What is COIL?
With virtual exchanges there is an intentional focus on nurturing engagement between students and enhancing intercultural learning. This is one of the big differences between, for example, a MOOC or an online course and a virtual exchange. Also, academic staff act as facilitators of intercultural learning during a virtual engagement.
Dowd and Helm (2020) makes the following important point: “Virtual Exchange should not be seen as being in competition with physical mobility. Rather, Virtual Exchange can be used as preparation for physical mobility, as a complement to physical mobility in blended mobility initiatives and as an inclusive, international learning opportunity for students and staff who may not be able to or want to have a physical or blended mobility.” For more information regarding what is a virtual exchange read the following position paper by UNICollaboration.
For Stellenbosch University, virtual exchanges offer the opportunity to achieve the following:
- Internationalization at home
- Internationalization of the Curriculum
- Global Learning
On this page we will be focusing on one type of virtual exchange, namely Collaborative Online International Learning or COIL.
One type of Virtual Exchange: COIL
Defining COIL
“The term ‘collaborative online international learning’ combines the four essential dimensions of real virtual mobility: it is a collaborative exercise of teachers and students; it makes use of online technology and interaction; it has potential international dimensions; and it is integrated into the learning process.”
De Wet (2013)
Identifying what COIL is:
| COIL is not: | COIL is: |
| A replacement for Study Abroad | Team teaching across two or more cultures using online communication |
| A massive open online course (MOOC) or online course | Structured so that the success of students in each class depends upon the others’ |
| A curriculum | Customized, to fit the mission, culture and learning outcomes of each institution |
| Teleconferencing | Applicable to any institution |
| A technology platform | |
| Software | |
| Source for Table: | Connecting Classrooms: Using online technology to deliver Global Learning (2016) |
Coil Guides
What is Coil? , a introduction developed by the SUNY COIL Center.
A Worksheet to help you frame a COIL initiative, developed by the University of Washington Bothell.
The COIL Workbook, developed the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus.
Connecting Classrooms: Using Online Technology to Deliver Global Learning, developed by the American Council on Education
A toolkit for Virtual Engagement for International Student Exchange, developed by the Association of Commonwealth Universities and the Durban University of Technology.