Step 1: Learn about virtual exchanges/COIL model on the COIL center's site.

Step 2: Attend or view the UM COIL Workshop

Step 3: Map out your virtual exchange idea.

Step 4: Identify your global partner. Contact the Global Engagement Office for assistance in identifying a partner.

Step 5:  Design your virtual exchange experience

• Work with partner to choose dates (consider school schedules, holidays, time zone differences, daylight savings time).
• Identify a shared set of learning outcomes that complement the learning outcomes of both courses. Learning outcomes should be reasonable and specific.
• Design a collaborative project that helps students achieve the identified learning outcomes.
• Determine how much of the virtual exchange should be asynchronous vs. synchronous. For synchronous sessions, make sure to take time zone differences into account.
• Determine the best learning platform for the asynchronous and synchronous sessions. If both institutions use Moodle, then determine which institution will host the Moodle page and work with the institution’s online learning team to set up a Moodle course shell and enroll participants in the course. Please note that additional costs apply for UMOnline to build and register students from partner institutions in a shadow Moodle shell. However, there are many other platforms that can be used: Box, Dropbox, Facebook, email, Google Classroom Google Drive, Skype, WhatsApp, and Zoom.  It is important to research which platforms are available for your international partner as some digital platforms and services are banned or unavailable.  For instance, Google apps and services are banned in China; this includes You Tube, Google Classroom, Google Drive, Gmail.  Consider making your course mobile-phone friendly. Make sure your platform and materials comply with digital accessibility requirements.
• Consider delivering content in smaller pieces (micro-learning).
• Determine if you will be grading students as a Whole or Individually.

Step 6: Launch your virtual exchange or entire COIL course

⇐ Return to UMOVE Home Page