Abstract:

Virtual collaborations between universities have gained popularity and have been successfully institutionalized in higher education. The theoretical framework of online learning helps understand the essential concepts explaining the learning process and outcomes and the foundation for creating online international collaborations between countries. Over the past six years, our program has achieved significant milestones, including increased student engagement and retention rates, measurable improvements in participants’ cultural competence and digital literacy, and the establishment of long-term collaborations between faculty members and students across continents. This alignment has enhanced program relevance and impact, nurtured lasting partnerships, and prepared students for a globalized world.

As a planning framework, our program utilized the six-factor model proposed by Salmon, Satuglu, Ogutu, and Thurston (2022). This model encompasses common goals, actor motivation, readiness, communication routines, personal relationships, and organizational structures. It guided us in setting shared objectives, motivating participants, ensuring preparedness, establishing effective communication, fostering interpersonal connections, aligning organizational support, and facilitating successful international collaborations in higher education.

Our Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program aimed to enhance students' knowledge, skills, and global confidence through cross-cultural exchanges on health topics such as physical activity, nutrition, and mental health. Motivated by opportunities for international interaction and creativity via social media platforms, students from the United States and the Netherlands engaged enthusiastically. Actor readiness was ensured through technology adoption, cross-cultural learning, and regular meetings, enhancing program quality. Effective communication via platforms including Instagram, Zoom, WhatsApp, and Google Hangouts facilitated meaningful interactions. Building personal relationships was pivotal, fostering community collaboration and mutual learning. Applying a six-factor model and logic model structured our COIL experience by aligning educational goals and sustaining engagement through motivation, readiness, effective communication, interpersonal connections, and organizational support. A logic model was created to visualize the program detailing inputs, outputs, and outcomes. Program inputs included teaching materials, virtual spaces (Zoom, Google Hangouts, etc.), instructor support, technical support, and data survey collection tools. Outputs included Online discussions, assignments, final projects, international partners' collaboration, and ongoing instructor support. Outcomes included enhanced awareness, knowledge, and skills in health promotion and improved global self-competency. The logic model serves as a comprehensive roadmap that supports the strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation of the COIL Program. It helps ensure the alignment of program design, resources, objectives, and accountability for educational initiatives. Utilizing this framework, we have created an impactful COIL program that prepares students for a globalized world while fostering international partnerships in higher education. Future directions aim to innovate further and enhance the COIL experience, building on our foundation of success in higher education.

Keywords:

Collaborative Online International learning, theoretical framework, education, technology, global self-competency, health promotion.