I enjoyed attending a training workshop on Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL): “Internationalizing Student-Centered Pedagogy” by Internationalization and Linkages of San Pedro College last April 13-14, 2023. It featured keynote speeches from Keiko Ikeda, Hope Windle, and Loye Shikehata Ashton. This workshop taught educators about best practices for COIL collaborations and internationalizing education with student-centered pedagogy.
Keiko Ikeda’s Keynote Speech
Keiko Ikeda, a global education expert, gave the keynote speech on the first day of the workshop. She emphasized the need for internationalizing education through COIL collaborations, focusing on student-centered pedagogy. Ikeda shared her experiences working with educators worldwide to create COIL projects that empower students to become global citizens.
Ikeda discussed the importance of designing COIL projects that are inclusive and accessible to all students. She encouraged educators to focus on building relationships across cultures and providing opportunities for students to learn from each other. Ikeda also offered some best practices for designing and implementing successful COIL projects, such as setting clear learning objectives, establishing communication protocols, and incorporating intercultural learning outcomes.
Breakout Sessions
The first day of the workshop included breakout sessions where educators could learn more about COIL foundations and course design. I also shared my experiences and provided insights on building relationships across cultures, best practices, challenges, and how to overcome them.
Immerseu Class 2 Class
Loye Shikehata Ashton, the Chief Academic Officer of Immerseu Class2Class, introduced the Immerseu platform. ImmersEU Class2Class is an online platform that connects classrooms globally for collaborative learning and cultural exchange. I’ll write a separate post on this. He emphasized the importance of intercultural competence and how it can be fostered through COIL collaborations.
Ashton also discussed the importance of developing a sense of empathy and understanding across cultures. He encouraged educators to create opportunities for students to learn together on specialized topics but also about history, cultures, and societies. Aston highlighted the importance of having a single platform where you can plan and connect with other educators globally.
COIL Course Design Showcase
One of the highlights of the second workshop day was the COIL Course Design Showcase. Participants presented their proposed COIL course design plan with others participants, ranging from virtual exchange programs to collaborative research projects. It was an opportunity for educators to learn about the different topics and subjects for COIL projects and how they will be implemented in their own classrooms.
Our COIL on Cutting Edge Creativity: Combining Adobe Illustrator and Laser Cutting for Stunning Designs was recognized as one of the best COIL course design plans.
The workshop ended with a closing keynote by Dr. Erwin Faller, the director of the Internationalization and Linkages Office of San Pedro College. He encouraged participants to continue promoting global education and COIL collaborations.
