Abstract:

This narrative provides a personalised account of three diverse geo-located facilitators’ experiences in developing a high impact, collaborative, online, learner-centred pedagogical practice, (called COIL), through reflection and introspection using an auto-ethnographic approach. The State University of New York (SUNY) COIL Center is one of the leading international organisations focused on the emerging field of Globally Networked Learning (GNL). As highlighted on the SUNY/COIL website, GNL brings faculty and students together from across the globe for collaborative, experiential interactions through multicultural online and blended learning environments. The COIL platform promotes cross-cultural competence and emphasises collaborative learning through the development of multicultural online courses, linking universities in globally diverse geo-locations.

High Impact Practices (HIPs) are pedagogical interventions that are effective in responding to global challenges of low retention rates and inequalities in outcomes achievement. The Association of American Colleges and Universities has expanded the set of HIPs to include ePorfolios, a pedagogy that utilises a range of broadly available technologies. This was pertinent to the study given that a learning outcome of the Collaborative Online International Learning project (COILP) required students to develop and submit ePortfolios.

The research question guiding this auto-ethnographic account is: In what ways did the collaborative experiences of the COIL facilitators support the design, development and management of a COILP underpinned by culture and diversity, and its inclusion and implementation into the dental curricula?

An auto-ethnographic approach, a form of qualitative research, was used to detail, explain and make meaning of the authors’ experiences. This process helped in providing valuable insights into the behaviour and dynamics of the topic being investigated. Validation of the authors’ experiences was achieved by inductively reading and assessing students’ reflective reports and their open-ended responses to a research questionnaire.

Challenges identified and assessed by academic facilitators included embedding the COILP within a subject/module; time zone differences impacting students’ engagements; student participation in completing tasks; ensuring equitable workload distribution among team members; the timeframe allocated in completing the culture and diversity component of the COILP; and the different academic levels of students engaged in the COILP. Despite the initial frustration experienced in navigating the Moodle learning management system, this platform provided a variety of tools for facilitators to collaborate synchronously and asynchronously in the design, development and management of the COILP and allowed for adaptation, innovation and creativity. A structurally and functionally designed COILP enriches attainment of students’ learning outcomes such as the development of intercultural competencies, global perspectives, communication and collaborative skills and problem based critical thinking. COIL is an innovative methodology that provides academics an opportunity to embed international and cultural dimensions within their curriculum. Faculty pursuing this endeavor will need to be committed and open to change, flexible and creative when working in a virtual environment, which will enhance the quality of learner-centered pedagogical practices.

Keywords:

Collaborative Online International Learning; Green Dentistry, Culture and Diversity, ePosters