International Collaboration
“Information Structures for the Web” (IUPUI) and “Orientation to Digital Services” (Haaga-Helia) came together in the Spring 2021 semester to collaborate in a Global Classroom initiative. This Global Classroom included students from Finland, Russia, Pakistan, Kenya, Nepal, South Africa, Germany, Chile, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Students in William Helling’s course (Information Structures for the Web) partnered with students in Kasper Valtakari's course (Orientation to Digital Services); 10 IUPUI students worked with 11 Haaga-Helia students. HH students were added to the IUPUI Canvas course as students via their IU guest accounts where they see lectures and submit assignment just like the IUPUI students.
Global Classroom Themes
Each group was asked to react to a basic theme for this Global Classroom initiative: in a collaborative session the students discussed what sorts of themes would be relevant and appropriate for a Global Classroom, eventually deciding on "culture, background, assimilation, and diversity;" features and commonalities that students share.
Web Design & Digital Services
All students covered principles, methods, and techniques to develop web sites and digital services. This course emphasizes the work needed to create valid, accessible, and usable information displays for a global audience. Such effort requires development in both technical as well as conceptual skills.
Information delivery today is most often through a screen of some sort, whether it be a desktop monitor, a tablet, a smartphone, or other device. Students need to know how users receive that information and what must be done to accommodate them. Native-English speakers and those who work in English as their second language will combine their insights in international communication. Through collaboration in a multi-cultural environment, students become aware of their own cultural bias and tendencies.
Timetable
The first 6-7 weeks were spent on introductions, getting familiar with class tools, and studying basics of HTML and CSS. After this orientation, the students were divided into five groups, with a mixed representation of IUPUI + HH students. The last half of the semester these teams collaborated on their own group website. Each group had complete freedom for how they wanted to create their website, as long as it adhered to the technical standards for HTML, CSS, and accessibility. The website was required to be responsive and thus suitable for any device.
Students used these main tools to collaborate: Slack, GitHub, LinkedIn. Some groups used additional tools such as Discord and WhatsApp.
