Scranton professor conducts virtual exchange with Egyptian university

DUNMORE, Pa. — Melissa LaBuda, assistant professor of human development and family studies at Penn State Scranton, recently completed an Experiential Digital Global Engagement (EDGE) project with students from her course, HDFS 301: Values and Ethics in the Helping Professions and partners from Helwan University, Egypt. Her students then proceeded to participate in the Harnessing Innovation through Virtual Exchange for Enhanced Results (HIVER) program.

EDGE is a project-based international virtual exchange program adapted from the State University of New York’s Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program. LaBuda has participated in integrating her classes with EDGE for about six to seven years, partnering with universities across the Netherlands, Egypt, Palestine, Canada, and France. She plans on continuing to do so in the future.

“[The students] learned how everybody has a different way of working and some of that is cultural and some of that is individual. The only way to understand that is to actually experience it and work together to figure out how to complete the project with the personalities and the cultural differences that you have.” LaBuda said.

The partnership was matched in September with the students from Penn State and Helwan University, with eight students per class, working together for six weeks of the semester. Their primary goal was to develop a research-based survey that examined common reasons why students in Egypt leave school. Students conducted research, created hypotheses and the Egyptian students specifically aided the research by distributing the survey among family and friends. They then collectively analyzed the responses to assess whether or not their hypotheses were proven.

The project accommodated the seven-hour time difference between the two locations. The two classes were held simultaneously over Zoom, with the Penn State class starting at 1:30 p.m. EST, while the Egyptian students met at 8:30 p.m., EET, Cairo time. Regardless of logistical challenges that came with this, the teams worked synchronously and asynchronously using WhatsApp for communication.

“One of the things that I think EDGE does is it helps students work through those problems that come up when you're working with people that are six or seven hours away. … It gives them real world experience kind of working through technical problems.” LaBuda said.

This work was then submitted to the HIVER competition, which encourages collaboration on an international level regarding the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

“The belief is that the only way we can tackle the 17 Sustainable Development Goals is to work together with partners across the world,” LaBuda said. “The whole point of the project is to tie whatever you're doing … to the Sustainable Development Goals.” LaBuda’s chosen students, Rose Morel and Brenda Olmedo, placed 3rd in the competition overall.

Morel, describing her experience in the process as a student and participant, said, "HIVER gave me the opportunity to participate in an international competition, which I never thought I would do. It exposed me to different cultures and helped me improve my work ethic as I had to learn how to work with people who manage and organize their work differently. It was a challenging but rewarding experience." 

LaBuda described EDGE collaborations as being particularly personally meaningful to her. It has led to strong and successful collaborations and connections. 

“[I have] friends around the world … we share pictures, we share life stories, we share ‘Happy Birthdays,’ ‘I’m so sorry’s,’ we pretty much share everything,” she said.

EDGE has also allowed LaBuda to explore her approach to teaching due to the non-typical nature of the classes. 

“I tend to need to do things differently and EDGE gives you the chance to do that. It's never quite the same, even when you're working with partners over the years.” LaBuda said. She described the process as being one that compels one to leave their comfort zone; for LaBuda, this mainly manifested in adjusting to the usage of technology that comes with working with international partners.

Beyond teaching, LaBuda has been actively involved in research and presentations on virtual exchange for EDGE projects she has conducted. Along with her international colleagues, she has been published in the Journal of Virtual Exchange and presented at least one conference yearly for the past five or six years.

“[EDGE partnerships] are ongoing. They’re not just one semester and done,” LaBuda said, when describing her continued intent to participate in EDGE projects.

EDGE provides opportunities for global and intercultural engagement without the expensive costs of traveling. Virtual exchange can provide a new element to nearly any academic course. For more information on how to start an EDGE collaboration, visit www.globalEDGEucation.psu.edu or email Tracy Coleman, EDGE program associate, at Tracy.Coleman@psu.edu.