A model for international collaborative learning via the Internet

The Internet has created a vast set of resources available from anywhere in the world, at any time. This virtual information repository also has the potential to serve as a virtual learning environment. It is the goal of this project to create an online classroom, for the purpose of enhancing the learning experience of students from three international universities: the University of Virginia, the University of the West Indies, and Mapua Institute of Technology. All three groups of students are participating in a course called environmental systems analysis, the purpose of which is to teach community-based management of municipal sanitation services. The site serves as a medium for communication and collaboration for the students throughout the completion of their course project, with an overarching goal of creating lasting relationships based on trust and common experiences. It differs from previous similar projects in that it is designed with the needs of financially restricted and less technologically proficient institutions in mind. Full-scale development of this tool was broken up into several components, including background research, user´s requirements gathering, prototype design, and testing and revision. The site has been developed using predominantly open-source technologies available to anyone with an Internet connection. Additional deliverables of this project include a detailed user guide containing the specifications and requirements of the system, as well as a section detailing each of the functions within the site. The guide enables those unfamiliar with the technologies present in the Web site to quickly understand their uses and also serve as a guide for any university that wishes to establish its own collaborative learning program. The project is funded in part by a University Teaching Fellowship grant to Prof. Garrick Louis.