UW Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Fellows
Critical digital literacy and virtual collaboration skills are more important than ever in tackling global challenges such as the pandemic, ideological divides and misinformation. Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) offers an opportunity to traverse boundaries and make the “classroom learning” experience globally connected.
COIL -also known as international virtual exchange – is a virtual exchange pedagogy that fosters global competence through development of a multicultural learning environment, linking university classes in different countries. Using both synchronous and asynchronous technologies, students from different countries complete shared assignments and projects, with instructors from each country co-teaching and managing coursework.
Since 2014, UW COIL Fellows has been supporting faculty in developing and implementing COIL modules in their courses with structured training, a community of practice and a stipend. The goal is to integrate COIL throughout the UW curriculum, and make this local form of global engagement, which doesn’t necessitate travel, a regular part of UW’s academic offerings.
2023-2024 COIL Fellows
The application deadline closed Wednesday, November 30, 2022.
Virtual exchange has become a key part of the University of Washington’s global engagement strategy. Building on several years of collaboration between the Bothell and Tacoma campuses, the 2023-2024 COIL Fellows will be, for the first time, a tri-campus program.
The program spans two years. The first portion (Winter-Spring 2023) focuses on course development and the second (Summer 2023-Summer 2024 and beyond) focuses on implementation. We’ve learned that it takes about a year to identify a suitable course, connect with an international partner and plan out the COIL modules together before a collaborative course can be implemented. We also repeatedly hear from previous COIL Fellows that running their course a second time is much more fulfilling: building on strengths and refining what didn’t work well, without the significant start-up effort required the first time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Faculty of all ranks and from all schools, who teach at the UW full-time and are interested in developing a course collaboration with an international partner during 2023 and/or 2024.
The application deadline closed Wednesday, November 30, 2022.
The application is completed online and includes the following components:
About the applicant: Name(s), faculty appointment/ title, department/ school, campus, e-mail, link to online CV.
About the proposed course: Working course/project title, UW course number, and quarter when the course would be implemented.
Short responses addressing:
- Description of (desired) international partner: country or region of the world, area of focus, level of students. Include a brief history of any contact or discussions to date with potential partner(s), if applicable. Partners do not have to be identified at the time of application.
- The applicants’ interests and goals for developing a COIL experience, including the impact of COIL modules on student learning and engagement.
- Anticipated challenges in project development and implementation.
- Any prior experience with COIL (optional).
Endorsement from Dean or Division Chair showing support for the COIL-enhanced course as a long-term curricular offering. The endorsement aims to:
- Confirm that the applicant is set to teach the proposed course or approved to be developing a new course.
- Confirm that the applicant (as opposed to another instructor) is expected/ very likely to teach the proposed course more than once. State any conditions for subsequent iterations of the course.
- Name any additional support that the school/ unit is providing or willing to provide to ensure successful implementation and continuation of the COIL project.
Proposals will be evaluated by a committee of UW faculty and staff based on:
- Commitment to internationalizing the classroom through ties with international partners.
- Clear articulation of how COIL activities will deepen student engagement and lead to improved learning outcomes, especially the development of global perspectives around course content.
- Interest in developing own intercultural competence to foster understanding and create equitable partnerships.
- Persuasive evidence that the course will be successfully implemented within the expected timeframe. Preference will be given to applicants who plan on implementing their COIL course at least twice.
Applicants were notified of their selection by the end of Autumn 2022.
Fellows are expected to:
- Actively participate in seven COIL Fellows community of practice workshops (online);
- Set up at least one 1:1 consultation;
- Complete several asynchronous assignments during Winter and Spring Quarter of the first year to deepen their understanding of COIL pedagogy, begin applying it to their own course, and cross-pollinate ideas with others;
- Begin working with their international partner to plan out their COIL module by the end of Winter Quarter;
- Attend community meetings (one or two per quarter) during the second year to allow a space for sharing progress and troubleshooting challenges.
The community of practice workshops will be facilitated by a team from Bothell, Tacoma, and Seattle including: Todd Conaway, Instructional Designer, Office of Digital Learning and Engagement, UW Bothell; Natalia Dyba, Director of Global Initiatives, UW Bothell; Chris Lott, Digital Learning Designer, UW Tacoma; Cindy Schaarschmidt, Director, Student Fellowships & Study Abroad, Office of Global Affairs, UW Tacoma; Muindi F Muindi, Senior Program Manager, Office of Global Affairs, UW Seattle.
2023-2024 COIL Fellows can expect:
- Support in developing their course content;
- Support in finding an international partner;
- Support in exploring appropriate technology tools;
- Perspectives and tips from previous COIL Fellows to be integrated into asynchronous materials in Canvas and some community of practice meetings.
A $1,200 stipend will be paid out as a salary supplement in two installments:
- $600 upon completion of the course development stage, which include active participation in the community of practice, COIL partnership worksheet and course syllabus;
- $600 during the quarter that the COIL course is taught. Funds can be used for supplies, professional development, and travel expenses related to the COIL collaboration*.
*For self or international partner.