Project Investigator(s): Luisa Canuto, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Department of French, Hispanic and Italian Studies, Faculty of Arts
Co-Investigator(s): Misuzu Kazama
Project Description
This research investigates the impact of two different Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects which were integrated in two UBC language courses (Italian and Japanese) to promote the development of students’ intercultural skills. Based on the collaboration with international
university language programs, the two initiatives included a number of different, engaging activities and exchanges among students across the partner universities — Purdue, Florida International University for Italian, Hiroshima University and the Vector International Academy for Japanese— to foster students’ critical reflectivity and cognitive dissonance. Quantitative and qualitative surveys and focused conversations will provide important insight on the value of these COIL projects for these and future similar initiatives.
Research Questions
1. How can a COIL project help students challenge their assumptions about a different
culture and develop critical reflectivity?
2. Has the COIL project encouraged students to become more inclusive, discriminating and open towards different cultures?
3. Has the COIL project promoted a sense of participation and motivation to learn?
4. Has the COIL project built metalinguistic abilities on language learning?
Impact on teaching and learning at UBC
COIL has developed a learning approach intended to foster cross-cultural student competence through the development of multicultural learning environments that link university or college classes in different countries. The COIL model promotes the creation of co-equal learning environments where instructors work together to generate a shared syllabus based on solid academic coursework emphasizing experiential and collaborative student learning. To our knowledge, our two courses are the first ones to integrate COIL activities at UBC and beyond Our experience can offer a significant example for other colleagues in any discipline who are interested in fostering intercultural competence in their courses through COIL.