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Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)

COIL integrates meaningful intercultural experiences into existing courses, allowing students and faculty to engage globally without traveling.

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is an innovative approach that connects classrooms across countries through online collaboration and learning. Through COIL, faculty from different institutions design shared learning activities that align with their respective course goals. Students work together virtually to complete projects, discuss global issues, and reflect on their learning. This experience fosters intercultural competence, effective communication, teamwork, and digital collaboration skills—all essential in today’s interconnected world.

In This Article:

Section 1: Collaboration

Collaboration is the foundation of COIL. Successful partnerships are built through clear communication, shared goals, and mutual respect among faculty and students.

Faculty Collaboration

  • Identify a Partner: Contact the Office for Faculty Excellence at faculty-excellence@ncsu.edu with questions about setting up a COIL project or request a consultation with an OFE staff member.
    • Contact the NC State Prague and the NC Japan Center to make connections in the Czech Republic and Japan. 
    • Search and connect with another faculty member through COIL Connect for Virtual Learning. This website is dedicated to connecting higher education faculty around the world who are interested in COIL. Membership is free, and NC State is an institutional member, so your course can be added to the database if you are seeking a partner. 
  • Align Objectives: Discuss course outcomes and find areas of overlap. Courses don’t need identical syllabi—just shared goals that allow for meaningful collaboration.
  • Establish Roles and Responsibilities: Determine who will lead certain tasks, how communication will flow, and what timeline works best for both institutions.
  • Cultural Awareness: Engage in open conversations about teaching styles, grading norms, and classroom expectations to prevent misunderstandings.

Student Collaboration

  • Form Diverse Teams: Create mixed groups of students from both institutions to encourage intercultural dialogue.
  • Set Clear Expectations: Provide structure for communication (frequency, format, deadlines) and collaboration norms (respectful language, time zone awareness, etc.).
  • Facilitate Communication: Use icebreakers and introductions to help students get to know one another before starting academic work.

Ideas for Student Introductions

  • Introduction Videos or Voice Threads: Students record short videos or audio introductions sharing their name, country, major, and one interesting fact or cultural tradition. Introductory videos can be shared through Flipgrid, Padlet, or Google Vids. 
  • Shared “About Me”: Students post photos, flags, or icons representing themselves and comment on classmates’ posts from the partner institution. “About Me” can be created through Padlet or Google Slides. 
  • Cultural Collage or Photo Sharing: Students upload photos that represent daily life or culture in their community and write short captions explaining their choices. Collages and photos can be created through Padlet or Google Slides.
  • Partner Interviews: Pairs of students from different institutions interview one another via chat or video call, then introduce their partner to the class.
  • Collaborative Map Activity: Students use an interactive map (e.g., Google My Maps) to pin their location and share a note or photo.
  • Icebreaker Discussions or Games: Activities such as a short cultural quiz, or a collaborative word cloud about “collaboration.”

These activities promote curiosity, comfort, and interpersonal connection, laying the groundwork for effective teamwork.

Faculty Support Prompts for Reflection and Connection

After introductions, guide brief reflective discussions to help students connect their first impressions to broader intercultural learning goals.

Individual Reflection Prompts

  • What similarities or differences stood out in your peers’ introductions?
  • What did you learn that challenged or expanded your understanding of another culture?
  • How do your own experiences shape your approach to collaboration?
  • What communication strategies might help you work effectively across cultures?

Group Discussion Prompts

  • What common themes or shared interests did you notice among groups?
  • How do students in each country describe their academic environments or daily lives?
  • What potential challenges (e.g., time zones, communication styles) might arise, and how can we plan for them?
  • What opportunities do you see for learning from each other?

Suggested Tools for Collaboration

  • Communication: Zoom, Google Meet, Padlet
  • Planning & Coordination: Trello, Slack, Google Docs, Padlet
  • Shared Workspaces: Google Workspace (Docs, Slides, Sheets), Padlet

Section 2: Projects

COIL projects are designed to be collaborative, meaningful, and discipline-relevant. They can range in length from a single module to a multi-week engagement integrated throughout a course.

Possible Project Types

  • Comparative Research Projects: Students research a shared topic within their local context, then compare and analyze results.
  • Case Studies: Partners examine the same case study (e.g., environmental policy, business ethics, social issues) and discuss varying interpretations.
  • Creative Collaborations: Students co-develop multimedia products, presentations, or proposals integrating perspectives from both countries.
  • Problem-Based Learning: Teams identify and propose solutions to a real-world issue relevant to both regions.

Project Design Tips

  • Start small with a 2–4 week project for your first COIL experience.
  • Align activities with existing course outcomes to avoid overloading students.
  • Build in checkpoints for feedback and reflection.
  • Encourage visuals, media, and storytelling to bridge language or cultural gaps.

Section 3: Reflection

Reflection is an essential component of COIL that helps students and faculty internalize what they’ve learned. It turns global collaboration into meaningful academic and personal growth.

Student Reflection

  • Guided journals after each project stage (introduction, mid-project, conclusion).
  • Online discussion forums for sharing and commenting on peers’ reflections.
  • Digital portfolios to compile project artifacts and personal insights.
  • Peer feedback exchanges focused on collaboration and communication.

Faculty Reflection

  • Joint Faculty Debrief: Meet with your COIL partner after the project to discuss what worked, what challenges arose, and what to improve.
  • Instructor Notes: Document observations about student engagement, communication, and outcomes.
  • Faculty Learning Communities: Share experiences with colleagues to inspire future COIL initiatives.

Suggested Tools for Reflection

  • Journaling & Discussion: Google Docs, Padlet
  • Digital Portfolios: Google Sites, Canva Portfolios, Voice Thread
  • Feedback Collection: Google Forms, Qualtrics
  • Video Reflection: Voice Thread, Flipgrid 

Additional COIL Resources