Interdisciplinary · Virtual exchange
A shared first-year course across two countries
Two institutions, two disciplines and one shared course website, years before “virtual exchange” had a name.
- The challenge
- First-year students in two countries studied the same public issues from two disciplines.
- Audience
- Political science students at Miyazaki International College (now Miyazaki International University). Sociology students at York County Technical College (now York County Community College) in Maine.
- My role
- Designed the exchange. Wrote the website code and taught students to code. Co-taught with Dr. Kiyohiko Toyama and Dr. Cindy Lahar.
- Tools
- HTML/CSS
- Course website
- Shared textbook
- Video
01The challenge
Political science students at Miyazaki International College (now Miyazaki International University) and sociology students at York County Technical College (now York County Community College) in Maine needed a reason to work together across an ocean.
02The approach
Both classes shared one website and one textbook. Students researched public issues together. They presented their findings in writing, speech and video.
I wrote the website code. I also taught students to code, so they could publish their own work.
03The team
I co-taught with Dr. Kiyohiko Toyama (political science) and Dr. Cindy Lahar (sociology, Maine).
04The outcome
The course led to a peer-reviewed paper:
Maggard, J. (2002). Computer-mediated communication and political science: A collaborative learning approach. Comparative Culture, 8, 119–129.