INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIVE eLEARNING TO ADVANCE SOCIAL AWARENESS

摘要

Advances in internet access and recent Web 2.O technologies are rapidly increasing opportunities for universities to collaborate in international eLearning. This study of a collaboration between universities in North and Latin America focuses on sustainable eLearning in international settings. The study considers: 1) how technology and pedagogy can be used to enrich social interaction and learning, 2) strategies and technologies for engaging students in collaborating on international issues of mutual interest, 3) understanding how the quality of relationships can improve learning, 4) institutional issues and barriers related to implementing coursework, certifications and academic programs across international institutions. This study found that international collaborations benefited more from "Any Place but Same Time" teleconferencing communications, as compared to relying solely of asynchronous email or threaded discussions for collaborative projects. Participants reported that strategies that scaffold activities by beginning with clearly stated problems and achievable common goals, such as locating and ranking relevant web resources, contribute to richer collaborations.