Michael BARR    Department   Kyoto Junior College of Foreign Languages  , Department of English Studies for Careers    Position   Associate Professor
Date	2023/02/10
Presentation Theme	Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL): We *Can* Add it to the Curriculum, but *Should* We?
Conference	Second Hawaii International Conference on English Language and Literature Studies (HICELLS 2023)
Promoters	University of Hawaii, Hilo
Conference Type	International
Presentation Type	Speech (General)
Contribution Type	Collaborative
International coauthorship	International coauthorship
Country	United States
Venue	Hilo, Hawaii
Holding period	2023/03/10～2023/03/11
Publisher and common publisher	Michael Barr, Rachelle Meilleur
Details	Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, like all institutions, was affected by the changes in higher education brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to and during this period, the authors carried out a variety of COIL projects aimed at bringing multi-cultural communicative experiences into the classroom. The primary perceived benefit of international collaborative online projects, both during and in the post-COVID era, could be summarized by the phrase “international experience without international travel.” In a university English department with a strong emphasis on cultural understanding, meeting peers from partner universities is a valuable addition to the educational experience. Doing so virtually allows students opportunities that they may not otherwise enjoy due to the cost, inconvenience, or safety concerns of going abroad physically. Such collaborations come with a myriad of challenges, including logistical ones such as scheduling and time zones, as well as pedagogical concerns such as student motivation, anxiety, and fatigue. The question, then, is this: should our institutions strive to incorporate COIL projects into their future curriculums, and if so, how? Interviews with a range of students and professors highlighted pertinent issues, both positive and negative, about the efficacy and validity of instituting collaborative projects into structured and official curriculum goals. The authors will discuss these issues, as well as suggest proposals to faculty and administrators who may be considering establishing COIL projects to their institutions in the near future.