Diversity in profiles and training needs of teachers engaging in virtual exchange.

Résumé En

Virtual Exchange (VE) is a lingua-culture learning-teaching practice that fosters meaningful exchanges between learners in geographically distant locations and from diverse lingua-cultural backgrounds through internet-based tools and innovative online pedagogies (O’Dowd, 2018). The E-LIVE project (Engaging Languages in Intercultural Virtual Exchange, 2022-24) endeavours to develop training modules for pre-service and in-service language teachers wishing to engage in VE. Diversity is viewed within the project as an asset that enriches individuals, educational institutions, and society (Cherrez & Gleason, 2022; Helm, 2019). ELIVE puts this view into place pedagogically by allowing teachers and learners to experience and reflect on diversity during VEs and accompanying them in developing understanding and inclusive strategies to acknowledge diversity as an advantage.In this paper, we will report on our work towards our first project outcome for which we have adopted the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation; Dick & Cary, 2014). We will present the first phase; analysis, and report on the results of a questionnaire and a series of focus groups conducted to better understand the teaching beliefs, experiences, conditions, and training needs (related to VE pedagogy, digital literacy skills and intercultural mediation) of a heterogeneous group of 25 language teachers from five European countries collaborating with the E-LIVE project as associate schools.Our analysis will underline implications for the manner in which the E-LIVE project can put into place an inclusive teacher training approach within the project to prepare and accompany teachers in developing critical cultural awareness of each other’s teaching contexts and practices in order to, in turn, plan and put into place successful VE for their language learners.