Allison Freed
University of Central Arkansas, United States
Dr. Allison Freed earned her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology at Michigan State University. Over the last sixteen years, she has taught high school science, special education, resource science, as well as undergraduate and graduate teacher education courses. Her teaching and research interests are focused on using technology to build global competence and international partnerships through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) experiences and humanizing online learning spaces through technology tools and the Community of Inquiry instructional design model.
“COIL has been a transformative bridge for my students, allowing them to gain essential global competencies without leaving the classroom. There is a unique joy in seeing their eyes light up the moment they realize they’ll be collaborating with an international partner. For my pre-service teachers, combining COIL with study abroad builds a true ‘global learning readiness’ that they carry into their future careers ensuring they can support a diverse student body and effectively bring the world to their own future students. Beyond the classroom, these virtual exchanges have been personally and institutionally rewarding, offering endless potential for internationalizing our campus through meaningful, lasting partnerships.”
Project #1 Information
Project Name: Digital Citizenship and Blended Learning
Partner: Celia O’Hagan, Stranmillis Unviersity College (Northern Ireland)
Project Length: 8 weeks
Modality: Synchronous & Asynchronous
Technology Tools Utilized: Padlet, Canva, Zoom
UN Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education; Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
Project Summary:
The project utilized a blend of synchronous and asynchronous formats to help graduate students navigate digital citizenship and design thinking in K-12 settings. Working together, students critiqued and refined projects aimed at fostering these specific skill sets in K-12 students.
Learning Outcomes:
- The ability to recognize and evaluate one’s own cultural biases while meaningfully engaging with the perspectives of others.
- Collaborating effectively in a team that is geographically and culturally dispersed.
Project #2 Information
Project Name: Bridging Cultures Through STEM: Philippines & USA
Partner: Craig Refugio, Negros Oriental State University (Philippines)
Project Length: 6 weeks
Modality: Synchronous & Asynchronous
Technology Tools Utilized: Padlet, Zoom
UN Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-Being; Quality Education; Clean Water and Sanitation; Affordable and Clean Energy; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Responsible Consumption and Production; Climate Action; Life Below Water; Life on Land
Project Summary:
This project utilized a hybrid of synchronous and asynchronous engagement, bringing pre-service teachers together to analyze STEAM in the News through the lens of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Beyond technical content, the exchange facilitated critical dialogues on cultural nuances, PISA performance metrics, and global readiness. The experience culminated in a collaborative peer-review cycle, where students designed, presented, and refined lesson plans based on international feedback.
Learning Outcomes:
- Analyzing how a Education is practiced differently in another country.
- Developing the dispositions (curiosity, flexibility) needed to function in a diverse global environment.
Project #3 Information
Project Name: Disruptive Technology and the Classroom
Partner: Carlos Andrés Hernández Alamillo, Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico)
Project Length: 6 weeks
Modality: Synchronous & Asynchronous
Technology Tools Utilized: Padlet, Video, Canva, Google Suite
UN Sustainable Development Goals: Quality Education; Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure; Reduced Inequalities; Partnerships for the Goals
Project Summary:
This interdisciplinary COIL partnership bridged a graduate-level course in Online Teaching and Media Development with undergraduate Business students from Tec de Monterrey. Centered on the theme of disruptive technology and digital inequity, the project utilized a client-consultant model: graduate students presented authentic ‘problems of practice,’ for which the undergraduate partners developed innovative, technology-driven solutions. Collaborating primarily through asynchronous channels, students navigated the complexities of access and equity in a global digital landscape.
Learning Outcomes:
- Adapting communication styles (verbal and non-verbal) to ensure clarity across language barriers or cultural norms.
- Collaborating effectively in a team that is geographically and culturally dispersed.