"Principles and Practices for Enhancing Intercultural and International Experiences in COIL Courses"のご報告
発表者 Speakers
Keiko IKEDA (Kansai University)
Elvita WIAHSI (Kansai University)
Sajjad POUROMID (Kansai University)
Don BYSOUTH (Kansai University)
Jiuyan WU (Kansai University)
SIIEJ 2021 Workshop H: Principles and Practices for Enhancing Intercultural and International Experiences in COIL Courses conducted by Professor Keiko Ikeda from Division of International Affairs, Kansai University was successfully held on November 20th, 2021. The workshop consisted of a brief introduction about COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) in Japan followed by various break-out sessions that prompted decisions amongst the participants. This three-part workshop focused on the importance of COIL courses and digitalization of education, especially during recent times with the emergence of a global pandemic that has prompted virtual learning and introduced various methods of COIL adopted in different regions across the world. The second hour primarily talked about actual examples of COIL projects being conducted in Japan. The third hour ended with reflection methods and take-aways from this workshop.
The workshop kicked off with an ice-breaking session amongst the participants with a goal to find a common point amongst themselves. This encouraged team working and led to interesting finding amongst the participants which were later presented to the rest using the common platform, Padlet. Next, Professor Keiko Ikeda talked about the growing change in online learning. According to the Global Survey report conducted on "The impact of COVID-19 on Higher Education around the world", it was highlighted that 60% of higher education institution reported that they have increased virtual mobility and/or collaborative learning as an alternation to physical student mobility. This shift in digital learning has been accelerated due to the pandemic, as online learning has proven to be affordable, and effective form of learning as students can use different multi-media to access information. The participants were then asked to discuss on the topic “what are the strengths of internet-enhanced learning in your perspective.” Many new insights emerged from the discussion as some groups felt that internet enables learners from different parts of the world to come together, student-teacher interaction have also come closer as teachers can easily interact with students on an online platform and enabled sustainable environment-friendly learning. In light of this discussion, Professor Ikeda then introduced about COIL and Virtual Exchanges being taken place around the world.
In the first hour of the session, Professor Ikeda highlighted about certain COIL/Virtual Exchange projects happening in Europe, ASEAN and Germany. One such project known as Erasmus+ project that started in Europe from 2018-2020 was a great way for youth to engage in intercultural learning on a virtual platform. This project enabled basic and advanced training for the participants on how to engage in a successful Virtual Exchange and spread the positive impact of COIL for a diverse community. Similarly, in the ASEAN region, various Virtual Exchanges were conducted during the pandemic such as SHARE that supports student mobility for ASEAN students through Virtual Exchange/collaborative online international programs with assistance from the European Union. Looking at various global initiatives for Virtual Exchanges across the world, Professor Ikeda then proceeded to talk about COIL/Virtual Exchange projects in Japan and what needs to be done to further sustain it. COIL in Japan is unique and necessary as surveys have shown a lack of interest in studying abroad which can be a problem for Japanese businesses as the world economy is becoming more globalized. The participants were then introduced about Blended Mobility, that is being practiced in Japan widely. Blended Mobility which is combining periods of learning mobility in another country with learning activities taking place synchronously with peers in a virtual environment helps to create more diverse and accessible form of education that is half online half physical. Blended Mobility is being popularized amongst Japan with Kansai University using a joint curriculum with one single, common program owned by a consortium of universities. Participants also shared blended mobility programs in their own universities with many using joint-curriculums and online study-abroad programs.
In the second hour of the session, Professor Ikeda shared examples of COIL models that can be used in Japan and some student experiences in response to it. A standard COIL model includes – Ice breaker (with personal engagement and team building), followed by Comparison and Analysis (learning communication tools and styles) and finally collaboration (focused on project-based collaborative learning). Actual case example using this model was then provided by Mr. Sajjad Pouromid who is an IIGE team member from Kansai University. The language learning focused COIL (LLC) program started in IIGE with a new task-based approach on language learning that give students from different countries strategies to solve communication problem that may occur in real-life situations. The conversation was transcribed, and students were made to analyze the conversation and reflect on the responses of their partners. The students found themselves to engage in a more interactive conversation and become better active listeners after the completion of the study. This encouraged the participants to thinks on how digitally enhanced learning methods (like COIL/Virtual Exchange) can contribute to bring out equity and inclusion in International Education.
In the third hour of the session, the presenter prompted the audience to focus on the reflecting back and methods to enhance reflection. One of the methods suggested included surveys at various timing during the session to enhance backwash effect - which is defined as the impact of assessment on learning and teaching. Using surveys can prompt the students to reflect on the COIL and Virtual Exchange with the necessary guidance. The audience were then assigned to a group task on reviewing a template of survey on group work and asked opinions on how we can make the survey more effective to prompt students to reflect. One group suggested that it is necessary to have questions that provide guidance for students to self-reflect and the participants to provide reflection on their group members. This promotes inclusivity and helps team building. They also suggested asking survey takers on asking what they would like to improve for future such exchanges. It will also be better to keep journal in-between the interactions in order to review the progress of students during the intercultural exchange experience.
Finally, the session ended with Professor Ikeda sharing a survey for the participants to reflect on this session and hoped that they could take away important aspects of COIL and Virtual Exchanges through this workshop.
報告者 Reporter
Shimuran KITAHARA (Undergraduate School of Law, Nagoya University)