Abstract:

Pedagogical innovation in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) has emerged as a transformative approach to enable students to gain cultural sensitivity and expand worldviews, as well as transversal skills such as digital knowledge, presentation proficiencies, and oral and written mastery. COIL employs the use of various communication technologies to connect professors and students in different geographical locations for collaborative learning experiences (SUNY COIL Center, n.d.). This paper uses our 4 years of work with the COIL model, involving over 500 students to demonstrate that deeper learning occurs when professors engage in continuous innovation efforts rather than repeating the existing state.

Conventional COIL implementations have students typically engaging in three activities over four to six weeks: icebreaker, collaborative tasks in multicultural teams, and final reflections. While effective in developing critical thinking competencies, cross-discipline connectivity, and intercultural skills, this approach often falls short in promoting deeper learning outcomes and skill acquisition.

Our research introduces a novel COIL approach, focusing on essential variables driving continuous innovation in COIL models. Central to our learning is the need for the cultivation of chemistry between the professors that cross-fertilizes threads of innovation, creativity, and experimentation. Outcomes included increased student engagement and motivation, a higher personal accountability focus and dedication, and improved skills and knowledge adherence.

Our collaboration stands out due to several distinctive features. We understood and fed professor connectivity by encouraging each other to explore new avenues and promote continuous improvement. The result is that every collaboration evolved based on insights and ideas. For example, we tested team sizes, and number and type of interactions between Canadian and Mexican students, online connectivity methods, digital tools, activities, deliverables, and outcomes. Students were also encouraged to be peer teachers, to share learning insights, and to view business challenges through diverse perspectives. Our professorial role was to instill flexibility, build confidence, and ensure the experience was framed as a real-as-possible business scenario.

Despite the initial expectation of a 40–60-minute Zoom session per week, and contrary to expectations, students demonstrate remarkable dedication, investing 3 to 5 times more energy, and effort than required. Not only did they report increased multicultural awareness and skills, but felt they also increased their business acumen, workplace and leadership skillsets, and critical thinking.

Through a detailed case study analysis and robust research methodology, including surveys, focus groups, and statistical analysis, we identify the key variables that can influence COIL innovation and the assessment of their impact on student learning outcomes.

In conclusion, our innovative COIL model offers a promising avenue for educators seeking to enhance student learning outcomes and promote global understanding. By promoting creativity, collaboration, and cross-cultural interaction, our approach represents a compelling alternative to traditional educational paradigms and holds the potential to revolutionize pedagogy in the digital age.

Keywords:

COIL, pedagogical innovation, deeper learning, higher learning, continuous innovation.