Mahboubeh Rakhshandehroo
Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts
About
I received my Ph.D. in Transformative Education from Osaka University. I am currently an assistant professor at Doshisha Women's College of Liberal Arts. I am also the ICLHE RG&SIG coordinator, and EliPro Japan's EMI&GE coordinator. My research interests include English-Medium Instruction (EMI) student support, Global Englishes (GE), Intercultural Competence (IC), Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), and Sustainable Internationalization.Sessions
Presentation When Virtual Collaboration Prevails and Fails more
This presentation examines where digital tools succeeded and failed in facilitating a COIL program. Reflective reports from 40 students across three Japanese universities (n=23), one German university (n=10), and one Ukrainian university (n=7) were thematically analyzed. This was part of a broader COIL project including additional Japanese universities and institutions in Indonesia and the Philippines. Students collaborated via Zoom, social media (WhatsApp, Instagram), and Google Docs. Despite virtual interaction, the majority demonstrated measurable intercultural growth using Bennett's DMIS framework, with technology enabling participation. However, some struggled with asynchronous platforms, experiencing failed group chats, coordination gaps, and reduced emotional connection compared to in-person interaction. Almost all students identified English proficiency as the primary barrier, but manifestations of this barrier varied across cultures in technology-mediated contexts. Ukrainian students transformed fear of imperfect digital English into confident expression. Japanese students’ high-context communication norms clashed with direct digital communication, yet similarly, they developed English confidence. German students navigated between their low-context directness and accommodating partners from high-context cultures, demonstrating adaptive strategies. This study argues that digital COIL design must address how cultural patterns intersect with providing differentiated support and platforms, while recognizing that CALL competence encompasses cultural-technological adaptation alongside linguistic proficiency.
Panel COIL in Japan and beyond: Current status and future directions more
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), defined by Rubin (2022) as a type of collaborative online exchange embedded in existing courses at educational institutions in different geographical regions, increased in popularity in Japan during the COVID19 pandemic as an alternative to study abroad programs. This panel of COIL practitioners and researchers focuses on the state of COIL in Japan and beyond, discussing how we can ensure COIL prevails as a sustainable pedagogical approach. The panelists share the principles underpinning their COIL projects and address the challenges they have encountered in adapting COIL to fit their contexts. Furthermore, they discuss benefits for COIL practitioners and students, and share best practices for COIL sustainability. Specifically, Oana Cusen provides the background to COIL in Japan and discusses the current challenges COIL faces. Elizabeth Lavolette shares warnings and encouragement based on her failures and successes. Mahboubeh Rakhshandehroo and Kristin Ziegner-Llewellin examine lessons learned from their three-year Japan-Germany COIL partnership. Finally, Matthew Claflin discusses working on the borders of COIL, while Keiji Fujimura introduces a different style of COIL project. The panel concludes with a moderated Q&A session, during which the audience is invited to share their COIL experiences as we consider future directions together.
