From Myopia to Global Vision via International Collaboration

Abstract

One effective strategy to prepare students to be successful participants in a globalized world is the use of online collaborative projects with students from other countries. New technologies and new opportunities for such collaboration may reshape teaching practices in unexpected ways. Three challenges need to be addressed for such projects to be successful: the specific circumstances of the classes, the structure and patterns of team interactions, and the technologies for collaboration. These challenges can be addressed through careful student preparation, well-designed assignments, monitoring of student progress, and a vision of the workplace of the future.