Zeynep Bilgin-Wührer is a lecturer at FH JOANNEUM and shares her thoughts and experiences of online-teaching during the pandemic. Some of her students were not able to come to Austria or leave it. Consequently, her lectures are followed by all over the world.
Zeynep Bilgin-Wührer is lecturer for “International Consumer Behaviour” at FH JOANNEUM since 2013. She has already lectured at several universities in Istanbul, Linz, Georgia or even Memphis. Additionally, she was guest lecturer in Münster, Maribor and Pamplona via Erasmus-programmes. Bilgin-Wührer’s teaching and research interests are in international marketing, emerging markets, international consumer behaviour, marketing theory and service quality. She has also published books, articles and book chapters all over the world.
This semester she is teaching a class online on “International Consumer Behaviour” during the pandemic. Last year, everything was new to her: Suddenly, the incoming students could not come to Austria, the outgoing students had to stay at home or were reduced in number. Bilgin-Wührer had to teach online via Zoom, later via Microsoft Teams, from one day to the other.
A challenge can easily move into a chance
“This is the second time I am lecturing ‘online’. In both cases it was a surprisingly positive experience for me. I sit on my chair, have a good focus on my power points and my students directly in front of me. A new group dynamic and synergy is the result”, says Bilgin-Wührer.
Zeynep Bilgin-Wührer was the first lecturer of the summer semester 2021 of the “Global Business Program”. This semester, things have changed a bit: Some students of the institute International Management and the students of the “Global Business Program” were merged into one class. “I never thought that such a synergy would develop in such a short time out of two so different groups of students.” This merge has a lot of benefits – especially for the students of the “Global Business Program”. Normally, they spend their weekends in other countries in Europe and their experience in Austria is limited to art events or concerts for example. “A link to Austrian students is mostly missing, strong bonds are not easily built, and they mainly remain among themselves in the international group.”
Win-win-situation
Now, they are doing their in-class exercises and homework with Austrian students. “Slowly good friendships develop. I am sure, the interaction will remain not only up to the end of the semester, but extend itself to life”, says Zeynep Bilgin-Wührer. Also, the students of “International Management” profit from this situation as they “would love to be now in another country, the world came to them”. “They learn about the cultures, reasons behind the differences in needs, desires, ways of expressions, wants, behaviour, and which type of communication is the appropriate one. I sense, our Austrian students are highly interested in exploring the countries of their friends in the near future.”
Thank you Zeynep Bilgin-Wührer for your commitment, energy and dedication to our students.