Transformative learning: Investigating perspective changes towards developing global human resources in a virtual exchange project

ABSTRACT

Virtual exchange projects (VEP) are known for bringing learners together from all over the globe to develop skills and attitudes through collaborative tasks. However, the present understanding of learners’ perspective transformation during a VEP remains limited. Based on a four-week VEP between students at a Japanese and Polish university, this study adapted transformative learning theory to offer a theoretical understanding into how students developed new perspectives during the VEP. Qualitative data was collected from the Japanese students and thematically analysed. Analysis of the data provided an emic perspective for identifying the participants’ challenges, self-awareness, new goals, skills, attitudes and knowledge associated with global human resource learning outcomes. This study contributes to bridge the theory-practice gap in online pedagogical approaches that aim to foster learner development, and also bring an understanding of the development processes that occur in a VEP.

KEYWORDS:

• Transformative learning
• virtual exchange
• telecollaboration
• intercultural exchange
• global human resources

Acknowledgments

The publication was co-financed from the subsidy granted to the Cracow University of Economics – Project nr 064/ZZP/2022/POT.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Robinson Fritz

Robinson Fritz (PhD) is a visiting researcher at Nagasaki University Institute of Tropical Medicine. His academic interests include intercultural education, linguaculture resistance, motivation and learner psychology. His current work and research deals with creating effective online training programmes and virtual management for Japanese and non-Japanese teams.

Małgorzata Marchewka

Małgorzata Marchewka (PhD) is an Assistant Professor at Cracow University of Economics (Poland). Before starting her career in Management, she graduated from Applied Psychology (Jagiellonian University, Poland). Her research interests are related to working on problems regarding cross-cultural communication and international virtual team management.