Students of FNUniv and the University of Monterray, Mexico Engage through the COIL Program

At the beginning of the Winter 2024 semester, Associate Dean (Academic) Dr. Gendron introduced Dr. Sardarli to COIL coordinator Nuria Esther Flores Sotelo. Nuria offered him several courses from Mexican universities to collaborate with his STAT 100 ( Elementary Statistics for Applications) course in the COIL program. Dr. Sardarli found the Intercultural Competences course by Professor Ana Paola Melendez Jaimes from the University of Monterrey, Mexico (UDEM) the best fit for developing the COIL project. Both online courses were synchronized lectures. His students, a diverse group of young individuals, volunteered to participate in the project. Tasha-Lea Gatzke-William, Leah May Wolkosky, Christina Rose Gervais, Madison Olivia McMaster, Aishat Lawal Yakub, Fearence Marius Francis, Laniece Lerae Asapace, Agarwal Vanshita, Tunde Toheeb Folarin, Avery Denae Berezowski and Bernice Delores Lydia Sewap were very eager to learn and share their experience.

In the first two meetings, the participants introduced themselves and presented an item relating to their culture, community, or family. Then, students worked in small groups consisting of Canadian and Mexican students. Each group administered a survey to study the representation of Indigenous content in social media using fundamental statistical analysis. At the end of the Winter 2024 semester, each group submitted a written report and presented their results using a video format.

The Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) program help students develop the skills and knowledge they need to interact effectively with people from different cultures. Students work together in small groups on projects or assignments with students from another country. Professors from different institutions design and implement the COIL projects, ensuring they align with the learning objectives of their courses. COIL relies on video conferencing, online discussion forums, and other web-based tools to facilitate student communication and collaboration. Working on COIL projects, students learn about and experience different cultures firsthand through interaction with their peers. COIL projects help students develop the skills to communicate effectively with people from various backgrounds. The skills developed through COIL help prepare students for success in today’s globalized world.