Students at the Ohio State University (OSU) are discovering possibilities for teamwork and collaboration across cultural differences as they work with peers at Izmir University of Economics (IEÜ) in Türkiye. OSU students reported that, although they faced challenges due to the 7-hour time difference and differing communication styles, they succeeded by adopting a learning mindset. One participant said, “This project challenged my preconceived notion of success and made me reconsider how communication and expectations are different in different cultures.”

As they worked across cultures, students adjusted their expectations, developed greater intercultural awareness, and reflected more critically on their own assumptions. Assignments and conversations in class allowed them to recognize their own cultural worldviews and integrate their learning. One student reflected:

“At the beginning I viewed a successful project as producing a clean, clear final report . . . .[but] success is not always defined that way, and the goal . . .  is not necessarily purely the report but the experience of the project. . . remaining flexible throughout the interactions actually taught me how to better approach teamwork."

Their professor, Dr. Danielle Schoon, has been an advocate of collaborative online international learning (COIL) at OSU for the past four years and recently led a COIL Learning Community of faculty, supported by the Office of International Affairs and the Drake Institute for Teaching and Learning. COIL is an important first step for many students looking for an international experience and gains in intercultural competence, and can prepare students or enhance education abroad. She is grateful for the support of the Department of Sociology and excited to provide this opportunity to students again in Spring 2027. 

Faculty members at both institutions are committed to providing their students with these types of opportunities. This partnership, solidified by a recently signed agreement, emphasizes student experiential learning and supports faculty in expanding collaborative activities across both institutions. Over the past year, two courses facilitated COIL experiences connecting OSU students to Izmir, Turkey, and a global perspective on their topics: Sociology of Immigration, and Global Citizenship: Turkey. 

Sociology of Immigration

In Spring 2026, Danielle Schoon, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Sociology, taught a 4-credit High Impact Practice section of SOC3200 Sociology of Immigration using COIL. SOC3200 provides a sociological understanding of contemporary migration both globally and with a particular focus on the U.S. The course examines why migration occurs, how it is sustained over time, and how immigrants are incorporated into the receiving society. The COIL component of this course provided Dr. Schoon and her students with the opportunity to collaborate online with peers at an international university, Izmir University of Economics (IEÜ).

In partnership with Prof. Dr. Hatice Deniz Yükseker Tekin (Professor, Sociology), 25 Ohio State students and 30 IEÜ students met six times in Zoom during the second half of the semester. They formed small groups that also met on their own time outside of class. Each group chose a topic related to immigration from a list of options and collaborated on the research, final report, and presentation. 

Student group research projects made comparisons between the United States and Turkey, or more specifically Columbus and Izmir. For example, one group conducted a comparative analysis of Afghan immigrant businesses on Bethel Rd in northwest Columbus and Syrian immigrant businesses in the neighborhood of Basmane in Izmir. The students found that in both contexts, migrants engage in placemaking by using affordable spaces to create support networks. By the end of the project, the students concluded, 

"In both places (Columbus and Izmir), immigrant communities play a deeply visible and transformative role, turning underused or neglected urban spaces into lively, active neighborhoods filled with economic and social energy." 

Other group research projects included topics of global relevance such as migration trends among women, the mental health of immigrant youth, refugee policies, border security, media representations of immigrants, and the impact of political narratives on public perception. 

Global Intercultural Citizenship in the Middle East: Turkey

Dr. Nathan Young’s TURK3797 course, a 4-credit Global and Intercultural Learning High Impact Practice COIL class, also brought OSU and IEÜ students together. In partnership with Associate Professor Dr. Serhun Al “Global Intercultural Citizenship in the Middle East: Turkey,” examines the histories, lived experiences, and contestations of citizenship in Türkiye, with a particular focus on urban contexts. Student projects analyzed how inclusion and exclusion are negotiated in the contexts of Columbus and Izmir.

By the end of the semester, students are expected to discuss historical and contemporary notions of citizenship in Türkiye, define and apply the concept of “the right to the city,” and analyze how belonging and exclusion are expressed through media, culture, and political discourse. They also reflect on their own sense of belonging and develop intercultural empathy and self-awareness, with intercultural development measured using the Intercultural Development Inventory. 

Are you a student considering one of these courses? Schoon’s SOC3200 Sociology of Immigration and Young’s TURK3797 Global Intercultural Citizenship in the Middle East both count towards OSU’s Intercultural Competence Certificate. The Intercultural Competence for Global Citizenship certificate provides a pathway for students to engage in deep intercultural learning and develop intercultural competence through experiential learning. 

Faculty, please check out the support Ohio State offers for COIL, and if you teach about the Middle East consider applying to the Middle East Studies Center for a grant to support your course revision and development efforts. Read more about it and apply at go.osu.edu/cg