Panel Virtual exchange & COIL
COIL in Japan and beyond: Current status and future directions
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.
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aka Elizabeth, aka Kyosan Betsy Professor, Faculty of Foreign Studies, Kyoto Sangyo University https://betsylavolette.com/
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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.
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Keiji Fujimura, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at Aichi Institute of Technology, Japan, specializing in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and curriculum development in higher education. His research focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of active learning models that integrate project-based learning, meeting-oriented classroom practices, and international collaboration. He has led multi-institutional initiatives such as the Online International Student Conference (OISC), connecting universities across Asia and Europe through digitally mediated English education. His recent work advances the concept of Operational English Proficiency (OEP), which reconceptualizes language ability as the capacity to strategically mobilize linguistic and technological resources to accomplish authentic communicative tasks in AI-supported learning environments.
