By Zoe Petropoulou, Ph.D., Associate Professor of French, Department of Languages and Literatures
November 2, 2026
From February through May 2026, I collaborated with Professor Susan Svoboda of ESIEE-Paris, a leading French engineering school, to implement a Virtual Exchange project through St. John’s University’s Global Online Learning Exchange (GOLE) initiative in my French Language and Culture course.
The project connected first-year St. John’s University students with engineering students enrolled in an English Language and Literature course at ESIEE-Paris. Working in virtual intercultural teams, students examined and compared social media practices in the United States and France. Through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous interactions, they researched social media usage patterns, exchanged perspectives, conducted peer interviews, and explored the effects of the attention economy on young people in both countries.
Collaborating across cultures and languages, students conducted research and intercultural dialogue that culminated in the production of podcasts on five themes related to social media and mental health. Throughout the semester, students participated in class discussions, provided peer feedback, and evaluated one another’s work to select the most effective podcast. The project was aligned with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to health and well-being, responsible technology use, and global citizenship.
The virtual exchange strengthened students’ abilities in online collaboration, intercultural communication, perspective-taking, and reflective learning. It also provided meaningful opportunities to apply and develop French language skills while participating in one of the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ (AAC&U) recognized High-Impact Educational Practices. By engaging with peers from another country, students developed the global and intercultural competencies increasingly required in today’s workforce.
The project’s learning outcomes emphasized active learning, co-creation of knowledge through collaborative activities, real-world application of course content, and continuous feedback from both peers and instructors. Consistent with AAC&U’s definition of High-Impact Practices, meaningful interaction among students and faculty served as the foundation of the learning experience. Furthermore, the GOLE project’s objectives, activities, and outcomes closely supported St. John’s University’s strategic priorities for student success and global engagement.
A particularly valuable aspect of the initiative was its connection to students’ subsequent study abroad experience in Paris, France. Following the completion of the virtual exchange, students traveled to France and met their ESIEE-Paris partners in person. Having already been immersed in French language and culture through sustained interaction with their peers, students arrived with a deeper understanding of French society and stronger intercultural awareness. The collaboration culminated in a final reflection session in Paris, where participants discussed their shared learning experience and received certificates of completion jointly issued by both institutions.
Student feedback from pre- and post-GOLE surveys indicates that the experience enhanced students’ understanding of perspectives different from their own while strengthening their communication and teamwork skills. Joao Cesar Carone, an economics major from The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, stated:
“The GOLE project helped me become more culturally aware by giving me direct contact with people from abroad and allowing us to work together on projects that connect perspectives from all over the world. Through this teamwork, I learned how different cultural backgrounds shape the way people think, communicate, and solve problems. Therefore, the program improved my critical thinking and gave me understand diverse viewpoints through real practice.”
These competencies are highly valued across a wide range of professional fields and contribute to students’ preparedness for success in diverse workplace environments.
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