The Impact of Virtual Exchange on College Students in the US and China

Virtual Exchange (VE) has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional physical exchange, experiencing exponential growth in recent years to enhance students’ learning outcomes. However, the ways in which VE can effectively and mutually benefit diverse student populations remain unclear. This study introduces a specifically designed VE project utilizing the “Zoom-Sandwiched Cross-Chapter Concept Map” model and investigates its impact on college students enrolled in an introductory-level course in the US and China. The ten-week VE project incorporated both academic and cultural components. While our previous publication focused on the academic component and its benefits on student academic performance, this article emphasizes the cultural component and the integrated nature of the project. Our results demonstrated the effectiveness of this project in promoting students’ career readiness competencies, particularly teamwork and communication skills. Additionally, our comparative data highlighted how this project significantly improved the behavioral dimension of Intercultural Communication Competence (ICC) and influenced career & self-development for Chinese students while fostered leadership skills among US students. The VE project presented in this article provides valuable guidance for integrating VE into curricula across various disciplines, helping to shape future VE initiatives globally.