This presentation makes a case for going beyond the screen during creative virtual exchanges and the value of multimedia and multisensory learning in this space.

1. DR. DENIELLE J. EMANS
Co-PI of ORBIT LABS
Assistant Professor
Roger Williams University
KELLY MURDOCH-KITT
Co-PI of ORBIT LABS
Associate Professor
University of Michigan
making a case for going
beyond the screen during
creative virtual exchanges
MULTIMEDIA & MULTISENSORY INTERNATIONAL LEARNING:

2. DR. DENIELLE J. EMANS
Co-PI of ORBIT LABS
Assistant Professor
Roger Williams University
KELLY MURDOCH-KITT
Co-PI of ORBIT LABS
Associate Professor
University of Michigan
making a case for going
beyond the screen during
creative virtual exchanges
MULTIMEDIA & MULTISENSORY INTERNATIONAL LEARNING:

4. Our research examines a type of
learning called virtual exchange (VE)
or COIL, which stands for:
Collaborative
Online
International—we prefer intercultural!
Learning

5. What happens when students learn to collaborate
and, ultimately, imagine solutions to global
challenges through international virtual exchange?

6. 1. decreased motivation
2. oversaturation
3. diminished reflective capability
4. reduced creativity
Four critical challenges of
a purely virtual exchange

7. decreased motivation
Without less social presence
embedded in learning activities,
there is often disconnection,
distrust, and lack of motivation
among team members.
1

8. oversaturation
Because certain digital tools require more
effort to convey social presence, they can
also be taxing and stressful to use.
Students (and faculty) can become overwhelmed
by the cognitive and emotional energy demands
of certain platforms, like videoconferencing.
2

9. diminished
reflective capability
Group processing and the decompression space
that happens in distinct classroom spaces often
naturally occur with in-person learning.
There is value in helping students cultivate an
individual reflective practice in virtual
collaborations and creating time and space
for them to pause and reflect.
Additionally, language barriers can be stressful
and can benefit from pause/reflection time to
ease the pressure of response time.
3

10. reduced creativity
When produced in a purely remote instructional
environment, using only digital tools, IDC student
projects are often less sophisticated and polished.
Other researchers exploring the intersection of
remote/digital vs. in-person/tactile creative
practices, such as Shen and Sanders, note that,
in their study of co-creation modalities, purely
digital methods of creation and expression
“haven’t shown the same levels of creativity
and elaboration as the hand-drawn ones.”
4

11. Re-introducing multimedia & multisensory for COIL

12. Boundary objects can be physical objects
that generate shared understanding across
diverse teams and disciplinary boundaries.

14. The medium
is still the message
—and the motivation

15. visual thinking methods
The process of translating thoughts or ideas into pictures, diagrams, or other visual forms

18. ➔ Learn to create equitable team
structures to promote a better sense
of cultural learning and exchange
➔ Facilitate more inclusive conversations
and interactions among teammates to
foster trust and a stronger sense of
connection with teammates
➔ Supplement verbal communication with
visual communication to overcome
language barriers in order to achieve
higher satisfaction with the collaboration
multimedia & multisensory
international learning

19. ➔ Move past the minimization of
differences to discuss deeper topics
➔ Learn to discuss and embrace
contrasting perspectives
➔ Reflect on personal growth through
the experience of working with others
➔ Increase capacity to work together on
complex problems (social/global issues)
multimedia & multisensory
international learning

21. 55 145
IDI: Intercultural Development Inventory
70 85 100 115 130
}
1 stage on the continuum = 15 points
6–12 months via in-person cultural
learning to move forward one stage
MONOCULTURAL MINDSET INTERCULTURAL MINDSET

22. 55 145
88.7
IDI: Intercultural Development Inventory
1 stage on the continuum = 15 points
6–12 months of in-person cultural
learning to move forward one stage
70 100 115 130
85
MONOCULTURAL MINDSET INTERCULTURAL MINDSET

23. 55 145
IDI: Intercultural Development Inventory
1 stage on the continuum = 15 points
6–12 months of in-person cultural
learning to move forward one stage
96.2
70 115 130
85 100
MONOCULTURAL MINDSET INTERCULTURAL MINDSET

24. 55 145
IDI: Intercultural Development Inventory
1 stage on the continuum = 15 points
6–12 months of in-person cultural
learning to move forward one stage
96.2
half stage on the continuum = 7.5 points
after only 3.5 months of COIL!
70 115 130
85 100
MONOCULTURAL MINDSET INTERCULTURAL MINDSET

25. Denielle J. Emans
demans@rwu.edu
Kelly M. Murdoch-Kitt
kmmk@umich.edu
bit.ly/interculturalbook
Discount code: EFL02