Virtual Exchange in International Education

This past fall semester, I trialed a 5-week COIL in my Technical English class, where my students connected with students in a course at Oakland University in the United States. Judging from the course evaluation at the end, my students valued the experience.

What exactly is COIL you may ask? Well, it is Collaborative Online International Learning that is conducted as part of a virtual exchange. It generally takes place over a few weeks or months and involves a project that is done jointly by mixed teams. It is great for students who cannot or do not wish to travel. The cultural experience is the most important aspect of the COIL, and when combined with existing course objectives, where there is common ground, the teachers can kill two birds with one stone.

Implementing COIL for the first time is not easy. The facilitators at both ends need numerous meetings to plan the COIL module components: for example, synchronous online sessions, ice breakers, discussions, project and reflection guidelines, and any associated rubrics and assessment metrics. They need to be tech savvy and capable of juggling several apps while also being adaptable team players. In this sense, COIL involves collaboration not only of students but also of teachers (and sometimes institutions if COIL is formally institutionalized). The students appreciate the recognition when they receive certificates at the end of the experience.

My colleague in the US and I gave a presentation about our COIL this past October at the hybrid International Virtual Exchange Conference in Greece, entitled “Overcoming Virtual Exchange Barriers: A Mobile-Mindful Approach in Crisis-Affected Regions”; I will  be giving another presentation on the exchange at the AUB International Conference on Effective Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, with emphasis on student writing, which will hopefully inspire others.

A similar COIL is anticipated for fall 2026 in my Technical English class.

Having prompted Copilot to create for us a short poem capturing the spirit of COIL in education, here is the generated text, which merits sharing:

 A COIL Classroom

Across the world a window swings wide,

Where distant voices learn side by side.

Ideas travel farther than any map can show,

As cultures meet and understanding grows.

A shared project, a spark, a global view—

COIL turns “me” and “you” into something new.

My final message is don't recoil from COIL; try it if you get the chance. The benefits will outweigh the initial complications. The students will love their certificates, and in the US at least, COIL alumni may be viewed as HOTS, potentially hired on the spot!