Collaborative Online International Learning to Prepare Students for Multicultural Work Environments

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is a pedagogical approach using digital technology to provide experiential international learning without travel abroad. Through web-based, cross-country intellectual exchange, COIL helps prepare nursing students for increasingly diverse and multicultural health care work environments globally.

Opportunities to engage in multicultural learning experiences have traditionally relied on intensive study abroad trips, which can be prohibitive for students with limited fiscal resources or who are place-bound.

A COIL experience for undergraduate nursing students at universities in the United States and the Philippines was designed to fulfill academic degree program goals related to professional communication, collaborative practice, and respect for diversity.

After completing the COIL experience, students expressed valuing shared learning with peers in another country and reported gains in intercultural competence. Our efforts indicated that COIL-style endeavors provide meaningful, rewarding opportunities to engage with others across borders, while enhancing students' skills to relate positively to an increasingly diverse world.