Collaborative online international learning benefits vis-À-vis concerns: An empirical study

The paper gives an overview of some recent attempts at Maritime Studies Department (Faculty of Applied Sciences, Durban University of Technology - DUT) to introduce Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) into teaching and learning. Namely, this experimental form of knowledge generation and sharing has been recently practiced with two overseas universities, one from Mexico (Universidad de Colima - UdeC) and the other from Brazil (FATEC-Jahu-FJU). In the first case two different subjects were matched (Navigation information systems and Software Testing Methods), while in the second one, similar subjects were coupled (Electronic Navigation Systems and Navigation). The setting-up processes realized among professors, “ice breakings” made by professors and students during the first online meetings, students' team research works on creating joint projects, i.e., Google Drive PowerPoint presentations and recordings will be described in the paper, while concomitant benefits and concerns will be discussed. An original model of non-monetary return of investment when it comes to introducing and adopting this kind of teaching and learning has been proposed, as well, and tested on the basis of the variables set by the author and estimated by the professors and students at DUT.