The Office of International Affairs is busy working on a general virtual exchange framework for Ohio State University. The purpose of creating a framework is to have consistency in our communication and offerings when sharing tools and resources with faculty (or potentially services, such as forum moderation or intercultural awareness assessments). These tools and resources will be applicable for everything from learning activities, to modules, to full courses.
Our goal is to achieve a coherent pathway for students based on an array of authentic intercultural learning opportunities in multiple courses across the university, both abroad and in-person. The learning opportunities may range from simple interactions with people overseas to full-on cross-cultural teamwork. The sustained interactions and higher-stakes collaboration involved in collaborative, cross-cultural group work (often referred to as Collaborative Online International Learning, or COIL) is an ideal to shoot for, but may not be feasible for every professor. We welcome any kind of quality learning opportunity where students can learn about themselves and others in terms of diverse cultural perspectives.
Have you taught a COIL course? Do you connect your students to colleagues’ students in other countries? Please let us know! Would you be interested in sharing a learning activity or module with other faculty? We welcome any general feedback you may have, as well.
Team discussion. Source: Pixabay CC0