Faculty Development held on enhancing collaborative online international learning

On August 7, 2024, a Faculty Development (FD) session titled "COIL in ISI (kyoso) and U of Glasgow" was held at the Ito Guest House. Kyushu University‘s School of Interdisciplinary Science and Innovation (ISI) and the Strategic International Advisory Group (SIAG) co-hosted this session.

COIL, short for Collaborative Online International Learning，developed by the State University of New York (SUNY) COIL Center in 2006, is a teaching method that uses online communication between two or more countries to achieve both teaching and learning.
Since 2019, Kyushu U’s School of ISI has implemented this method, allowing our students to engage in online problem-solving collaborative learning with peers from partner universities. This ensured that, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, students could continue their international exchange programs despite travel restrictions. Today, COIL remains an important tool for strengthening international collaborations.

Through this FD, ISI introduced their use of COIL and aimed to expand the application beyond ISI to the entire university. It provided an opportunity to share insights on the current status and future projections of COIL at our key partner, the University of Glasgow. Furthermore, it intended to broaden and deepen international education and collaboration at Kyushu University.

The FD was divided into two parts. The first, a hybrid of online and on-site learning, focused on COIL in ISI, while the second, conducted on-site only, focused on COIL at the University of Glasgow. The first part began with an address by Professor Johan Lauwereyns, Vice Dean of ISI and Head of SIAG. This was followed by presentations from Professor Shin’ichi Konomi and Lecturer David Weiss, who shared various COIL case studies and insights. The administrative office also provided useful information for COIL operation, including the COIL Guide.

The second part featured Dr. Gabriella Rodolico, who is in charge of promoting COIL at the University of Glasgow. She introduced advanced case studies from the University of Glasgow and conducted a workshop using online tools. The Q&A session was vibrant, with a steady stream of questions and lively exchanges.

The session received high praise from the approximately 25 participants, with feedback highlighting the value of learning diverse COIL methods and concrete lesson plans. Participants also appreciated gaining a deeper understanding of the detailed operational methods at the University of Glasgow, including cost management. ISI will continue to actively promote COIL, recognizing its significant contribution to international education and collaboration.