ANDREW NOWLAN (KWANSEI GAKUIN UNIVERSITY)
INCREASING STUDENT EXPOSURE TO INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION THROUGH COIL : INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
During the Coronavirus pandemic, collaborative online international learning (COIL) emerged as an alternative to study abroad, yet there remains uncertainty about how COIL can complement post-pandemic curricula. In this presentation, the researcher will report on a study involving three cross-cultural COIL courses between students at a university in Japan and those studying in North America, from April 2022 to June 2023. Student participants in Japan were enrolled in an intercultural communication class in their second language (L2) of English, while the students in Canada and the United States were studying intermediate Japanese as their L2. Based on survey, journaling, and interview data received from 31 students in Japan, and employing a transcendental phenomenological research design, the researcher identified the students’ essence of experience during COIL, including improved intercultural competences and increased knowledge of the target culture, even when the L2 learning goals between institutions differed. Presentation attendees will be exposed to the perceptions of Japanese university students towards COIL and ideas for developing more effective intercultural curriculum, which may increase access to and participation in international education across global contexts, including in Thailand.
Andrew Nowlan, EdD, is an associate professor at Kwansei Gakuin University, where he teaches cultural studies and designs programs for students interested in cross-cultural experiences. His research interests include study abroad intent, COIL, and intercultural communication. He has taught language and culture in South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan.