INTRODUCTION
Recently we have witnessed a wave of interest in online collaborative learning, which reflects current trends in globalized and highly networked and interconnected world. Numerous research studies provide insights into how to structure and teach collaborative groups online as well as how to research and analyze these online processes (see, for example, Koschmann, 2002; Garrison, 2011; Shear et at., 2010). As schools and universities embrace the concept of internationalization, the questions of cross-cultural online learning and intercultural online communication also attract much scholarly attention (Sadykova, 2014; Starke-Meyerring & Wilson, 2008).This exploratory case study examines students’ learning experiences in collaborative online intercultural (cross-cultural) learning (COIL). Particularly, the research focuses on the students’ perspectives on the value of such international projects that involve groups of students from different learning programs and different cultures. While some studies agree that collaborative online learning enables active student-to-student interaction that positively affects learning outcomes (McInnerney & Roberts, 2009), little is still known how students themselves assess their learning experiences and what they see as COIL advantages and shortcomings.Collaborative learning is generally defined as a model of learning which “takes place in situations where emphasis is placed on student-to-student interaction in the learning process, and the instructor’s role becomes that of a facilitator (a “guide-on-the-side”)” (McInnerney & Roberts, 2009: 326). Online collaborative learning, also referred to as computer-supported collaborative learning, online cooperative learning and online group work, has also been demonstrated as conducive of active peer-to-peer interaction that may result in co-construction of knowledge (Hiltz & Goldman, 2005). When such learning environment is infused with the concept of internationalization, one deals with collaborative online international (or cross-cultural) learning.METHODSThe research was designed as an exploratory case study that involved students engaged into an online collaborative project named The Power of Media. This COIL project united instructors and students from a large state university in the USA, a small private university in Lithuania and a large federal university in Russia. A 6-week online module, developed specifically for this project, was integrated into students’ regular curricular (an online graduate course for US students majoring in education, a face-to-face undergraduate course for Lithuanian students majoring in media, and a face-to-face graduate course for Russian students majoring in English). While the online collaborative module engaged 49 students, only 25 students (10 – USA, 9 – Lithuania, 6 – Russia) agreed to participate in the study and completed a survey (51% response rate). Participants had English language proficiency levels from upper-intermediate students to native speakers and all activities were done in English.The module The Power of Media was integrated into a fully online course developed in a Blackboard platform and hosted by the US university. It included three major activities:1. an introductory discussion “Media & I” where students discussed their media habits and contemplated about how they understand their individual culture;2. three asynchronous discussions based on video materials related to the power of media(Media & Reality, Media & Gender Issues, Media & Violence);3. TV advertisement critiques where students selected and analyzed a TV advertisement of their choice.At the end of the course twenty-five participants completed a questionnaire consisting of 4 close-ended and 1 open-ended questions. One of the Russian students was further interviewed by a researcher.The data collected was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively.
