Home:
Work
And Study Abroad
Support: documentation/briefing handbooks/websites
As the web is fast becoming an information and pedagogic tool which can be accessed from around the world, it offers a number of possibilities for the student preparing to go on a period of residence abroad and for keeping in contact with the home institution and country whilst away.
Whilst they are away
Via an institutional or departmental homepage, the web can also be used as a means of assembling information for students preparing to go away - visit the Rapport web site (www.hum.port.ac.uk/slas/rapport) which gives information for incoming students and links to countries and overseas universities. It can also be used as a means of communication for those abroad. This will probably be text-based communication but as the speed of Internet communications increase, the feasibility and quality of Internet videoconferencing will also increase (see www.hum.port.ac.uk/slas/rapport). Well-designed Residence Abroad web pages will set aside an area to give information about projects, essays and dissertations, important dates and imminent deadlines for students who are away, and, about course choices to be made before their return. A discussion forum might be set up so that they can make e-mail contact with each other and with their tutors. When students are about to return home, the web forum can be used as a bulletin board advertising flats, cars and other items (pets?) for those about to take their place. It might be worth password protecting at least some part of the Residence Abroad web area, as certain information may be sensitive. This will also discourage uninvited comments from outsiders. E-mail and web access may be patchy in the host institutions but the increase in Internet cafes all around the world means that all students can be encouraged to look for e-mail and log into their home institution on a regular basis. Before they go abroad, students should be given induction session, introducing them to the possible uses of their web forum. It would also be useful if the induction session encouraged all students to sign up for a free web-based e-mail account with a provider such as Hotmail (http://lc3.law5.hotmail.passport.com/cgi-bin/login) which can be accessed by students even when they are on the move. In this way, the home institution will have a complete record of all e-mail addresses before students disperse.
Vicky Wright
University of Southampton
27/09/99