from the second conference on telecollaboration in higher education (pp. 97–103). Research-Publishing. ). Additionally, advanced learners of German reported increased language skills and confidence through in-person engagement with dementia patients (Mueller, 2005Mueller, I. (2005) Service learning, German culture, and intercultural competence. In The year of languages: Challenges, changes, and choices: 2005 Report of the central states conference on the teaching of foreign languages (pp. 207–218). Eau Claire, WI: Crown Prints.Mueller, I. (2005) Service learning, German culture, and intercultural competence. In The year of languages: Challenges, changes, and choices: 2005 Report of the central states conference on the teaching of foreign languages (pp. 207–218). Eau Claire, WI: Crown Prints.). Yet, more research is needed, especially for civic engagement in the virtual space, which can serve communities globally.
2.Civic engagement facilitated through virtual exchange
The civic dimension of intercultural citizenship foregrounds outreach and action in local and global communities, i.e., “when people of different social groups and cultures engage in social and political activity” (Byram, 2008Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters., p. 207). In order to facilitate students’ civic engagement in this study, we draw on virtual exchange, specifically on the one-on-one eTandem learning model (O’Rourke, 2007O’Rourke, B. (2007) Models of telecollaboration (1): E(tandem). In R. O’Dowd (Ed.), Online intercultural exchange: An introduction for foreign language teachers (pp. 41–62). Multilingual Matters. O’Rourke, B. (2007) Models of telecollaboration (1): E(tandem). In R. O’Dowd (Ed.), Online intercultural exchange: An introduction for foreign language teachers (pp. 41–62). Multilingual Matters. ) of virtual exchange, which has focused on language and intercultural engagement and reflection between expert speakers of two target languages. According to
Brammerts (1996)Brammerts, H. (1996) Tandem language learning via the internet and the International E-Mail Tandem Network. In D. Little and H. Brammerts. (Eds.), A guide to language learning in tandem via the Internet (pp. 9–22). Centre for Language and Communication Studies.Brammerts, H. (1996) Tandem language learning via the internet and the International E-Mail Tandem Network. In D. Little and H. Brammerts. (Eds.), A guide to language learning in tandem via the Internet (pp. 9–22). Centre for Language and Communication Studies., “[w]ithin a tandem partnership, partners support each other in their learning, i.e. they will offer the assistance they have been asked for to the best of their ability. Both correct each other, suggest alternative formulations, help with the understanding of texts, translate, explain meanings, etc.” (p. 32). Yet, Lewis and Qian (2021)Lewis, T., & Qian, K. (2021) Designing and supporting virtual exchange: The case of Chinese– English e-tandem. Modern Languages Open, 0 (1), 19. Lewis, T., & Qian, K. (2021) Designing and supporting virtual exchange: The case of Chinese– English e-tandem. Modern Languages Open, 0(1), 19. have problematized asymmetry in e-Tandem exchanges where students had limited L2 proficiency. The exchanges in this project were conducted exclusively in German to maximize language practice. In addition, older adults had not been instructed to focus explicitly on target language corrections because the main goal was to promote intergenerational and intercultural dialogue, upon which students reflected critically afterwards.
The last decade has seen a growing number of (virtual) intercultural citizenship studies in Asian, American, and European countries with promising results (e.g., Byram et al., 2017Byram, M., Golubeva, I., Han, H., & Wagner, M. (Eds.) (2017) From principles to practice in education for intercultural citizenship. Multilingual Matters.Byram, M., Golubeva, I., Han, H., & Wagner, M. (Eds.) (2017) From principles to practice in education for intercultural citizenship. Multilingual Matters.; Lütge et al., 2022Lütge, C., Merse, T., & Rauschert, P. (Eds.) (2022) Global citizenship in foreign language education: Concepts, practices, connections. Routledge. Lütge, C., Merse, T., & Rauschert, P. (Eds.) (2022) Global citizenship in foreign language education: Concepts, practices, connections. Routledge. ). For instance, integrating societal macro topics (e.g., sports, patriotism, advertising, crime, natural disasters) into a virtual exchange can aid with developing global citizenship, agency, cultural awareness, community, and a shared vision (Lenkaitis & Loranc, 2022Lenkaitis, C. A., & Loranc, B. (2022) The role of intercultural virtual exchanges in global citizenship development. Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, 15 (2), 222–234. Lenkaitis, C. A., & Loranc, B. (2022) The role of intercultural virtual exchanges in global citizenship development. Journal of International and Intercultural Communication, 15(2), 222–234. ).
Moreover, student online engagement in meaningful intercultural experiences as part of either their formal or non-formal education can increase their empowerment and confidence — improvements that facilitate personal growth and social responsibility (Giralt et al., 2022Giralt, M., Murray, L., & Benini, S. (2022) Global citizenship and virtual exchange practices. Promoting critical digital literacies and intercultural competence in language education. In C. Lütge, T. Merse & P. Rauschert (Eds.), Global citizenship in foreign language education concepts, practices, connections (pp. 151–173). Routledge. Giralt, M., Murray, L., & Benini, S. (2022) Global citizenship and virtual exchange practices. Promoting critical digital literacies and intercultural competence in language education. In C. Lütge, T. Merse & P. Rauschert (Eds.), Global citizenship in foreign language education concepts, practices, connections (pp. 151–173). Routledge. ). In a large-scale comparative study in an intermediate Spanish as a foreign language class (Moreno-López et al., 2017Moreno-López, I., Ramos-Sellman, A., Miranda-Aldaco, C., & Gomis Quinto, M. T. (2017) Transforming ways of enhancing foreign language acquisition in the Spanish classroom: Experiential learning approaches. Foreign Language Annals, 50 (2), 398–409. Moreno-López, I., Ramos-Sellman, A., Miranda-Aldaco, C., & Gomis Quinto, M. T. (2017) Transforming ways of enhancing foreign language acquisition in the Spanish classroom: Experiential learning approaches. Foreign Language Annals, 50(2), 398–409. ), students in all models — traditional, telecollaboration, service learning, and global — demonstrated similar linguistic gains; students in the service learning, telecollaborative, and global learning groups expressed increased intercultural awareness as a result of personal interactions with students in the service learning group specifically mentioning helping their service partners as a significant cultural experience.
There is also support for participants’ development of skills of discovery and perspective-taking, as well as the ability to see and evaluate different participants’ positions as seen in a large-scale study between students in Argentina and Britain that focused on language exchange and discussion about the 1982 Malvinas War (Porto, 2019Porto, M. (2019) Affordances, complexities, and challenges of intercultural citizenship for foreign language teachers. Foreign Language Annals, 52 , 141–164. Porto, M. (2019) Affordances, complexities, and challenges of intercultural citizenship for foreign language teachers. Foreign Language Annals, 52, 141–164. ). Yet, Porto (2021) (2021) Long-term impact of four intercultural citizenship projects in the higher education foreign language classroom. The Language Learning Journal, 49 (6), 648–667. (2021) Long-term impact of four intercultural citizenship projects in the higher education foreign language classroom. The Language Learning Journal, 49(6), 648–667. has cautioned that intercultural citizenship pedagogy may primarily lead to engagement at the level of awareness, thought, and personal development and not necessarily to sustained civic or social action in the community. Likewise, other critical voices have argued that terms such as ‘intercultural’ or ‘global’ may not be universally understood by students, as observed by Golubeva et al. (2016)Golubeva, I., Wagner, M., & Yakimowski, M. (2016) Comparing students’ perceptions of global citizenship in Hungary and the USA. In M. Byram, I. Golubeva, H. Hui & M. Wagner (Eds.), From principles to practice in education for intercultural citizenship (pp. 3–24). Multilingual Matters.Golubeva, I., Wagner, M., & Yakimowski, M. (2016) Comparing students’ perceptions of global citizenship in Hungary and the USA. In M. Byram, I. Golubeva, H. Hui & M. Wagner (Eds.), From principles to practice in education for intercultural citizenship (pp. 3–24). Multilingual Matters. in an exchange between American and Hungarian students regarding students’ understanding of the concepts ‘intercultural citizen’ and ‘global citizen.’
Against the backdrop of the potential of intergenerational civic engagement in language education facilitated by virtual exchange, our research set out to explore the following questions:
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How do university language students in returning tandem partnerships perceive their virtual civic engagements with older adults in Germany?
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How do all students perceive the impact of their civic engagement on their academic experience in relation to the course?
3.Methods
3.1Participants
This exploratory case study11.Approved by the IRB at the U.S. institution. is part of a larger, on-going S-L program, and situates itself within a sociocultural framework for telecollaboration (Dooly & O’Dowd, 2012Dooly, M., & O’Dowd, R. (2012) Researching online foreign language interaction and exchange in foreign language education: Introduction to the volume. In M. Dooly & R. O’Dowd (Eds.), Researching online foreign language interaction and exchange (pp. 11–41). Peter Lang. Dooly, M., & O’Dowd, R. (2012) Researching online foreign language interaction and exchange in foreign language education: Introduction to the volume. In M. Dooly & R. O’Dowd (Eds.), Researching online foreign language interaction and exchange (pp. 11–41). Peter Lang. ) and draws on emic and holistic principles of ethnography (van Lier, 1988van Lier, L. (1988) The classroom and the language learner. Longman.van Lier, L. (1988) The classroom and the language learner. Longman.). Both authors were participant-observers (Richards, 2003Richards, K. (2003) Qualitative inquiry in TESOL. Palgrave Macmillan. Richards, K. (2003) Qualitative inquiry in TESOL. Palgrave Macmillan. ). Author 1, a full-time faculty member, is the S-L program designer and manager while author 2 was a student participant at the time. Author 1 designed the program, oversees the program management, and also teaches some of the courses herself. The courses in this study were taught by a part-time instructor. Author 1 assisted the part-time instructor of the participating courses in setting up the exchanges through matching project partners, creating initial community partner research activities while generating reflection prompts. Reflection prompts aimed to be continuous (before, during, and after) and to challenge assumptions and stereotypes (Eyler et al., 1996Eyler, J., Giles, D. E., Jr., & Schmiede, A. (1996) A practitioner’s guide to reflection in service-learning. Vanderbilt University.Eyler, J., Giles, D. E., Jr., & Schmiede, A. (1996) A practitioner’s guide to reflection in service-learning. Vanderbilt University.).
In addition, a German heritage speaker was instrumental in the Service-Learning Teaching Assistant (S-LTA) role in both courses in this study. Trained by the outreach office at the U.S. institution, she helped contextualize the S-L experience for students.
In Spring 2022, five students (names are pseudonyms; all data are verbatim; translations of German posts into English by the authors) were enrolled in the fully online (asynchronous) Intermediate 1 German course (Table 1). In Fall 2022, eight students were enrolled in the fully online (asynchronous) Intermediate 2 German course, taught by the same part-time instructor (Table 2). Despite the asynchronous nature of the course, the instructor has the freedom to set up regular Zoom meetings at their and the students’ discretion. Participants of both intermediate courses met once a week for an hour in a live Zoom meeting to work on students’ communicative skills. The older adults, who ranged in age between 65–75, were self-selected participants from Freunde alter Menschen e.V. (‘Friends of the Elderly, Registered Association’) in Hamburg, Germany, which is a sister organization of ‘Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly’ in the U.S. University students of German that repeatedly participated in tandem partnerships (hereinafter ‘returning participants’) are outlined in both tables (Elly, Heather, and Marena).
| Student | Year | Language(s) | Major | Minor | Partner | Communication tool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elly | 1st | German (heritage) & French (beginner) | Business Administration and Communications | German | Female, 1st time participant | Zoom |
| Heather | 3rd | German (intermediate) | Music Industry | German | Female, 1st time participant | Zoom |
| Marena | 1st | German (intermediate) | Data Science/ Environmental Science | German | Female, 3rd time participant | Zoom |
| Larry | 2nd | German (intermediate) | Applied Physics | Math | Female, 3rd time participant | |
| Joanna | University staff | German (intermediate) Spanish (beginner) | N/A | N/A | Male, 1st time participant |
As can be seen in Table 1, Elly’s and Heather’s partners were first-time participants in Spring 2022, while Marena’s partner was already a third-time participant.
| Student | Year | Language(s) | Major | Minor | Partner | Communication tool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elly | 2nd | German (heritage) & French (beginner) | Business Administration and Communications | German | Female, 2nd time participant | Zoom |
| Heather | 4th | German (intermediate) | Psychology and Music | Music Industry, German | Female, 2nd time participant | Zoom |
| Marena | 2nd | German (intermediate) | Data Science/ Environmental Science | German | Female, 4th time participant | Zoom |
| Asuman | 3rd | Turkish (NS) German (intermediate) | Mechanical Engineering | German | Male, 1st time participant | |
| Jiang (Martin) | 4th | Chinese (NS) German (intermediate) Spanish (beginner) | Philosophy/ Economics | German | Male, 2nd time participant | Zoom |
| Stephanie | 2nd | German (intermediate) | International Affairs/ Environmental Studies | N/A | Female, 4th time participant | |
| Thomas | 2nd | German (heritage) | Business Administration | N/A | Male, 1st time participant | |
| Wendy | 2nd | German (intermediate) | Computer Science | N/A | Male, 1st time participant | Zoom |
In Fall 2022, Elly, Heather, and Marena were paired with the same partners as before, making them all second-time participants–except Marena’s partner who was already a fourth-time participant.
3.2Context and procedures
S-L course learning outcomes were listed in the Intermediate 1 and Intermediate 2 syllabus as follows, in addition to low-intermediate/intermediate language proficiency goals. Applying skills in German to engage in the community, identifying the community need(s) being addressed by the service, and demonstrating critical reflection of service through guided activities constitute examples of the learning outcomes.
From a linguistic perspective, one main focus of the S-L component was for students to practice their conversational German, which connected to the big academic picture (Eyler et al., 1996Eyler, J., Giles, D. E., Jr., & Schmiede, A. (1996) A practitioner’s guide to reflection in service-learning. Vanderbilt University.Eyler, J., Giles, D. E., Jr., & Schmiede, A. (1996) A practitioner’s guide to reflection in service-learning. Vanderbilt University.) in that three of the four students in the Spring 2022 course and six of the eight students in the Fall 2022 course were pursuing a minor in the German language. It was critical to provide students with additional practice and feedback in German, especially given that the courses were primarily conducted online in an asynchronous format. Reflections offer an opportunity for students not only to analyze their experiences but also to improve language skills, which is in line with other S-L studies (Baker, 2019Baker, L. (2019) Community-based service-learning in language education: A review of the literature. International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement, 7 (1), Article 2. Baker, L. (2019) Community-based service-learning in language education: A review of the literature. International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement, 7(1), Article 2. ).
Both virtual exchanges draw on O’Dowd and Ware’s telecollaborative task framework (2009) focusing primarily on the information exchange, while comparison and analysis emerged more organically from the questions students posed to older adults about their childhood experiences, for instance.
Phase 1 (4 weeks)
In this Phase, students completed pre-reflections where they detailed their expectations going into the project as well as their prior S-L experience. The partner matching happened after prior experience information was elicited from students and older adults through a partner matching questionnaire. The older adults volunteered for the project and were interviewed by telephone by the project coordinator in Hamburg, who then inputted the information into profile sheets for each of the older adults. These profiles were sent to author 1, who matched students with older adults in collaboration with the course instructor. To introduce themselves to the older adults, the students created posts on a “Padlet” webpage.
Phase 2 (8 weeks)
During this phase, students engaged virtually with their older adult partners in tandem meetings. The virtual meetings were semi-structured in that questions were prepared and revised by students based on instructor feedback. Each student met twice in the semester with their older adult partner and conversations lasted 20 minutes or more. The topics of conversation with the older adults centered around the following matters during the Spring semester: impact of technology on life; books; leisure time activities; career; current life; cultural encounters; retirement; family; the pandemic; and the war in Ukraine. In Fall 2022, participants talked about the older adults’ community engagement, the war in Ukraine, and differences between their young lives. Prior to each of the meetings with their older adults, the students drafted a set of questions for which they received feedback from the instructor. The first reflection prompt (in German, Appendix A) was posted after the first virtual meeting on the Canvas course discussion forum for students to respond to each other. The second reflection prompt (in German, Appendix B) also completed on Canvas after the second meeting, which took place towards the end of the respective term. A final reflection, which was shared with the outreach office (in English, Appendix C), was completed at the end of the semester.
3.3Data collection and analysis
Data triangulation (Strauss & Corbin, 1998Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998) Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd edition). SAGE.Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998) Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd edition). SAGE.) included pre-and post-S-L questionnaires, reflections, and responses to peers. Data collection was carried out in the Spring 2022 and Fall 2022 semesters using the same instruments. The first set of data collected in both semesters included needs analysis questions about students’ motivation to learn German, their cultural and linguistic backgrounds, their language learning goals, and their professional plans after graduation. Due to the centrality of continuous reflection in S-L (Eyler et al., 1996Eyler, J., Giles, D. E., Jr., & Schmiede, A. (1996) A practitioner’s guide to reflection in service-learning. Vanderbilt University.Eyler, J., Giles, D. E., Jr., & Schmiede, A. (1996) A practitioner’s guide to reflection in service-learning. Vanderbilt University.), students completed:
-
pre-S-L questionnaires about their previous S-L experiences and expectations (Qualtrics, in English, designed and administered by the outreach office prior to the exchanges);
-
multiple reflection posts and peer responses on a discussion forum (Canvas, in German) during the exchanges;
-
post-S-L questionnaires about their S-L experience and learning (Qualtrics, in English) by the outreach office at the end of the semester;
-
a post-S-L reflection (Canvas, in English) at the end of the semester.
In the pre-S-L questionnaire, students provided information about their prior S-L experience and understanding. In the post-S-L questionnaires, students also rated their agreement with statements related to their S-L experience on a five-point Likert scale and answered open-ended questions. All qualitative data were coded by authors 1 and 2 using NVivo 12. During initial open coding, both coders used in vivo codes (Flick, 2002Flick, U. (2002) An introduction to qualitative research (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications Ltd.Flick, U. (2002) An introduction to qualitative research (2nd ed.). SAGE Publications Ltd.; Strauss & Corbin, 1998Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998) Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd edition). SAGE.Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998) Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd edition). SAGE.). In a second round of thematic coding, the coders looked for indicators for themes in the guiding questions in the reflection prompts. Themes that emerged from the data include participants’ responses to guiding questions about the impact of conversations (Table 3), intercultural/ intergenerational differences (Table 4), perspective change (Table 5), lessons learned from the partner (Table 6), and advice received from the partner(Table 7).
The coders coded the data separately. Initial percentage agreements for all reflections combined were 89.31% (Spring 2022) and 87.19% (Fall 2022). The authors worked together to reconcile differences by consistently comparing and discussing their ratings until they reached full agreement. Next, the authors focused on the three returning participants, in which they compared participant reflections across semesters. For instance, Elly’s response to ‘impact of the conversation’ in Spring 2022 would be compared and contrasted to her answer from the same category in Fall 2022. Additionally, not all students completed all the reflections. In Spring 2022, Marena did not complete Reflection 1 or 2 in Intermediate 1.
According to results from the needs analysis, Elly was a German heritage speaker, who had frequent interaction with grandparents in Germany. Marena grew up with Austrian and German Aupairs, had German-speaking friends, and had visited Austria. Heather had prior experience with service for older adults but she had not been to Germany.
4.Results
Overall results from the pre-S-L questionnaire from both semesters show that students recognized their goals as building connections across generations and providing companionship to older adults in Germany. They were excited about practically applying their German language skills and were concerned that they might be getting more out of the exchange than the older adults, about their German language skills, and that they were not given history or information on the places the older adults live to support contextualization.
4.1Perceptions and reflections on civic engagement
Our first research question explored how returning students perceive and reflect on their virtual civic engagement with older adults in Germany (relational and critical dimensions). Here, we present themes which are informed by guiding reflection questions on the impact of their conversations, intercultural and intergenerational aspects, perspective changes, lessons learned from their partners, and advice received from their partners (see Appendices A–C for reflection prompts). Reflection data from three returning students, Marena, Elly, and Heather, who were paired with the same partners in both semesters, are presented.
Table 3 presents reflection results regarding students’ perception of the impact of the conversations.
| Student | Spring 2022 (Intermediate 1) | Fall 2022 (Intermediate 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Elly | coolest and most impactful experience [Final Reflection, 15 April 22] dedication to serving those in her community through a style that is authentically her is inspiring. Despite her age and the pandemic. [Final Reflection, 15 April 22] Despite her age and the pandemic, she has strived to bring books to those in hospitals with lung illnesses, individuals who are unable to leave their home, and those who need a companion to share their love of books with. [Final Reflection, 15 April 22] |
second time that I participated, spoke with same partner, similar to last time, greatly enjoyed
[Final Reflection, 25 Nov. 22] dedication to continue adventuring and exploring around Europe was inspiring. [Final Reflection, 25 Nov. 22] |
| Heather | really enjoyed the Service Learning Project, and feel that I gained a lot from the experience. I initially was drawn to the class because of the opportunity to connect with German elders and work on my German speaking in the process. [Final Reflection, 27 April 22] | possible for me to have meaningful conversations in a language that is not my native tongue. I came away from each conversation feeling excited about speaking German, and impressed at all of the topics we were able to touch on. [Final Reflection, 7 Dec. 22] |
| Marena | Taking a course in America on the German language plus speaking to those in Germany is something I wouldn’t get from most schools. [Final Reflection, 26 April 22] | had an opportunity to diversify my education. As a STEM major, I don’t have ample room for new and creative learning experiences. [Final Reflection, 7 Dec. 22] |
Regarding the impact of the S-L exchanges, Elly considered the experience to be the “coolest and most impactful experience,” and recognized her partner’s dedication to serving others despite her age and the pandemic in the Spring semester. Elly also wrote about how she was impressed with her partner’s engagement with the community despite her age and noted that her partner shared that she would bring books to those in the hospital during the pandemic. In the Fall semester, Elly reflected that she enjoyed speaking with her partner again and found her partner’s dedication to exploring Europe inspiring.
Heather commented in the Spring semester that she enjoyed the S-L project and was initially drawn to the course due to the S-L component. In the fall, she commented on the impact the project had on her German speaking skills.
At the end of the Spring semester, Marena expressed that taking a German course in the US would not normally include practice with German speakers. Marena was surprised at how different her partner’s younger years were from hers (“She worked hard for her family as a child…I got to focus on my education.”). Marena also found her older adult partner’s productivity and passion inspiring. At the end of the Fall semester, she appreciated the opportunity “to diversify [her] education” through this class and noted that this experience was an important factor for her as a STEM major. Across both semesters, Marena recognized the value of her learning experience.
Table 4 presents reflection results regarding students’ perception of intercultural and intergenerational aspects.
| Student | Spring 2022 (Intermediate 1) | Fall 2022 (Intermediate 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Elly | Wenn ich mehr Zeit haben, werde ich mehr über ihre Kindheit lernen und welche Ratschläge sie der
jüngeren Generation geben würde… auch interessant was ihre Hoffnungen für die jüngeren Generation ist und was sie
möchte, dass sich fuer sie ändert. When I have more time I will learn more about her childhood and what advice she would give to the younger generation… also interesting is what her hopes are for the younger generation and what she would like to see change for them. [Reflection 2, 5 April 2022] |
Ich sagte, dass die Züge und Busse in Amerika nicht so genutzt werden wie in Deutschland. Sie hat
seit 20 Jahren kein Auto mehr. Sie fragte, ob ich ein Auto benutzen würde und ich erzählte ihr von dem Unterschied
zwischen wenn ich in Boston zur Schule gehe und wenn ich zu Hause bin und nicht in einer Stadt
lebe. I said that the trains and buses in America are not used in the same way as in Germany. She hasn’t had a car for 20 years. She asked if I would use a car and I told her about the difference between when I go to school in Boston and when I am at home and not living in a city. [Reflection 2, 8 Nov. 22] Despite the fact that she and her husband haven’t had a car for over 20 years, nor like to travel by plane, they enjoy utilizing the extensive rail system in Europe to travel around and visit places that they have been to before or new ones they want to explore. [Final Reflection, 25 Nov 22] |
| Heather | greatest cultural difference was […] our language… I often had to ask [her] to translate words, or explain German concepts [Final Reflection, 27 April 22] | saw the impact of each of our culture’s educational lenses… did not notice many intergenerational differences through our conversations. [Final Reflection, 8 Dec. 22] |
| Marena | teenage and childhood life differed from [hers]; it highlighted cultural and generational differences, and this opened my eyes to the different lifestyles. [Final Reflection, 26 April 22] | I love hearing about how [she] thinks, her beliefs, and her past life: differs greatly from my
generation and American culture. [Final Reflection, 7 Dec. 22] unique that we are from different generations, definitely affected our conversations; we grew up very differently, and sometimes it feels like I could not empathize. [Final Reflection, 7 Dec. 22] |
Regarding intercultural and intergenerational aspects, in the spring, Elly mentioned that she was interested in learning about what advice her partner had for the younger generation as well as wondered what her hopes for the younger generation were. In the fall, Elly noted the intercultural difference between the U.S. and Germany concerning use of public transportation.
Heather demonstrated a gain in intercultural awareness across semesters. She noted in the Spring semester that her and her partner’s greatest intercultural difference was language, while in the fall, she commented on how their respective education impacted their conversations.
Marena wrote in the Spring semester that she noticed intercultural and intergenerational differences between her and her partner’s childhood. In the fall, Marena expanded upon their different life experiences and commented that at times she could not empathize with her partner.
Table 5 presents reflection results regarding students’ perception of their perspective changes.
| Student | Spring 2022 (Intermediate 1) | Fall 2022 (Intermediate 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Elly | Perspektive hat sich nicht viel zwischen dem 1. Interview und dem letzten Gespräch geändert, da ich
viel mit meinen Grosseltern aus Berlin spreche und diese ungefähr im gleichen Alter
sind. Perspective hasn’t changed much between the 1st interview and the last interview, because I talk a lot with my grandparents from Berlin and they are about the same age. [Reflection 2, 5 April 22] my perception that once you get older life stops, gets slower, and ends before it does has drastically altered. [Final Reflection, 15 April 22] |
Something that stuck with me that she talked about is the importance of communicating with others across differences, whether that be age, nationality, language, etc. [Final Reflection, 25 Nov. 22] |
| Heather | I have always enjoyed interacting with elders, and have engaged in service work (usually music based) at elderly homes in the past, so was excited to interact with elders again. [Final Reflection, 7 May 22] | Seit dem 1. Interview meine Perspektive hat nicht geändert. Ich hatte mit [ihr] in Frühjahr
gesprochen, so war ich nicht so nervös für unseren ersten oder zweiten Gespräch. Since the 1st interview my perspective has not changed. I had spoken with [her] in the spring, so I wasn’t as nervous for our first or second interview. [Reflection 2, 8 Dec. 22] |
| Marena | She worked hard for her family as a child, and that’s what she had to focus on. I got to focus on my education. [Final Reflection, 26 April 22] | Meine Perspektive hat seit dem 1. Interview geändert. A. hat mich gezeigt, dass Politik sehr unterschiedlich waren. Ihr Meinungen haben unterschiedlich Gründe und Erfahrungen als meine Meinungen. My perspective has changed since the 1st interview. A. showed me that politics were very different. Her opinions have different reasons and experiences than my opinions. [Reflection 2, 27 Nov. 22] |
In terms of perspective changes, during the Spring semester, Elly concluded that her preconceived notion about older adults had changed, and she pointed out that she found her partner’s dedication to serving her community inspiring. Elly said she recognized that life does not stop when you get older. During the Fall semester, Elly found her partner’s dedication to continuing to explore around Europe inspiring. She stressed that she realized the importance of communicating with others across age, nationality, and language.
Heather’s perspective changes were language-related. At the start of the Spring semester, Heather stated that she felt nervous, while at the end of the Fall semester, Heather said she felt less nervous because of her prior experience.
In the Spring semester, Marena wrote that her partner worked hard for her family, while she was able to focus on education. In the Fall, Marena commented that her partner showed her that politics are handled differently in Germany than in the U.S.
Table 6 presents reflection results regarding students’ perception of their lessons learned from their partners.
| Student | Spring 2022 (Intermediate 1) | Fall 2022 (Intermediate 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Elly | sehr interessant zu lernen wie die Kindheit anderer Generationen war und was diese durch ihr Leben
gelernt haben und was sie denken welche Lebensweisheiten wichtig für die jüngeren Leute sind. very interesting to learn what other generations’ childhood was like and what they have learned through their lives and what they think what life lessons are important for the younger people. [Reflection 2, 5 April 22] |
importance of communicating with others across differences (age, nationality, language, etc.) [Final Reflection, 25 Nov. 22] |
| Heather | Sie sagten dass, Mann sprichst mit vertrauen sollen. Ich war ein bisschen nervös und Sie hatten
‘alles Empfahlen sind gute Empfahlen’ gesagt. She said that one should talk with confidence. I was a bit nervous and she had said ’all recommendations are good recommendations’. [Reflection 2, 7 May 22] |
stay involved: she is still involved in her community, loves helping students, doing her part to help the community. [Final Reflection, 8 Dec. 22] |
| Marena | I hope I stay as productive and passionate as I go on in life, because in Germany, it seems that people do what they can to keep up with their passions and the world around them. [Final Reflection, 26 April 22] | truly learned that life does not have to be so cookie cutter as it sometimes feels like it is
supposed to be. learned a different way of living, my world view has broadened — that’s what I think education should be about […] [Final Reflection, 7 Dec. 22] hearing her perspective from other years […] insight into how she felt. [Final Reflection, 7 Dec. 22] |
Regarding lessons learned from their partners, in the Spring semester, Elly commented that it was interesting to learn about her partner’s childhood as well as what life lessons she shared. In the Fall semester, Elly stated that she has learned the importance of communicating across differences.
Heather reflected that a lesson she has learned from her partner in the Spring semester is to speak with the confidence that the other person will understand you. In the Fall semester, Heather mentioned learning from her partner about the importance of remaining involved in the community.
In the spring Marena learned to stay productive and passionate like her partner. In the fall, Marena realized life does not have to be so archetypal (“cookie-cutter”) and further commented that her worldview broadened.
Table 7 presents reflection results regarding students’ perception of the advice they received from their partners.
| Student | Spring 2022 (Intermediate 1) | Fall 2022 (Intermediate 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Elly | Den einzigen Rat, den sie mir gegeben hat war, dass ich mehr an meinen Artikeln arbeiten muss.
Ansonsten sei mein Deutsch sehr gut und ich habe ein guten Sprachverständnis. The only advice she gave me was that I need to work more on my articles. Apart from that, my German is very good and I have a good understanding of the language. [Reflection 2, 5 April 22] |
sie es nach der Ukraine-Krise immer wichtiger finden, dass die Menschen kommunikativer
sind. she finds that after the Ukraine crisis, it is increasingly important for people to communicate more. [Reflection 1, 18 Oct. 22] |
| Heather | Auch hatten Sie ‘du musst reisen’ gesagt. Interkulturelle Kennenlernen sehr wichtig sind. Ich werde nach Deutschland reisen und werde mit [ihr] treffen. Ich kann Ihr zeigen, dass ich gereist bin. \ Also she had said ’you have to travel’. Intercultural knowledge is very important. I will travel to Germany and meet with [her]. I can show her that I have traveled. [Reflection 2, 7 May 22] | [Sie] gab mir nicht oft ausdrücklich Rat […] sie eine Yoga Lehrerin waren. sie ist eine DaZ Lehrerin und ruft oft mit ihre Mitarbeitern. Der Rat […] ist einen Teil von deiner Gemeinschaft zu sein. [She] didn’t often give me explicit advice […] she was a yoga teacher. She is a DaZ teacher and often calls with her coworkers. The advice […] is to be a part of your community. [Reflection 2, 8 Dec. 22] |
| Marena | I also got to hear about how impact climate issues are in Germany. It’s an active topic of
discussion, and it differs from conversation in America. Germany is way more progressed in the crisis, and I was able to hear about it from my partner. [Final Reflection, 26 April 22] |
A. denkt, dass ich in Deutschland studieren solle. Ich auch! A. thinks I should study in Germany. Me too! [Reflection 2, 27 Nov. 22] |
In terms of advice received from partners, Elly wrote about linguistic advice from her partner in the spring. In the fall, her partner advised that in light of the war in Ukraine, people should talk more with one another.
In the Spring semester, Heather noted a piece of advice she received from her partner to travel, which prompted her to state that she would travel to Germany to meet with her partner so that she could prove she had traveled. In the Fall semester, the take-away for Heather was the importance of being a part of one’s community.
Marena wrote about advice her partner gave her regarding handling climate change in the Spring, while in the Fall she stated that her partner recommended she study in Germany.
4.2Perceived impact of civic engagement on academic experience
Our second research question explored how all students from both semesters perceived the impact of their civic engagement on their academic experience in relation to the course (civic dimension). To answer this question, the authors draw on trends from the anonymous post-S-L questionnaires. In spring 2022 three out of five participants filled out the quantitative part of the questionnaire related to the research question (Figure 2) and two out of five provided qualitative responses. In fall 2022, seven out of eight participants filled out the quantitative part of the questionnaire (Table 7) and two out of eight provided qualitative responses.
Figure 2 presents post-S-L questionnaire results from three students in spring 2022.
| Strongly agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Total | Weighted average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I understand the connection between the course learning objectives and my service. | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3 | 5.00 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| My service experience helped me to learn and remember important course concepts. | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3 | 5.00 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Service-Learning made a unique contribution to my learning in this course. | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3 | 5.00 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| My coursework strengthened my ability to serve my community partner. | 66.67% | 33.33% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3 | 4.67 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| My Service-Learning experience enhanced my college experience. | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3 | 5.00 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| I understand how my college education can benefit my community. | 100.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3 | 5.00 |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
In spring 2022, the three respondents answered “strongly agree” to all statements related to connections between the S-L component and their course, except for one respondent who answered “agree” to the statement that their coursework strengthened their ability to serve their community partner.
In response to the open-ended questions related to the impact of the S-L component, two students answered as follows (Table 8).
Table 8 presents qualitative data from the post-S-L questionnaire from two students in spring 2022.
| Question | Student 1 | Student 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Which course-specific content was made more clear because of your service? | How to communicate with native German speakers. Also, what German culture and living is like. 4/24/2022 8:30 PM | I was able to speak German in a less formal way and gain more familiarity with German that is spoke [sic] on a more casual, daily basis. I also learned more about German culture and perspective. 4/18/2022 6:24 PM |
| Elaborate on the impact that S-L in this course has had on your future academic, professional, civic and/or personal goals. | It showed me what it means to connect with the real world. It’s not just about learning in the textbooks and never having the experience, it’s about reaching out. I hope I keep reaching out to the German world in my academic, professional, and personal life. 4/24/2022 8:30 PM | This experience reminded me to reach outside my comfort zone and reinforced that the skills I am learning in the classroom are applicable outside of the classroom. |
| What community-identified goal have you supported through your service-learning engagement/project? | Closing the intergenerational gap. 4/24/2022 8:30 PM | I would like to continue building relationships with native German speakers as it helps me to gain perspective of their experience and bridge cultures and/or generations. 4/18/2022 6:24 PM |
The two students stressed the intergenerational focus of the project, i.e., to “bridge cultures and/or generations.” Additionally, in terms of course-specific content that was made more clear, both students said that they better understood German culture and one student noted improved spoken German as well as a change in perspective.
Students further listed the benefits of being able to practice their speaking skills as well as learning about another culture. As for the impact that the S-L component in this course had on their future academic, professional, civic and/or personal goals, students listed connecting with and reaching out to the real world and moving beyond their comfort zone. In terms of what community-identified goal students have supported through their service-learning engagement/project, the two students reiterated the intergenerational goal of the project.
Figure 3 presents post-S-L questionnaire results from seven students in fall 2022.
| Strongly agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly disagree | Total | Weighted average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I understand the connection between the course learning objectives and my service. | 71.43% | 28.57% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 7 | 4.71 |
| 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| My service experience helped me to learn and remember important course concepts. | 85.71% | 14.29% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 7 | 4.86 |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| Service-Learning made a unique contribution to my learning in this course. | 85.71% | 0.00% | 14.29% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 7 | 4.71 |
| 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |||
| My coursework strengthened my ability to serve my community partner. | 85.71% | 14.29% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 7 | 4.86 |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| My Service-Learning experience enhanced my college experience. | 85.71% | 14.29% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 7 | 4.86 |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| I understand how my college education can benefit my community. | 85.71% | 14.29% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 7 | 4.86 |
| 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
In fall 2022, with the exception of one respondent who answered “neutral” to the statement that S-L made a unique contribution to their learning in the course, respondents either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” with the same set of questions.
Table 9 presents qualitative data from the post-S-L questionnaire from five students in fall 2022.
| Question | Students 1–3 | Students 4–5 |
|---|---|---|
| Which course-specific content was made more clear because of your service? | (1) How to use proper grammar, my partner was very helpful in pointing out when I made a mistake and
giving me feedback, and I was able to clearly tell how important grammar and proper word order is to speaking and
understanding German. 12/6/2022 8:09 PM (2) Conversation in German. 12/6/2022 11:33 PM (3) The German language 12/6/2022 8:34 PM |
(4) No course-specific content was made more clear through the S-L experience. My German speaking
abilities were improved in general through interacting with an elder, which applies to my overall ability to speak
German. 12/8/2022 8:10 PM (5) How to speak with a native, german speaker was made more clear. I practiced the formal ‘Sie’form. 11/29/2022 11:37 AM |
| Elaborate on the impact that S-L in this course has had on your future academic, professional, civic and/or personal goals. | (1) It was great to speak with someone of a much different background, and really made me more
excited and motivated to develop my language skills further and to use them to continue to make meaningful
connections with new people. 12/8/2022 8:09 PM (2) It made me feel more comfortable speaking German with native speakers. 12/6/2022 11:33 PM (3) I have honed my German speaking skills. 12/6/2022 8:34 PM |
(4) I am interested in going to Germany for study abroad and would consider moving to Germany for
work! I am very excited about engaging with the culture and language!12/6/2022 8:10 PM (5) I was able to connect and bond with someone from another country and another generation. It was quite interesting. I learned new perspectives, how lives differ, and I was inspired to go to Germany myself. 11/29/2022 11:37 AM |
| What community-identified goal have you supported through your service-learning engagement/project? | (2) I want elderly to feel heard. 12/6/2022 11:33 PM (3) Mentally supporting elders. 12/6/2022 8:34 PM |
(4) The community-identified goal is bridging the gap between students and the elderly population.
This is not Boston-specific. 12/6/2022 8:10 PM (5) Bridging the gap between intergenerational friendships. 11/29/2022 11:37 AM |
In terms of the community goal that students felt they addressed in their S-L, students stressed the intergenerational focus of the project, i.e., to “bridge cultures and/or generations.”
Regarding course-specific content that was made clearer through their S-L engagement, students listed proper grammar through feedback from their partner, the importance of grammar (formal “Sie” form), proper word order for speaking/understanding, and German conversation.
Regarding the impact of S-L on their future academic, professional, civic and/or personal goals, students listed the importance of speaking with someone of much different background, that they felt more excited/motivated about the language, especially to use it to make meaningful connections, that they felt more comfortable, and that they were motivated and inspired to go abroad. Lastly, students thought they supported the following community-identified goals: making older adults feel heard, mentally supporting them, and bridging the intergenerational gap.
5.Discussion
In our first research question, we explored how university language students in returning tandem partnerships perceived their virtual civic engagements with older adults in Germany.
Regarding impact, students viewed their engagement as useful language practice despite initial nervousness and expressed an increase in confidence regarding their ability to interact with speakers of the target language (Giralt et al., 2022Giralt, M., Murray, L., & Benini, S. (2022) Global citizenship and virtual exchange practices. Promoting critical digital literacies and intercultural competence in language education. In C. Lütge, T. Merse & P. Rauschert (Eds.), Global citizenship in foreign language education concepts, practices, connections (pp. 151–173). Routledge. Giralt, M., Murray, L., & Benini, S. (2022) Global citizenship and virtual exchange practices. Promoting critical digital literacies and intercultural competence in language education. In C. Lütge, T. Merse & P. Rauschert (Eds.), Global citizenship in foreign language education concepts, practices, connections (pp. 151–173). Routledge. ; Moreno-López et al., 2017Moreno-López, I., Ramos-Sellman, A., Miranda-Aldaco, C., & Gomis Quinto, M. T. (2017) Transforming ways of enhancing foreign language acquisition in the Spanish classroom: Experiential learning approaches. Foreign Language Annals, 50 (2), 398–409. Moreno-López, I., Ramos-Sellman, A., Miranda-Aldaco, C., & Gomis Quinto, M. T. (2017) Transforming ways of enhancing foreign language acquisition in the Spanish classroom: Experiential learning approaches. Foreign Language Annals, 50(2), 398–409. ; Pellettieri, 2011Pellettieri, J. (2011) Measuring language-related outcomes of community-based learning in intermediate Spanish courses. Hispania, 94 (2), 285–302. Pellettieri, J. (2011) Measuring language-related outcomes of community-based learning in intermediate Spanish courses. Hispania, 94(2), 285–302. ). Heather especially seemed more at ease during the second round of engagement in fall 2022, and she explicitly mentioned having gained more confidence in German as compared to the Spring semester (Mueller, 2005Mueller, I. (2005) Service learning, German culture, and intercultural competence. In The year of languages: Challenges, changes, and choices: 2005 Report of the central states conference on the teaching of foreign languages (pp. 207–218). Eau Claire, WI: Crown Prints.Mueller, I. (2005) Service learning, German culture, and intercultural competence. In The year of languages: Challenges, changes, and choices: 2005 Report of the central states conference on the teaching of foreign languages (pp. 207–218). Eau Claire, WI: Crown Prints.). The students were grateful that the older adults would help explain concepts and vocabulary (e.g., German transportation, blind soccer, sustainability).
Students also appreciated the linguistic feedback from their partners (Heather) (Johnson, 2016Johnson, E. (2016) Intergenerational telecollaboration: What risks for what rewards. In S. Jager, M. Kurek & B. O’Rourke (Eds.), New directions in telecollaborative research and practice: selected papers from the second conference on telecollaboration in higher education (pp. 97–103). Research-Publishing. Johnson, E. (2016) Intergenerational telecollaboration: What risks for what rewards. In S. Jager, M. Kurek & B. O’Rourke (Eds.), New directions in telecollaborative research and practice: selected papers from the second conference on telecollaboration in higher education (pp. 97–103). Research-Publishing. ). Heather was motivated to go abroad, which she managed to achieve in fall 2023 when she went on study abroad to Berlin. During her stay, Heather met and spent time with her partner in Hamburg.
“No real changes” of perspective were reported by Elly at first because she frequently talks with her grandparents in Germany. However, the second semester prompted a perspective change when Elly reconsidered pre-existing notions regarding life as an older adult (Fair & Delaplane, 2015Fair, C. D., & Delaplane, E. (2015) ‘‘It is good to spend time with older adults. You can teach them, they can teach you:’’ Second grade students reflect on intergenerational service learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43 , 19–26. Fair, C. D., & Delaplane, E. (2015) ‘‘It is good to spend time with older adults. You can teach them, they can teach you:’’ Second grade students reflect on intergenerational service learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43, 19–26. ). She further highlighted the importance of communicating across boundaries such as age, nationality, and language, suggesting that the returning partnership led to more meaningful takeaways.
Students further described the older adults’ unique concerns and challenges such as the war in Ukraine or health concerns and noted some differences in topical discussions such as climate change, which they found to be less polarizing than in the U.S. In terms of intergenerational aspects, students emphasized feeling inspired by the older adults’ engagement in and outreach to their communities. They provided critical reflections about intergenerational life differences, such as having to work as a child and the value of education (Marena). This shows engagement at the levels of awareness and personal development (Porto, 2021 (2021) Long-term impact of four intercultural citizenship projects in the higher education foreign language classroom. The Language Learning Journal, 49 (6), 648–667. (2021) Long-term impact of four intercultural citizenship projects in the higher education foreign language classroom. The Language Learning Journal, 49(6), 648–667. ).
In our second research question, we explored how all students in both semesters perceive the impact of their civic engagement on their academic experience in relation to the course.
Overall, the students expressed enjoyment and interest in learning about the target-language culture from their partners first-hand (Moreno-López et al., 2017Moreno-López, I., Ramos-Sellman, A., Miranda-Aldaco, C., & Gomis Quinto, M. T. (2017) Transforming ways of enhancing foreign language acquisition in the Spanish classroom: Experiential learning approaches. Foreign Language Annals, 50 (2), 398–409. Moreno-López, I., Ramos-Sellman, A., Miranda-Aldaco, C., & Gomis Quinto, M. T. (2017) Transforming ways of enhancing foreign language acquisition in the Spanish classroom: Experiential learning approaches. Foreign Language Annals, 50(2), 398–409. ).
In spring 2022, students “strongly agreed” that they understood the connection between the CLOs and their service. In the qualitative section, one student commented that they understood the value of their exchange in that it was experiential in nature and allowed them to “connect with the real world.” One student also felt inspired to reach out to older adults in the community, intercultural or otherwise (Fair & Delaplane, 2015Fair, C. D., & Delaplane, E. (2015) ‘‘It is good to spend time with older adults. You can teach them, they can teach you:’’ Second grade students reflect on intergenerational service learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43 , 19–26. Fair, C. D., & Delaplane, E. (2015) ‘‘It is good to spend time with older adults. You can teach them, they can teach you:’’ Second grade students reflect on intergenerational service learning. Early Childhood Education Journal, 43, 19–26. ). Another student commented that the S-L experience reinforced what was being learned in the classroom. Two students also stressed the intergenerational focus of the project, as they did in the pre-S-L questionnaire, to bridge cultures and/or generations (Yoelin, 2021Yoelin, A. B. (2021) Intergenerational service learning within an aging course and its impact on undergraduate students’ attitudes about aging. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 20 (3), 277–292. Yoelin, A. B. (2021) Intergenerational service learning within an aging course and its impact on undergraduate students’ attitudes about aging. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 20(3), 277–292. ).
Likewise, in fall 2022, the majority of students “strongly agreed” that they understood the connection between the CLOs and their service (Figure 3), specifically regarding learning spoken German with a focus on German grammar (Table 9) (Johnson, 2016Johnson, E. (2016) Intergenerational telecollaboration: What risks for what rewards. In S. Jager, M. Kurek & B. O’Rourke (Eds.), New directions in telecollaborative research and practice: selected papers from the second conference on telecollaboration in higher education (pp. 97–103). Research-Publishing. Johnson, E. (2016) Intergenerational telecollaboration: What risks for what rewards. In S. Jager, M. Kurek & B. O’Rourke (Eds.), New directions in telecollaborative research and practice: selected papers from the second conference on telecollaboration in higher education (pp. 97–103). Research-Publishing. ). The students were aware that the S-L component was aimed at bridging the intergenerational gap, and Heather recognized that the project was larger in scale (“not Boston-specific”), which points to a raised awareness of the importance of outreach and action in global communities (Byram, 2008Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.).
6.Conclusion
Limitations include the self-reported character of data and a small sample size. Both pre- and post-S-L questionnaires in Qualtrics were anonymous, which did not allow the authors to connect the answers with students’ reflections. Data collection was also limited to the students; yet, the community partner’s perspective is just as important (e.g., Underwood & Dorfman, 2006Underwood, H. A., & Dorfman, L. T. (2006) A view from the other side. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 4 (2), 43–60. Underwood, H. A., & Dorfman, L. T. (2006) A view from the other side. Journal of Intergenerational Relationships, 4(2), 43–60. ). Moreover, moderating or recording the Zoom exchanges was deemed too intrusive, although O’Dowd et al. (2020)O’Dowd, R., Sauro, S., & Spector-Cohen, E. (2020) The role of pedagogical mentoring in virtual exchange. TESOL Quarterly, 54 (1), 146–172. O’Dowd, R., Sauro, S., & Spector-Cohen, E. (2020) The role of pedagogical mentoring in virtual exchange. TESOL Quarterly, 54(1), 146–172. argue that “educators will need to establish a system with their students where recordings or copies of online interactions related to the exchange are shared with teachers” (p. 166). Finally, while the number of meeting times was limited due to the difficulty of contacting the older adults and setting up a time to meet, the program is on-going, with an increasing number of overall participants, which now yields data from several semesters (Fuchs, 2024Fuchs, C. (2024) Intergenerational service-learning through virtual exchange across a foreign language program. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 7 , 107–122, Fuchs, C. (2024) Intergenerational service-learning through virtual exchange across a foreign language program. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 7, 107–122, ; cf. Wu, 2018Wu, C.-H. (2018) Intercultural citizenship through participation in an international service-learning program: A case study from Taiwan. Language Teaching Research, 22 (5), 517–531. Wu, C.-H. (2018) Intercultural citizenship through participation in an international service-learning program: A case study from Taiwan. Language Teaching Research, 22(5), 517–531. ).
The results of this study suggest that the virtual S-L component can positively impact language practice and intercultural and intergenerational learning, especially for those students who have the opportunity to take part in such exchanges more than once. Longitudinal partnerships can increase students’ confidence in the target language, which is particularly helpful for lower-level learners. The students’ civic engagement can raise their awareness of older adults’ lives and intergenerational differencs as well as impact their perceptions of older adults, e.g., as role models who are actively involved in their communities. This may have a positive impact at the level of awareness, thought, and personal development (Porto, 2021 (2021) Long-term impact of four intercultural citizenship projects in the higher education foreign language classroom. The Language Learning Journal, 49 (6), 648–667. (2021) Long-term impact of four intercultural citizenship projects in the higher education foreign language classroom. The Language Learning Journal, 49(6), 648–667. ).
Yet, in truly transnational communities formed by learners and older adults, taking social or civic action beyond the classroom would demand the participants to reflect together and propose and instigate change in their respective societies (Byram, 2008Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.Byram, M. (2008) From Foreign Language Education to Education for Intercultural Citizenship: Essays and Reflections. Multilingual Matters.). In addition to engaging with one another virtually, exchanging their intergenerational perspectives, and reflecting critically on their own assumptions (as students did after each of their synchronous Zoom or WhatsApp sessions), participants’ civic engagement can be expanded upon by fostering collaborative work. For example, participants can collaboratively identify and research an area of concern from the older adults (e.g., accessibility, age poverty).
To this end, to further maximize student community involvement, a collaboration phase has been introduced in subsequent iterations of the program. In line with O’Dowd and Ware’s 2009O’Dowd, R., & Ware, P. (2009) Critical issues in telecollaborative task design. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 22 (2), 173–188. O’Dowd, R., & Ware, P. (2009) Critical issues in telecollaborative task design. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 22(2), 173–188. telecollaborative task framework, a collaborative phase has been added. During this third phase, students and older adults research and discuss socially pressing issues, such as ageism, healthcare, or accessibility, and propose possible solutions. Specifically, in teams, older adults and students collaborate on a joint StoryMap on social justice issues concerning their respective communities, e.g., ageism, accessibility, housing (Fuchs, 2024Fuchs, C. (2024) Intergenerational service-learning through virtual exchange across a foreign language program. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 7 , 107–122, Fuchs, C. (2024) Intergenerational service-learning through virtual exchange across a foreign language program. Journal of Virtual Exchange, 7, 107–122, ). Finally, it will be worthwhile to explore subsequent pairings in the advanced German classes, especially those who have already participated in tandem partnerships for the third time.
Funding
Open Access publication of this article was funded through a Transformative Agreement with Northeastern University.
Acknowledgements
We wish to express our gratitude to the outreach office for their support and resources. Special thanks go to all participants.
Note
References
Appendix A
Reflection Prompt #1 (200 words + 2x50 words for peer responses)
-
Gibt es konkrete Herausforderungen für Ihren Partner/Ihre Partnerin? Falls ja, welche? [Are there specific challenges for your partner? If yes, which ones?]
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Gibt es etwas, worauf ihr Partner/ihre Partnerin stolz ist? Worüber spricht er/sie gern? [Is there anything your partner is proud of? What does he/she like to talk about?]
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Was hat Sie überrascht? Warum? [What surprised you? Why?]
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Welche Fragen möchten Sie im nächsten Interview stellen? [What questions would you like to ask in the next interview?]
Antworten Sie auf Posts von 2 Kollegen/-innen: Gibt es Gemeinsamkeiten? Unterschiede?
[Respond to posts from 2 colleagues: Are there similarities? Are there differences?]
Appendix B
Reflection Prompt #2 (250 words + 2x50 words for peer responses)
-
Wie lief das letzte Gespräch? Welchen Rat hat Ihr Partner/Ihre Partnerin Ihnen gegeben?
[How did the last conversation go? What advice did your partner give you?]
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Worüber hätten Sie gerne noch mehr erfahren (wenn es ein weiteres Interview gäbe)?
[What would you like to know more about (if there were another interview)?]
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Hat sich Ihre Perspektive seit dem 1. Interview geändert? (z.B. in Bezug auf generationsübergreifende Gespräche.) Warum/warum nicht? [Has your perspective changed since the 1st interview? (e.g. in relation to intergenerational conversations.) Why/why not?] Antworten Sie auf Posts von 2 Kollegen/-innen: Gibt es Gemeinsamkeiten? Unterschiede? [Respond to posts from 2 colleagues: Are there similarities? Are there differences?]
Appendix C
Final Reflection Prompt (350–400 words in English)
Write a short reflection in English about your experience in this S-L project. Use the following questions to guide you, and be sure to answer at least three of them:
What impact did these conversations have on you? What is something you learned that surprised you? How did intercultural and intergenerational differences affect your conversations? What lessons did you learn from hearing about your partner’s life? Is there anything else you wish you could have spoken to your partner about?