International Collaboration in the Delivery of an Online Course: A Globally Networked Learning Case

Cultural Responsiveness

Teachers are increasingly expected to be globally literate. This has raised the expectations of university students, who now assume that cultural diversity and internationally focused education should be part of their preparation experience. Inter-university international teaching and learning arrangements allow both students and teaching staff to engage with diverse viewpoints in practice and learning, while gaining exposure to a globally diverse experience.

One of the first steps to cultural responsiveness is the acknowledgement that the culture of students of color has long been unrepresented and unconsidered in instructional planning and educational research. Culturally responsive practice strives to include the cultures of diverse student populations into the academic and social aspects of school to empower students by making meaningful cultural connections. International collaboration has a significant positive effect on the development of intercultural competence and cultural responsiveness.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Concepts of Accessible Learning and Inclusion

Learning management systems (LMS) are particularly suited for Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and inclusive education in terms of access. Most LMS have accessibility options, where digital format of presentation materials in courses can be transformed to accessible media: font, color, text to speech, translation, etc. Tertiary educators can use the principles of the UDL framework during the course planning process to design online courses, using LMS and video conferencing tools, that provide students with different means of representation, expression, and engagement. UDL is based on the premise that all learners can benefit from planning that caters for a wide variety of learners through courses that are deliberately designed to reduce barriers to learning (CAST, 2018).