COIL Standard – #3

COIL Standard – #3

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Collaboration Standard

Decorative image of the COIL logoLearners construct a culturally collaborative and respectful dialogue in an international virtual team, both verbally and non-verbally.

Review these Explanations

Collaborative approaches to learning support constructivist learning environments. Effective activities in a COIL course/module encourage learners to work together with both their partner instructors and fellow learners. They also provide opportunities for learners to share resources and learn from one another. Expectations between instructors and course participants are clear, consistent, and appropriate for the duration and structure of the COIL course/module. There are also regular and substantial interactions and feedback scheduled in advance.

Detailed course interaction guidelines should be provided in both languages within the COIL Course Information/COIL Syllabus materials prior to the project starting. These guidelines establish the expectations and specify norms for interactions between partner instructors and learners in the course, such as the frequency, timeliness, and caliber of interactions that are expected. These guidelines also set the tone for frequent learner partners/teammate interaction throughout the COIL course/module.  

When participating in a COIL virtual exchange, it is important to remember to establish timelines, due dates, expected deliverables, expected time frame(s) for learner interaction(s), and to build in flexibility to accommodate unforeseen delays in COIL course/module deliverables. Flexibility is key! To get off to a good start, provide learners with all COIL course/module material(s) in both languages at the start of the activities. These are typically co-created by the co-instructors. Expectations should be clear and concise and outline the COIL course/module deliverables from both partner institutions, with considrations for holidays, breaks, and unforeseen circumstances that may impact activities and due dates. Regular  interaction with and between both co-instructors and learners is essential to foster engagement and active participation throughout the COIL course/module activities.

References

Association of American Colleges & Universities. (2014). Intercultural Knowledge and Competence VALUE rubric. https://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/intercultural-knowledge

Bandura, A. (1977). Social learning theory. Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Bennett, M. (2017a) Constructivist approach to intercultural communication in Kim, Y (Ed). International Encyclopedia of Intercultural Communication. Wiley.

Bennett, M. (2017b). Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity. The International Encyclopedia      of Intercultural Communication, 1–10. 

Chun, D. M. (2013). Developing Intercultural Communicative Competence through Online Exchanges. CALICO Journal, 28(2), 392-419.

Deardorff, D. K. (2022). Assessing Intercultural Learning Outcomes in COIL Courses. In The Guide to COIL Virtual Exchange. (pp. 287-297). Stylus Pub.

Doscher, S. (2022). Professional development for COIL Virtual Exchange: What should it entail? In The Guide to COIL Virtual Exchange (pp. 244–273). Stylus Pub.

Dusi, P., Messetti, G., & Steinbach, M. (2014). Skills, Attitudes, Relational Abilities & Reflexivity: Competences for a Multicultural Society. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 112(2014), 538–547.

Harvey, T. (2021, August 10). A constructivist approach to intercultural learning. True North Intercultural. 

Hesson, S., Seltzer, K., & Woodley, H. (2014). Translanguaging in curriculum and instruction: A CUNY–NYSIEB guide for educators.  CUNY NYS Initiative on Emergent Bilinguals. 

Katre, A. (2020). Creative Economy Teaching and Learning–A Collaborative Online International Learning Case. International Education Studies,  Vol. 13, No. 7.

Kim, L. (2015, August 3). 9 places to learn a new language online for free. Inc.com. 

Meade, J. (2021, December 16). Are You Prepared to Lead a Diverse Team? Harvard Business Review.

Refresh your course with these ideas

General Suggestions

  1. When participating in a COIL virtual exchange, it is just as important to scaffold the deliverables while providing the necessary time for learner-to-learner interaction for deeper learning and more culturally responsive critical thinking.
  2. Encourage learners to work together to build team skills and collaborate to complete tasks and objectives for the COIL course/module deliverables. Consider the design of online collaborative learning activities to engage learners and scaffold their learning.
  3. Learners will approach the COIL project in a positive manner for deeper cultural learning and experience(s).
  4. Create collaborative activities and peer assessments that require trust and a strong sense of class community for success. Such as: 
    • Implement Student Led Discussions: Assign a different learner to moderate the discussion forum each module, helping other learners stay on topic and track.
    • Hold a formal debate in the online discussion forum.
    • Have learners work in groups to create presentations using VoiceThread, or another collaborative presentation tool.
    • Create a collaborative site where learners can engage by sharing and discussing course-related resources. Available tools include Diigo, Pinterest, Goodreads, and Flipgrid.
    • Assign collaborative writing projects with pairs of learners, and have them work together as a team throughout the term.
    • Create a course wiki project that involves assigning individual learners to work on specific areas, and the learner group to work on creating a cohesive project.

Cross-Cultural Considerations

Explore Related Materials & Tools

Crossing Borders Education. (2016, October 12). Film Clips Overview: Intercultural Film Clips. Based on the Crossing Borders Films Trilogy.

CollaborativeU/ConflictU

Presentation Tools: for aysnchronous and synchronous student presentations

Project Management Tools: Asana, Trello, Basecamp, Smartsheet

Document Sharing: Google Drive, Dropbox, Box

Messaging Apps: Slack, Microsoft Teams, Rocket.Chat, WhatsApp

Video Conferencing: Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, Whereby

Brainstorming & Mind-Mapping: Miro, Mural, MindMeister

Feedback & Review Tools: Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Notion, Wakelet, Padlet

Drafting, brainstorming, collaboration with AI: ChatGPT, CoPilot, Pi

Share What You Know

The COIL Standards have been developed by a community of COIL online practitioners interested in quality course design and international virtual experiences. There are numerous opportunities for community members to offer suggestions, donate resources, and help with future development.

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