Easy and Accessible is the Power of Moodle in our International Online Collaboration. Working closely with the SUNY Levin Institute, Globalization101.org and SUNY COIL, Instructional Design and International Programs at SUNY Ulster have forged a unique approach to working internationally online. SUNY Ulster and European Humanities University in Belarus collaborated internationally by combining components of media literacy, contemporary world literature and literary analysis with basic ESL composition skills in a Moodle course space. Moodle provides an easily accessible Learning Management System for ALL students, no matter the country, no matter the home LMS.

1. E H U - S U N Y C O L L A B O R AT I V E P R O J E C T

2. EHU-SUNY ULSTER
C O L L A B O R AT I V E P R O J E C T

3. SUNY Ulster
Richard Cattabiani  Director of International Programs  English Faculty
Hope Windle  Instructional Design 
European Humanities University
Victoria Minina  Lecturer of English
Alesia Krupenikava Lecturer of English
Tatsiana Senina  Lecturer of English
Globalization 101
Rebecca Smolar 
Project Director

4. COURSE TIME SCHEDULE
Mid October to Mid December, 2009
Duration 10 weeks.
Beginning of Nov to Beginning of December, 2010
Duration 5 weeks.
Offered in English.

5. CREDIT INFORMATION
EHU
Independent value added for EFL students
Two credit course
Ulster
Integrated into Contemporary World Literature
Three credit course

6. COURSE GOALS
 To design a safe space for international collaboration
 To articulate the difference between people driven
media versus corporate or state driven media
 To broaden students and faculty appreciation of
other cultures and politics

7. KEEPING IN TOUCH
 Before
A SKYPE chat every two weeks starting a semester in advance
to establish the relationship of professors
to develop the course content
 During
A one-hour SKYPE chat every week during the course to assess
how things were going.

8. COURSE DEVELOPMENT
 choosing a methodology for online teaching
 developing detail instructions for working in the course
 developing a syllabus and week by week assignments
 integrating EHU teaching standards into SUNY educational
environment

9. COURSE DEVELOPMENT
 Grading criteria & rubrics
 Sharing of responsibilities
 Engaging and selecting students

10. STUDENTS
 The EHU students
– advanced EFL course for ToEFL preparation (40 - 17).
 The Ulster students
– a 200 level English course: Contemporary World Literature (11).

11. STUDENT EVALUATION
 Each student was graded only by his / her own instructor
 All students were expected to contribute to the discussion
 Final course grades were determined by the instructor on the
following basis:
 Assignments: 50%
 Active participation in discussion: 50%

12. Activity Interpretation Grading criteria
Excellent / A The comment is accurate, original, relevant,
Answers all Questions and is well written. This comment adds
(Ulster students)
State a position and include responses to six [6] substantial presence to the course and
10-9 (EHU stimulates additional thought about the issues
other posts. This could include the Professors’
students) under discussion.
Above Average / B
Answer all Questions The comment lacks at least one of the above
(Ulster students) values but is above average in quality. The
State a position and include responses to four [4] comment makes a significant contribution to
8-7 (EHU
other posts. This could include the Professors’ our understanding of the issue being discussed.
students)
Average / C
Answer Questions The comment lacks two or three of the required
(Ulster students) responses. The comment makes no significant
State a position and include responses to two [2] contribution to our understanding of the issue
6-5 (EHU
other posts. This could include the Professors’ being discussed.
students)
Answer Some Questions
D
Interacts once a week
(Ulster students)
Ideas are not well-developed, do not add to
discussion
4 (EHU students)
F
Answer No Questions
(Ulster students)
No discussion or interaction with the class
3 (EHU students)

13. LANGUAGE
No problems.

15. COURSE CONTENT
 The 2009 & 2010 modules were divided into 3 sections:
 an introductory 3 week (1 week ) unit about Media 1.0 vs. 2.0
 designed by Richard Cattabiani and Hope Windle
 with Rebecca Smolar, Globalization 101
 reshaped by the EHU instructors
 5 week (2 weeks) unit focusing on the book Persepolis by
Marjane Satrapi, initially designed by Richard Cattabiani but
reshaped by all
 2 week (2 weeks) creative project based on the graphic novel
format.

16. LMS
 Moodle course space.

30. v
v
v

35. Creating a cross-cultural media project worthy of publication

41. HOW CAN YOU PREPARE FOR THIS PARTNERSHIP?
Passion to teach and learn about the world outside the USA
 Willingness to teach online
 Develop a relationship with your instructional designer
 Familiarity with the languages involved

42. STRATEGIES TO FACILITATE THIS PARTNERSHIP
Develop simple outcomes
Make time
Agree upon start and end date
Agree upon content
Agree upon format
Agree upon Learning Management System (LMS)

43. WHAT IT TAKES
 Start early
 Select your students very carefully
 Use student-centered methodology
 Use many visuals (e.g. photos, pictures, videos, etc)
 Provide clear instructions for each assignment
 Provide weekly feedback
 Be ready to work hard

44. Persepolis. I loved the story, and I thought it was
clever to use a graphic novel to surpass any
language barriers between the two groups.
WHAT STUDENTS SAY
American students really have
explicit freedom of speech!!!!!!!! And
due to this course we had an
opportunity to appreciate it and
express our ideas and then discussed
them!!! Wonderful!!!!!!!!
It seems that US media is a little more democratic than
Belarusian. But it was interesting to know that sometimes
the Americans didn't trust the news as well as Belarusian
people. I think I got good information about US media in
this project.

45. Any Questions?
Victoria Minina minina@ehu.lt
Hope Windle windleh@sunyulster.edu
Richard Cattabiani cattabir@sunyulster.edu