Rethinking Virtual Exchange: Aligning Frameworks with Learning Outcomes

Virtual exchange (VE) is an innovative educational approach that enables students to engage with peers across different cultures, locales, and time zones to complete coursework, all under the supervision of an educator (O’Dowd, 2018). Nowadays, the development of a global mindset and the promotion of internationalization are essential metrics for assessing the performance of business schools globally. Therefore, VE initiatives play a crucial role in equipping students with the competencies necessary to succeed in international business environments (Cheng, Adekola, Shah & Valyrakis, 2018). Despite its growing importance, there remains a notable gap in the research concerning the underlying framework of VE and its impact on the learning outcomes of business students. This qualitative study is set to explore the influence of different VE models (PRECOIL versus COIL) on student learning outcomes within business programmes. Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) typically spans 4 to 8 weeks and includes ice-breaking activities, collaborative tasks, and reflection sessions. PRE-COIL represents a more informal engagement with foreign partners. During PRE-COIL, students convene to brainstorm topic content, aiming to enrich their understanding with diverse cultural perspectives. This research will provide insights to the academic community to creatively expand beyond traditional COIL methodologies to potentially include a PRE-COIL framework, contingent on desired learning outcomes.

This qualitative study involved conducting focus group interviews with business students in Hong Kong who had previously participated in two distinct virtual exchange frameworks: PRE-COIL and COIL. The first group comprised university students from Hong Kong and the US. The second group included university students from Hong Kong, the US, and Brazil.

The thematic analysisof our study centered on two core themes: content knowledge, and team effectiveness. On the theme of content knowledge, both PRE-COIL and COIL participants noted a limited impact. However, the PRE-COIL approach stood out in its ability to enhance language confidence and foster an appreciation for crosscultural exchange among Hong Kong students. This model also inspires an increased sense of innovation, as students learned from their international counterparts. Focusing on team effectiveness, the COIL framework set itself apart. Participants reported that COIL’s structured collaboration with international peers provided them with more profound team-based experiences. They reflected on their progression through the five stages of team development, indicating a deeper journey of team development in the COIL environment.

Traditionally, when academics implement virtual exchange programmes, they align all tasks with the collaborating institutions, to ensure consistency. However, our findings indicate a consensus among participants from both PRECOIL and COIL groups that their engagement in VE did not directly contribute to an increase in content knowledge. Our findings also suggest that a PRE-COIL approach could foster a creative mindset and enhance language competencies. By contrast, a conventional COIL framework appears to be more suitable for courses that emphasize teamwork as a key learning outcome. This study aims to provide new insights to academia, encouraging a re-evaluation of virtual exchange frameworks to better align them with desired learning outcomes.