UNG faculty have incorporated COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) projects in their Fall 2019 courses in collaboration with Nanzan University, Japan. COIL (a.k.a. virtual exchange) is a cost-effective, accessible, and scalable method of expanding global learning opportunities for greater numbers of U.S. higher education students. COIL is an innovative pedagogy involving collaborative teaching and learning in two or more countries facilitated by online communication. NU-UNG COIL started in Summer 2018 by Dr. Tomoe Nishio and has been instantiated in various COIL projects during regular semesters as well as summer by an expanded number of faculty. In Fall 2019, three UNG faculty members are conducting a COIL project in their courses with three different Nanzan courses:
  • Dr. Tomoe Nishio (JAPN3001: Intermediate-Advanced Japanese I) collaborating with a sustainability studies course at Nanzan on the topic of Englishnization
  • Dr. Robin O’Day (ANTH3640: Japanese Culture and Society) collaborating with an interdisciplinary COIL course at Nanzan on the topic of work culture
  • Dr. Candice Willson (MDST3310/HIST4800: East Asian Cinema) collaborating with an interdisciplinary COIL course at Nanzan on the topic of diversity
In addition, NU-UNG COIL offers mobility-based projects both to and from UNG and NU. In spring semesters, NU students collaborate with UNG students enrolled in JAPN3990 (Japanese Cultural Research) for both online and face-to-face interaction annually. After six weeks of online collaboration, NU students stay at UNG for two weeks to complete a collaborative task with UNG students. In summer semesters, UNG students collaborate with NU students who are expected to leave for academic year-long study abroad programs in the following fall semester, as part of UNG’s annual summer study abroad program in Japan. After four weeks of online collaboration, UNG students stay at NU for nine weeks and work on weekly activities with their NU partners.
There will be more courses with COIL projects in Japanese, anthropology, media and digital studies, and beyond in future semesters.
Thank you to our Japanese professor, Dr. Nishio for the hard work.