Collaborative Online International Learning (COILs)

To enhance student-to-student transnational course engagement. Students in a KU course would meet regularly online (e.g., Zoom, Teams) with students or others in Latin America and the Caribbean at least 8 times in a semester. The point could be as simple as students sharing information or as complex as the student co-design of projects. The number of participants in online meeting sessions depends on the language abilities of the KU students and their Latin American partners. Optimally, enough KU students will know Spanish or Portuguese or the international partners will know English to facilitate the exchange and allow for small group meetings.

The Center can provide up to $1000 as compensation for establishing a COIL project and can help find a partner in Latin America. Stipends will be paid upon the completion of the COIL. Applications should consist of a brief description of the collaboration plan and an email of intent from the Latin America partner. If interested, apply no later than 20 days before the first scheduled exchange.

Most of the challenge for the professors involve: (a) finding partners abroad, (b) determining which students speak the language of the partners, (c) matching out-of-class schedules for the meetings, and (d) adjusting to any issues that might arise (such as the pandemic closing spaces of internet access). Student assistants on both sides – particularly ones that know both languages – can provide logistical support to professors. Funds can be used to pay instructors or students assistants involved with the project.

To apply, please send the following to bmetz@ku.edu:

300-word narrative about research project
Email of intent from foreign collaborators to bmetz@ku.edu
Itemized budget
And any other funding sources for travel

For the sake of US Department of Education reporting, instructors are expected to write a brief report summarizing the COIL exercise and evaluating its effectiveness.