Do It Yourself Global Collaboration
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Do It Yourself Global Collaboration
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
This is a tough one. I teach automotive and the international parts suppliers greatly effect our business, but we rarely have to deal with anyone outside of our local parts facitlity in order to source parts. I was trying to develop a collaboration assignment that could be used between 2 different schools and I am drawing a blank. Maybe someone else has an idea?
Maintaining virtual exchanges with our international partners is particularly important in the era of pandemic. I like how the five tips for global collaboration begin with the right mindset. Also, the prompted questions on how to prepare your students for global exchanges are useful.
At the University of Hawaii Maui College we have international partners with various countries. Our current task is to strengthen the international connections and substantiate the collaboration in CTE programs. The upcoming Regenerative Tourism Webinar during the 2021 International Education Week is our immediate action of reconnecting with one of our international partners, such as University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
I find that collaboration is becoming easier due to using many of the resources found in the modules. Is collaboration as being a crucial tool in the teaching and learning process.
This was a very exciting module. I've taken courses from and with faculty around the world, and I can see how those relationships might open opportunities for our students. I'm mulling ideas for a sabbatical proposal....
I whole heartedly believe that if we can't do actual learning exchanges (or to ensure that all students can participate in exchanges), virtual exchanges can be an excellent way for students to create a product together. Last spring, our students researched migration flows between two countries of their choice, and then created podcasts that described the push and pull factors, art and literature that addressed the issue, and then created podcasts. Each group had two students from India, one from Poland, and two from the US. To prepare students, I had each one take the Strengths Finder test, a business strengths test, and then formed groups based on their results so that each group knew they had a balanced set of talents and needed every member. This interdisciplinary approach included tech, computer, geography and research curriculuar goals as well as creating texts for diverse audiences. They figured out how to collaborate across time zones, were able to ask each other questions about what was happening in each other's countries during the pandemic, and they presented their projects to each school head. We even made the news in India!
The virtual exchange idea is a really good one - there are a lot of opportunities in this area. I would like to see more emphasis on learning a foreign language in these modules. It can be difficult and is time consuming, but we cannot expect the rest of the world to speak English. We have the opportunity to appreciate the true diversitiy of the world when we learn to communicate in other languages.
To integrate global collaboration into my courses, I'll first connect with educators from different countries to establish partnerships. Together, we'll design collaborative assignments that require students from various locations to work together using digital tools. I'll provide guidance to ensure effective communication and respect for cultural differences. By incorporating global collaboration, students will gain teamwork skills and a broader perspective on global issues.
