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The Faculty of Foreign Languages of Armenian State Pedagogical University (ASPU) and the Department of Sociology of the University of Houston (the USA) recently conducted joint courses. Thirty-eight students of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at ASPU majoring in English Language and Literature participated in the three-week online training, which began in February.
The main goal of the project was to contribute to the development of international learning through discussions, exchange of ideas, and intercultural communication. The program aimed to create a platform for intercultural dialogue, where students from both countries in question would be able to exchange cultural characteristics of their nations, improve their communication skills, and build a professional network overseas.
The course addressed a number of issues, including the provision of food in educational institutions, organization of cafeteria programs, importance of community gardens, and peculiarities of national cuisines. Among the topics discussed were also manifestations of national identity, impact of globalization, comparative study of cultural and educational systems in America and Armenia, etc.
Susanna Baghdasaryan, the program coordinator, Associate Professor at the Chair of Romance-Germanic Languages and Their Teaching Methods at ASPU, noted that the course was effective and successful; the positive feedback of the participants also speaks to its success.
The participants themselves confess that their initial reluctance to participate in the international program was gradually overcome and replaced by active participation. After each and every meeting, they appreciated the unique experience of professional exchange with representatives of different cultures even more.
Sona Baghdasaryan, a third-year student at ASPU, admits that at first she was skeptical about the program and decided not to participate in it, but the interaction with American students inspired and motivated her.
Maria Avagyan, a 4th-year student at the Faculty of Foreign Languages, says she was stressed during the first meeting and anxious about her language skills, but during the second lesson she felt that intercultural boundaries were already disappearing and an environment of mutual respect and a desire to learn were being formed instead.
The organizers of the course and students at the University of Houston are also satisfied with the results. The American side is going to apply for a grant to continue the project in the 2025-2026 academic year.
At the end of the course, the students received certificates of participation and scores.
