University of Leeds-Adelphi University COIL Exercise
15 Students from the school of Politics and International Studies recently undertook a co-curricular COIL with 20 students from Adelphi University in the USA. Following a structure created by Prof. Robert Saunders, the Adephi link, students first arranged a virtual meeting to introduce themselves. In this meetings students shared some key personal information which other before agreeing on the shared task.
The task was connected to the content of modules in Leeds and Long Island which focused on local social, environmental, and/or political issue. Students were tasked with comparing the UK (Leeds/West Yorkshire) and US (Long Island) around one of 4 topics: inequality; climate Change; Political Engagement and Conflict and War. Topics researched included prevalence of hate crime and the causes of inequality.
“One of the most interesting aspects of the experience was recognising how similar many of the outcomes were despite the different national contexts. Both Leeds and Long Island demonstrated clear inequalities linked to deprivation, access to healthcare, education and living conditions. This highlighted how inequality is a widespread structural issue rather than something limited to one specific country or region”, Serena, POLIS student at Leeds. Overall, I enjoyed the experience because it allowed me to hear perspectives from British students and compare them with discussions happening in the United States...I found it interesting that students from both countries recognise how social media and political rhetoric can increase polarisation and division within society'. - Hira 3-year Psychology student at Adelphi.
Team members met twice to discuss their selected issue with their opposite number(s) across the Atlantic. Each member of the team produced a short video assessing what they enjoyed about experience, what they learned from their American/British peer(s), and if their opinions about the issue in question were changed through the process of international engagement and collaboration.
Prof. Saunder’s noted that his “students were overwhelmingly positive about the experience of working with yours”. Prof. Lightfoot noted that the aims of a core module that all students from Leeds had studied was to encourage team work and collaboration and to investigate and propose solutions to global challenges. ‘The opportunity to discuss global challenges with students in a different country really added an international dimension to the education these students receive at Leeds”.
