Collaborative Virtual Exchange
The University of New Mexico (UNM) is committed to encouraging and supporting the development and implementation of Collaborative Virtual Exchange (CoVE) as a format for experiential cross-cultural learning.
CoVE, also referred to as virtual exchange or COIL, is a new teaching and learning paradigm that promotes the development of intercultural competence across shared multicultural learning environments. Through the use of Internet-based tools and innovative online pedagogies, CoVE fosters meaningful exchanges between university-level teachers and students with peers in geographically distant locations and from different lingua- cultural backgrounds.
Our method links a class at The University of New Mexico with one at a college or university abroad. Courses are co-equal and team-taught by educators who collaborate to develop a shared syllabus that emphasizes experiential and collaborative student-centered learning. In most cases students are enrolled, charged tuition, and awarded grades only at their home institution. While the international component of the course takes place solely online, the individual courses may be fully online or, more often, are offered in blended formats with traditional face-to-face sessions taking place at both schools.
Getting Started
The Global Education Office (GEO) is here to support your efforts and provide guidance as you navigate your journey into a new way of teaching and learning. Because every CoVE course is as unique as its instructors, content, and students, there is no single path to a successful collaboration. Institutional resources, cultural contexts, and instructor relationships vary from course to course, making resourcefulness and creativity essential parts of the planning process. To help you get started, we’ve provided a list of common questions as you begin planning. Why should I consider CoVE as a teaching method? CoVE courses are an excellent way to internationalize your curriculum by facilitating a cross-cultural dialogue that brings a global dimension to your course content. Such courses create a globally networked learning space where students can deepen their understanding of themselves and your academic discipline. Online collaboration builds lasting bridges for teachers and students alike through team-taught courses that promote international education and create a memorable learning experience. What courses are good candidates for CoVE? Any existing course with international relevance can be adapted for CoVE, or you may have an entirely new idea for a course especially suited for CoVE. In either case, CoVE courses are specifically designed to link students who have different cultural and geophysical perspectives and experiences. Co-instructors of a typical online course strive to engage students from different parts of the world as they move through the learning material together. How long should a CoVE course be? Either full-semester (16-week) or half-semester (8-week) classes are suitable for CoVe. Online collaborations of less than 4 weeks are not recommended as it takes time for students to develop trust, but shorter modules of 4-6 weeks may be feasible. Typical CoVE courses follow the academic calendar of the partner institutions. The key point is that while course content and length do not need to change dramatically for a successful CoVE collaboration, your delivery of the content will need to accommodate an international and online component. How can I find an international partner? Your CoVE teaching partner is an essential key to a successful collaboration and a critical aspect of your planning process. Do you already have an international colleague in mind? If so, make sure you both have a plan for addressing the complexities of working across time zones, cultures, and perhaps even language. If your goals are aligned and you have established mutual trust, you are in a good position to start the co-planning process. If you don’t have a partner, many CoVE instructors find partners through their existing network of colleagues, through colleagues they meet at professional conferences, or through their institution’s network of partner institutions. If you don’t have someoneimmediately in mind, GEO may be able to support you in this process through its international network. Once I have an international partner, how do we start planning our collaborative course? The Faculty Guide for COIL Course Development created by the SUNY Global Center is an excellent resource for you and your partner as you start planning your collaboration. You can find it under the “Links & Resources” tab on this page. The Working Together section in this guide is especially helpful, as it provides eight tables with guiding questions that you both can use to gather key information for your planning and discussions. They recommend you and your partner complete the table questions individually and then arrange to discuss each item until you have a shared vision about how you will proceed. Is there funding available to support my CoVE efforts at UNM? GEO has limited funding available for UNM faculty who successfully complete a CoVE course with an international partner institution or organization. Funds are issued as a one-time payment to the UNM faculty member upon completion of the course. You can find more information and the application guidelines in the Faculty Funding document under the “Links & Resources” tab on this page. Who can I contact at UNM for additional support? UNM faculty members who have completed successful international online collaborations are listed under the “UNM Faculty & Courses” tab on this page. You may wish to consult them for guidance. You may also contact GEO for assistance using the contact information provided under the “Contact Us” tab on this page.If you are a faculty member interested in Collaborative Online Virtual Exchange (CoVE) at UNM, you’re in the right place!
Links & Resources
More information about virtual exchange:
Expanding virtual exchange and COIL opportunities to enhance students’ intercultural and professional skills.
PIC-AMERICAS provides faculty training, networking, and mentorship to strengthen institutional COIL programs.
The J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute. Created in 2015, the Initiative is committed to helping expand the virtual exchange field through three pillars of work: Advocacy, Investment, and Knowledge Hub.
A non-profit advancing virtual exchange through research, professional development, conferences, and an online collaboration platform.More information for UNM faculty:
This informative guide created by the SUNY Global Center is designed for faculty who have decided (or are in the process of deciding) to collaborate with an institution in another country to set up a COIL course.
GEO has limited funding available for UNM faculty who successfully complete a CoVE course with an international partner institution or organization.
UNM Faculty/Courses
Hart Lewis Special Education American University in Dubai Teaching of Reading to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students: K-8 Heather Sweetser Emma Trentman Abdullah Serag Arabic National School of Business and Management in Dakhla, Ibn Zohr University Intermediate Arabic I Intensive Eric Hamke Ramiro Jordan Electrical & Computer Engineering American University in Dubai Engineering Senior Design Project Lucio Lanucara Anderson School of Management Zayed University Introduction to Culture and Society, World Cinemas and Critical Thinking Achraf Noureddine Chemical & Biological Engineering American University in Dubai Calculus for Engineers Antonio Humphreys Sánchez Anderson School of Management Autonomous University of Chihuahua International Marketing Strategy for Small BusinessUNM Faculty
UNM Department
Partner Institution
Course Title
Contact Us
If you are looking for an international faculty partner or would like to learn more about CoVE, please contact us! Dr. Sue Wilder, Global Programs Manager (swilder@unm.edu) Sara Gutierrez, Faculty-Led International Program Coordinator (sagutierrez@unm.edu).
