BMCC | COIL: Collaborative Online International Learning

Good news – we have a new partnering network for COIL! I know some of you have been interested in COIL but have struggled to find a partner. The World Cities World Class University network (WC2) is expanding its’ efforts to include virtual exchange initiatives. Baruch leads CUNY’s participation and will help facilitate partnerships for COIL with one of the 8 partner universities. 

Fill out this form to receive help in finding a COIL partner for next year: https://baruch.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_enPQGaRMUwxh7i6 

Once you find a partner (through WC2 or another way), don’t hesitate to reach out to me for support in developing your COIL project. 

Check out this new publication from our college, Minna Logemann, on the value of global virtual teamwork (see Ch. 1): https://www.igi-global.com/book/developments-virtual-learning-environments-global/262535  

Thank you for sharing, Minna!

COIL Engagement between LI/NYC
and the world:
From Building to Expanding in the
Classroom
May 21, 2021: 12-1:30 pm EDT
Register bit.ly/coilroundtable
Join us on May 21 from 12pm-1:30pm EDT for a
chance to engage with colleagues implementing
virtual exchange.
This session will feature a brief overview of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL),
then two sets of breakout rooms for small group discussions. Whether you are a beginner,
intermediate, or expert COILer, we look forward to your questions, reflections, and thinking
around this impactful work in the classroom.
AGENDA
Roundtable 1
BEGINNER track: What is COIL? (with examples)
ADVANCED track: Troubleshooting: Refining COIL projects by learning from our mistakes
ADMINISTRATOR track: Post Pandemic Promoting and institutionalizing COIL on your campus
Roundtable 2
BEGINNER track: How do I choose a platform and find a partner?
ADVANCED track: COIL 3.0: Expanding the notion of a virtual exchange
ADMINISTRATOR track: COIL Publishing + Finding funding: Grant writing and other options
Register here bit.ly/coilroundtable
Limited seating

BMCC is part of a grant from the Stevens Initiative to develop a multinational virtual exchange program Global Scholars Achieving Career Success (GSACS). Faculty facilitators from five CUNY colleges and four universities in the Middle East and North Africa will work in pairs to develop and implement discipline-specific or interdisciplinary 6 to 10-week virtual exchange modules for students in their respective credit-bearing courses. The curriculum will revolve around UN Sustainable Development Goals and include an experiential learning component.

Call for Faculty Facilitators:

All faculty across disciplines are invited to apply to facilitate a GSACS module in a selected course. Please see the flyer for more details. Selected faculty will receive rigorous professional development in virtual exchange and experiential learning pedagogy in Summer 2021 before implementing GSACS into their credit-bearing course for Fall 2021 or Spring 2022.

Click here to access the application (due May 7th, 2021, at 5pm EST).

Compensation:

GSACS Faculty Facilitators will receive the stipend of $1,000 per course where GSACS is implemented and a certificate. 

Information sessions: 

Join the GSACS team to learn more about the program and application process:

Tuesday, April 20, 3:30 – 4:30pm EST Register here: http://bit.ly/GSACSApril20

Friday, April 23, 10:00 – 11:00am EST Register here: http://bit.ly/GSACSApril23

The CUNY COIL Working Group is hosting a workshop: “A Language-Aware COIL: How to build on language diversity in virtual exchanges” led by Professors Lucy McNair and Leigh Garrison-Fletcher from LaGuardia Community College. It will take place on Thursday, March 18 from 9:00-10:15 am. 

In an effort to ensure equitable opportunities for all students in COIL projects, this workshop will focus on how we might move from a “language blind” to a “language aware” approach and engage our students’ language resources, no matter the nature of the virtual exchange. Please see the full description and presenters’ bios in the flyer below.

This event will be the first in a series of faculty-led, thematically organized COIL workshops and roundtables. More information on this new series soon!

Please fill out this form [forms.gle] to RSVP and receive the Zoom information.

The CUNY COIL Working Group hosted a workshop this week to help faculty conceptualize how COIL may work for them, and strategies they may use to find a partner. I hope you find these slides helpful.

If you have identified a partner to do COIL next year, please complete this participation form by March 15. There will be 2 workshops in April/May for this new cohort to prepare their COIL projects. 

After this deadline, you will still hear from me about potential partnering opportunities. BMCC is becoming a part of the new COIL Connect initiative, and the WC2 initiative, of which CUNY is a member, is opening their partnerships to do virtual exchange. So stay tuned! If you can’t join the workshops this spring, we can do individual prep. 

In the meantime, I’m happy to meet with anyone who has more questions or would simply like to brainstorm: jlevin@bmcc.cuny.edu.

Check out this great article (see below) by our colleague, Deniz Gokcora, on the benefits of doing COIL projects. Deniz has had several successful collaborations with the University of the Bahamas. Thank you, Deniz! 

Also, remember to RSVP for the COIL Workshop this Monday, Feb. 22 at 11am. Members of the CUNY COIL Working Group will facilitate a brainstorming session on how COIL can fit in your course, and how you may find a partner. 

If you can’t make it, but want the information, reach out to me: jlevin@bmcc.cuny.edu.

The COIL Participation Form for spring 2021 is live! If you’ve identified an international partner for COIL and would like to prepare a project for fall 2021, please fill out the form by March 15, 2021. You will be invited to participate in 2 workshops.

The CUNY COIL Working Group is hosting a workshop on February 22nd to provide guidance on finding a partner and developing an idea for a COIL project. RSVP here: bit.ly/cunycoilspring2021

The guide below may also be helpful for you and your potential partner to determine if you can do COIL together.

If you’d like to discuss more, reach out to me: jlevin@bmcc.cuny.edu.

I hope you’re all getting a well-deserved break (or close to it!). I wanted to let you know that the application to participate in the spring 2021 COIL workshops will open mid-January, and be due early February. 

If you have a partner and course in mind where you could use COIL, I encourage you to apply. The spring workshops (3) will prepare the project for the next academic year. 

You can find resources and tips for the partner search here: https://openlab.bmcc.cuny.edu/coil/finding-a-partner/  

Don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions: jlevin@bmcc.cuny.edu

The Steven’s Initiative is dedicated to enhancing virtual exchange programs between the U.S. and the Middle East and North Africa. They are hosting a month-long training that teaches foundational elements of virtual exchange planning and implementation. Participants will get a comprehensive introduction from experts and will be better positioned to adopt this powerful global learning tool.

The 2021 Virtual Exchange Academy will take place over four weeks (March 8, 2021 to April 2, 2021) and will include four live sessions via Zoom. Each two-hour session will take place on a Wednesday with two time offerings: 9am and 12pm U.S. Eastern Time.

Applications are due at 5pm U.S. Eastern Time on Friday, December 18, 2020.
Please send any questions to StevensInitiative@aspeninstitute.org.

Click here to apply.