The Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) model has been developed over the past 20 years to promote international collaboration through online learning. COIL aims to achieve outcomes comparable to, or even better than, physical mobility in terms of enhancing students’ international and intercultural competencies. Typically, the COIL model is integrated into a course or a part of a course within a broader educational program (a COIL module).
Key Characteristics of COIL
To qualify as a COIL activity, the learning experience must meet the following four essential criteria:
- Collaboration: Academic staff from different institutions jointly teach the module on equal footing. Students work together in conditions that foster effective and meaningful cooperation aimed at achieving shared learning outcomes.
- Online Format: The interaction between students and instructors occurs primarily or entirely online.
- International Dimension: There is significant collaboration between instructors and students from two or more different countries, which supports the development of international and intercultural competencies.
- Learning Integration: COIL modules are formal academic activities that must be fully integrated into the curriculum. They are not optional add-ons or peripheral exercises.
Only if all four of these conditions are met can an educational activity be considered a genuine virtual exchange. These elements are interconnected and mandatory.
When these criteria are fulfilled, COIL modules can take various forms and may differ in scope and content. COIL modules can also complement short-term physical mobility programs for involved instructors and/or students, forming a blended mobility model. For example, a “week of international projects” may be held in person in addition to longer-term online collaboration. In any case, it is highly beneficial for staff involved in a COIL module to meet in person during the planning phase to build the trust and mutual understanding required for successful co-teaching.