A unique project “Beyond Borders: Virtual Collaboration of Future Teachers of English” virtually connected future English language teachers from Slovakia and Turkey through the European School Education Platform eTwinning. The project involved more than 80 students from the Department of English Language and Culture at the Faculty of Education of the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra and 65 students from the English Language Teaching Department at the Turkish University of Mersin. The aim of the project was to increase students' intercultural and linguistic competences, as well as to develop their digital skills through modern technologies and online tools. The main research manager of this project was an external PhD student Mgr. Nikola Mačičková and all activities within the project took place during the summer semester in the Interactive Skills course, under the guidance of Mgr. Beáta Ďuračková, PhD.

In the first phase of the project, students were divided into small international teams consisting of several students from Slovakia and their peers from Turkey. By communicating through various online platforms, the team members got to know each other, identified similarities and differences between their cultures, and looked for overlaps in different aspects of their lives. In the next phase of the project, each team chose one topic, in which students from both countries studied the available information from the perspective of their cultures and selected interesting insights, which they then presented to their international partners. In the individual discussions, they had to take a stance on the topic, express their opinions, learn to find the right arguments, and defend their positions. At the same time, they learned to accept and tolerate different opinions, develop their ability to communicate in a sensitive and diplomatic way, cooperate in a team, negotiate compromises, and decide on the results of joint tasks, but also cope with stressful situations while meeting deadlines.

Students could choose from a wide range of diverse topics, varying from environment protection in their countries, national customs and traditions, favourite national foods, important figures in national history, the school education systems, attitudes to mental health problems, the use of artificial intelligence in education, the spread of disinformation on the internet, to the impact of social media on people's lives. Throughout the project, students used the Canva application to create their profiles, group posters, and final version presentations of their research findings within their chosen topic. They transformed their findings into various forms of contributions to the first edition of this year's EnJoY journal, which is published by the Department of English Language and Culture at the Faculty of Education, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra – Undergraduate, postgraduate, and even PhD students from all departments and faculties of Slovak, as well as foreign universities, can publish in the journal free of charge. Their journal articles, essays, reports, study experience, etc. can be sent to .

Thanks to this exceptional cooperation, not only interesting and stimulating contributions to the journal have been created, but also new international friendships and working ties have been established, which may bring new opportunities for mutual visits, exchange of information in the field of education, scientific research and project cooperation in the future.

 

Text: Mgr. Beáta Ďuračková, PhD., PF – English Language and Culture
Photo: Mgr. Nikola Mačičková, PF – Archive of the Department of English Language

 

Published: September 30, 2024