ABSTRACT
Several adverse consequences resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. These have affected academia at many levels, including mandatory requirements for educators and students worldwide to switch to remote online learning or blended learning. This need exacerbated new technology and software learning to maintain proper communication and student engagement during online lectures. For instructors, these demands included learning how to use software to produce high-quality lessons, either in a pre-recorded format for asynchronous learning or through live online lectures for synchronous learning. For students, it meant rapid adaptability to learn video teleconferencing communication tools and a demand to keep up with multiple courses and learning management systems (LMS). Nonetheless, this accelerated learning of online communication tools bridges a technology gap that previously limited online international education. Students and instructors worldwide are now familiar with online connectivity tools;thus, it is essential to review potential opportunities to increase collaborative learning and education, particularly at an international level. In the past, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) programs provided stewardship to global learning experiences at many universities worldwide. Broadly, these should cover four significant aspects: (a) collaborations with students in other countries with other backgrounds and cultures, (b) engagement through online interactions for assignment completion or lectures, (c) development and assessment of students' global perspectives and competencies, and a (d) reflective aspect of learning and education. This study reviews previous COIL implementations in the literature, emphasizing chemical engineering and other STEM courses. To our knowledge, COIL implementations are widespread in social sciences;however, few reports highlight these practices in engineering courses. We review perspectives, methodologies, challenges, and resources needed for positive and long-lasting COIL implementations here. In addition, we offer a plan to implement a short-term COIL-based project in a chemical engineering course with faculty participants from the US and El Salvador. Any engineering educators planning to implement COIL activities can use these suggestions. Ultimately, this low-cost pedagogy could significantly aid in promoting cultural, technical, and global competence in engineering students in the next post-pandemic years. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.
ABSTRACT
Active and collaborative learning strategies are well-known for engaging and motivating students in chemical engineering courses. However, the unexpected transition to online teaching modalities due to the COVID-19 global pandemic presented instructors with an additional burden to maintain an active learning modality while teaching remotely. This work's primary goal is to evaluate the implementation of active learning techniques for asynchronous and synchronous online teaching, including hyflex teaching delivered to junior-level students in a fluid flow and heat transfer course. For asynchronous teaching, the authors highlight the use of open-source video recording software to produce high-quality videos with the example of filling in a traditional handouts-with-gaps lecture while displaying the instructor's face. Student teams recorded videos using the video conferencing tool Zoom to solve open-ended problem assignments while studying remotely. For synchronous or hyflex teaching, the instructor implemented two well-established active learning techniques: Jigsaw and multiple-choice quizzes. Empirical surveys assessed the students' interest in these activities, and results showed positive outcomes for online collaborative experiences. Qualitative student feedback also revealed a few negative points and is discussed throughout the text. Overall, the tools and techniques presented can apply to other engineering courses or traditional in-person lectures. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2021