Collaborative Skills Developed in Collaborative Online International Learning as a Multivariate Research Subject

Abstract

When attending Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), professors and students engage in synchronous teaching-oriented activities with telecommunication technologies to foster knowledge exchange and cross-cultural professional skills. COIL is crucial in promoting student collaboration, making it a desirable research subject that matches quality education as a sustainable goal. Here, we illustrate some challenges for applied researchers who promote COIL-based innovations. We examined the psychometric structure of a collaboration scale in a COIL experience with a small sample of 65 attendees from Colombia and Ecuador, two Latin American developing countries. The study found that COIL experiences effectively foster collaboration skills, measured through the Transactive Memory System (TMS) framework, emphasizing expertise, credibility, and coordination. In a COIL environment between Colombia and Ecuador, they learned collaboratively in an interdisciplinary formative research educational experience. The results of the collaboration measurement demonstrated the potential to integrate research-based learning with collaborative learning methodologies in global educational contexts. We discuss the implications for educators and policymakers seeking to enhance student collaboration and foster meaningful interactions in online learning environments.