Internet Learning Volume 3, Number 2, Fall 2014 | Page 71

Integrating Global Collaboration
play. Our Academic year begins in September
and end in April of the following year
with a 3-week Christmas vacation between
semesters. SZPT has an Academic year that
begins in September and ends in July with
a one-month break for Chinese New Year
between their semesters. As well we both
had differing National holidays during our
academic year. We both identified the October/November
timeframe as the optimal
time for the Collaboration. The first roll out,
therefore, was October 2012 with a deadline
for the projects on the first week of December
2012.
The project was assigned, the work
teams established and the students went
to work. In order to gather data regarding
the effectiveness of the experiment Jerry
surveyed his students before and after the
project. Humber did not but, kept in almost
daily contact with the Humber students and
after reviewing the SZPT surveys the results
were surprisingly similar for both student
groups.
What we learned from the students
before the first project was initiated:
• Both groups were very concerned
about language differences.
• From the Chinese perspective, 95%
of the students about to take part in
the project did not see an opportunity
to use English to communicate.
• Both groups were moderately (38%)
to very confident (19%) they could
complete the project,
• Neither group had any knowledge of
the other’s culture though the Humber
cohort did include a few Chinese
students.
Upon completion of the project
SZPT surveyed the cohort and, again, the
results between the two institutions were
remarkably similar.
• Close to 78% of the students felt the
project completed by their groups ran
smoothly.
• The main obstacles encountered were
Language, Time Zone, Communication
methods and project Coordination
were the top four. Culture, teamwork,
skill and technical issues were
below the previous four obstacles.
• 80% of the students said they would
participate in future collaborations.
One added dimension to this project
became evident after the Humber students
graduated. A number of them reported
that, during employment interviews, prospective
employers recognized the value of
the project on the student’s resume and, in
a couple of instances, was a primary factor
in the student’s subsequent employment. It
anecdotally supports our contention that
globalization requires collaboration and
Global Collaborative Experience is gaining
traction among employers.
The 2013 Project
In certain respects the student experience
with the collaboration wasn’t as
positive as the previous year. As the
project progressed through the October/
November timeframe, the Humber students
were discovering the enthusiasm and
commitment levels of their SZPT partners
were declining. In a November conversation
with Jerry, when I became concerned,
I learned there had been a policy change at
SZPT regarding the academic credit where
it was now regarded as extracurricular. This
could be regarded as fatal to the experiment
but, instead, it adds one of the most important
data points to any academic institutions
considering instituting a similar program:
If students don’t have “something at stake”
–marks, academic credit- the incentive for
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