Internet Learning Volume 3, Number 2, Fall 2014 | Page 70

Internet Learning
The key questions (by both universities)
during this planning phase were:
• How do we deal with differing skills
and knowledge levels and facilitate a
skill and knowledge transfer between
the students?
• How do we accommodate the inevitable
language, cultural and time differences
– 36 hours- between the two
groups?
• How do we manage academic credit?
First Steps
Not having any idea whether this
would work or how the students
would deal with collaboration, it
was decided that rather than leap into the
project with both students bodies we would
conduct a limited test to learn how the students
would work together and to identify
any potential issues requiring institution
resolution prior to a full ramp out.
In the winter of 2012, we asked
4 Humber and 4 Shenzhen Polytechnic
(SZPT) students to participate in a test. The
plan was rather simple:
1. Break into two teams comprised of 2
Humber students and two SZPT students.
2. Produce a collaborative web site within
the space of 3 weeks.
3. Step back and watch the students
work.
What we learned from this was:
• the students required minimal guidance
from the institutions. They contacted
each other and went to work.
• though we provided the two groups
with Adobe Connect accounts, the
students relied more on SSM, Skype
and email than the Connect software.
• language issues were resolved by the
students once they discovered such
services as Google Translate and Babelfish
were more hindrance than
help.
• the students identified the skill levels
in the groups and assigned duties accordingly.
The two groups completed their
projects on time and each told us it was a
unique experience that should be pursued
further. At this point, Jerry and I reported
the results to our respective Deans with
the recommendation that the Collaborative
Project proceed. Our Deans both agreed
with our recommendation and it was determined
the first Global Collaboration would
be launched in the 2012 Academic Year.
The reason for such a long period between
test and launch was due to Jerry and
I carefully balancing what we had learned
with the student course loads. There were
differing skill levels between the two cohorts,
which had to be identified and adapted
to.
We also spent time wrestling with
Academic credit. This was an interesting
problem considering SZPT is a degree
granting institution and Humber is a Community
College offering two-year diploma
level practical programs. On top of the academic
and cultural differences there were
institutional and governmental differences
that had to be accommodated. After 6 weeks
of trying to accommodate the various institutional
and governmental needs, Jerry and
I suggested that each institution apply its
academic credits criteria to their respective
student cohorts. Both Deans readily agreed
to this solution.
The next issue was when to initiate
the program. Again cultural difference and
vastly different academic years came into
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