Internationalizing Foreign Language Teacher Education Through Virtual Exchange

Abstract

Complex problems with global reach, such as issues related to global warming or the COVID-19 pandemic, underscore the need to equip young learners with the necessary competences to support them in becoming responsible “actors of change” in a globalized world. However, for this to be successful, teachers need to be trained to integrate a global dimension into their classrooms. As the central institutions for pre-service teacher training in Germany, universities are responsible for such training. This paper reports on the conceptualization and implementation of a virtual exchange project connecting pre-service teachers from Germany, Turkey, and Sweden, and shares initial lessons learned.