Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges, including travel restrictions that limited opportunities for student exchange. One solution to promote intercultural learning amongst students in different countries was COIL. This chapter presents a collaborative online international learning (COIL) case study that engaged students from Canada and Spain in an intercultural learning experience. Professors worked collaboratively to design a five-week program of co-instruction within their higher education course schedules. Using technology and a combination of asynchronous and synchronous opportunities, students engaged in the course content and learned about their unique cultural applications and perspectives in relation to the content as they engaged in activities via cross-cultural teams. Administrators, students, and faculty found the benefits far outweigh the improvements needed. This chapter shares the details of this experience from administrative, faculty, and student perspectives.
TopLiterature Review
This literature review focuses on intercultural learning within higher education. We will present the value of cultural competence in higher education learning, define intercultural competence, outline the benefits of this complex but powerful mode of learning, and connect these methods to Internalization at home (IaH) and Virtual Exchange (VE).
The world is becoming more interconnected, and those individuals that exhibit intercultural competence are becoming more valuable (Ceo-DiFrancesco & Bender-Slack, 2016). Currently, higher education is focused on teaching content outlined in the syllabus as a guide, and also, preparing students to face globalization by giving them different perspectives of diversity and inclusion (Zhang & Pearlman, 2018). Students are required to gain knowledge about the content, and methodologies, along with how to apply them in different situations. With various points of view in an interconnected world, students are expected to develop and maintain relationships with different cultures (Fantini, 2000). Apart from preparing the students for the global world, some universities find that cultural diversity also improves the quality of education or research, promotes a better reputation, and offers financial benefits (Barbosa & Neves, 2020). For these reasons, the internationalization of higher education is a priority for universities.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Internationalization-at-Home: Internationalization at home (IaH) is the purposeful integration of international and intercultural dimensions into the formal and informal curriculum for all students within domestic learning environments (Beleen & Jones, 2015 AU23: The in-text citation "Beleen & Jones, 2015" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ). Internationalization at Home can also serve as a means to promote common values and closer understandings between different peoples and cultures, enhance cooperation between post-secondary institutions in their internationalization efforts, while also improving the educational quality of the sector and human capacity through mutual learning, comparison and exchange of good practice (Almeida & Morosini, 2019 AU24: The in-text citation "Almeida & Morosini, 2019" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ).
Virtual Exchange (VE): Virtual exchange (VE) is an educational practice that involves engaging groups of learners in extended periods of online studies. This intercultural interaction and collaboration with international peers is an integrated part of educational programs and is guided by educators and/or facilitators ( O’Dowd, 2021 ).