Higher educational institutions around the world have been purposefully investing in events and programs aimed at enriching diversity in classrooms. This helps to create a culturally diverse environment where students can enhance their intercultural competency skills. Without exposure to the right environment, students may be deprived of the opportunity to experience and learn about other cultures. The demand for graduates who have self-awareness and the ability to conduct successful cross-cultural businesses continues to grow with the increase in globalization. However, programs that create a multi-cultural environment for students to thrive, such as study abroad programs, require a lot of resources that may not be affordable for low-income students. Therefore, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is gradually becoming a cost-effective option and more popular in creating a culturally diverse classroom. COIL requires students and faculty members at two culturally distinct geographical regions to collaborate virtually on a project. This paper reviews the survey results of student experiences from an 8-week long COIL program between a Project Management class from a college in the Midwest, and Environmental Engineering class from a college in West Africa. Generally, the students reported that the COIL program was helpful in equipping them with the skills needed for their professional careers. In addition, the students reported that the experience helped them to learn about effective ways to work with culturally diverse team members in different time zones and geographical regions. However, lack of ambition and initiative by some members and difficulty in finding meeting times were things the participating students liked least.
Dr. Appiah-Kubi is an Assistant Professor at the University of Dayton (Department of Engineering Management, Systems and Technology). He has a Ph.D. in Industrial and Systems Engineering and a master's degree in Aviation Systems and Flight Testing from Ohio University and The University of Tennessee respectively. He also has a graduate certificate in Engineering Management. His research interests lie in engineering pedagogies, applications of statistical data analytics, and supply chain management.
I am currently an Industrial Engineering Technology student at the University of Dayton. I have completed coursework in topics such as project management, engineering analysis, and human factors in manufacturing. My past professional experiences have included a cooperative education at an automotive manufacturing facility and an internship at a sustainable technology start-up in South Africa. During my time at the University of Dayton, I've participated in collaborative online learning classes with international universities and had the privilege of working with Professor Appiah-Kubi on his research into online collaborative learning techniques.
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