SUNY-COIL

Universidad del Caribe & MCC Global Communication & Cross-Cultural Teams Dr. Francisco López, Universidad del CaribeMarjorie Crum, Monroe Community College

SUNY/COIL Agenda Spring 2020

SUNY/COIL Project generalities

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course develops both: the business communication skills and the productivity continuous improvement comprehension, understanding cultural differences while working with business owners and clients in two different contexts: American and Mexican. Using information and communication technologies, design tools, and the lean manufacturing philosophy, the course promotes both: the global business basics as well as the production processes principles, enhanced cultural understanding, and written and oral communication skills.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to:

·         Interact in cross-cultural teams to better understand the needs a particular production process requires.

·         Demonstrate global business communication skills for a cross-cultural team.

·         Use different technological tools to communicate their final project.

·         Improve skills of communicating in English in a global context.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

In order to succeed in this international course, it requires more than your presence; it requires your constant participation through your comments and opinions shared in the Facebook and WhatsApp groups and delivering the products required in a timely manner. There is also an expectation of a maintained and respectful, intelligent, and constructive dialogue with your team members and international colleagues. If you cannot abide by the overall expectations of the class, your marks will be low.

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING

Successful completion of the required tasks: attendance and participation in the COIL virtual meetings; diligent participation in a series of tasks listed in the provided calendar through use of the Facebook and WhatsApp; and an active collaboration with your assigned team to achieve the final project objectives. All these international collaborative activities will be factored into your overall class grade, plus the ordinal activities related to the corresponding course, which in both cases will be evaluated by your own university professor.

ONLINE ENVIRONMENTS

This international course depends on your collaboration and regular communication with your team members, especially through the closed Facebook and WhatsApp groups. The success of each team depends upon all members doing their fair share. According to the proposed program, a series of tasks such as research, opinions, videos, comments, drafts, and digital information graphics will be shared all through the Facebook platform in order to follow your project evolution. Texting and other discussions outside of the Facebook are encouraged, (Whats App, Discord, or Slack) however all official project work must be done in the Facebook closed group so the professors may effectively evaluate the team project.

Because both MCC and Universidad student’s are in complex, time-consuming process-based majors; it is imperative all students respond to team queries quickly. Thus allowing adequate time to do the work. All students must communicate regularly and keep all team members apprised of slips or changes in their company status.

RESOURCES

Anticipated resources will include Facebook Closed Group, WhatsApp, YouTube, articles, lectures, and other sources as needed.

CALENDAR

This calendar is subject to change.

Week	Topic	Tools	Instructions
Week 1	Investigating Cultures, Stereotypes, and Biases Introduction (In-class discussions preparing students for COIL work.)	FB Closed Group (FBCG)	1.       Elaborate on the Objective: Demonstrate Global Communication and Business Practice 2.       Create a 3–5 minute video about me and post to Facebook Closed Group by August 30th. 3.       Lecture 1: Intro 2 COIL Caribe 4.       View these two videos and write a Reading Response to what both are saying, do you agree? What are your perspectives? 1.- The Danger of a Single Story 2.- Implicit Bias—How It Affects Us and How We Push Through
Week 2	Cultures, Stereotypes, and Biases, continued (In-class discussions preparing students for COIL work.)	FBCG	4.       Students View all Posted Videos 5.       Students Comment on two (2) posts in FBCG by noon on September 7 th.
Week 3	Cultures, Stereotypes, and Biases, continued (In-class discussions preparing students for COIL work.) Virtual class (synchronous) meeting and COIL Teams Formation • COIL Project • Collaboration • Questions	Video conference FBCG	1.       Discuss communication tools to use for this collaboration • Update on Facebook and WhatsApp closed groups, as needed • Clarify any student questions. Importance of adhering to the tight schedule for the collaborations 2.       Lecture 2: Developing Global Communication Skills
Week 4	Clients, Designers, and Tools • Infographics Lecture and Industrial Engineering powerpoint/video posts with questions? Virtual class (synchronous) meeting and COIL Teams Formation • COIL Project • Collaboration • Questions	Video conference FBCG	1.       View video on Industrial Engineering        Industrial and Systems Engineers Make a Difference Everywhere Industrial & Systems Engineering 2.       Lecture 3: What Are Infographics 3.       MCC students create and post an infographic showing their team’s design process 4.       Caribe students post Coursegrams (manufacturing plan) to FBCG 5.       Virtual (synchronous) class meeting (Saturday September 21, 2019) • Announce teams • Caribe students introduce their manufacturing client name, what they make, show a photograph of the company to the MCC students • MCC students show Mexican students why they’re studying graphic design (show an example of own work?)
Week 5	Developing Global Communication Skills (listening, questioning, and feedback) (Activity?)	FBCG	1.       International Audiences and Global Communication Tips & Skills 2.       MCC students post design team process infographic to FBCG 3.       Caribe students in Exam period 1
Week 6	Team COIL project Development Begins	FBCG Instagram Closed Group (ICP)	1.       Students review each coursegram and design process posts 2.       Teams share research responsibilities; who does what 3.       Teams flesh out coursegram/infographic needs 4.       MCC students create an initial infographic of team manufacturing business as is (before infographic) 5.       For every advance Caribe students post in Instagram, a discussion based on ideas sketched by MCC students may arise.
Week 7	In-class check in on the research and design	FBCG	1.       Caribe students post a basic plan of change for the manufacturer. 2.       Lecture 4: Definition of Good Design 3.       MCC students post “before” infographic 4.       MCC students begin sketches for “change” infographic 5.       Continued participation in virtual forums (FBCG)
Week 8	Continuation and exploration of visual ideas for proposed manufacturing change(s)	FBCG	1.       MCC students post preliminary “change” infographic sketches and concepts 2.        Continued team discussions on FBCG based on your postings and feedback.
Week 9	Preliminary design review & comments	FBCG	1.       Continue iterations of COIL product based on FBCG team discussions
Week 10	Design Clarifications	FBCG	1.       Continued iterations of COIL product 2.       Post finalized infographic on FBCG

Week 11	Team Critiques	FBCG	1.       All students critique the other team approaches to their manufacturing changes. 2.       Ask questions, make comments/suggestions (what’s working well, what needs improvement) 3.       Caribe students in Exam period 2
Week 12	Virtual class (synchronous) meeting Final COIL product presentations	FBCG Video conference	1.       Each team presents their final COIL product. (___________________) 2.       Video conference on November 16 or 23?
Week 13	Final Assessment (asynchronously on FBCG)	FBCG • Final Assessment of Collaboration	1.       Final Assessment survey completed and posted to FBCG 2.       Video conference November 16 or 23?
Week 14	Final Assessment (asynchronously on FBCG)	FBCG • Final Assessment of Collaboration	1.       Final Assessment survey completed and posted to FBCG 2.       MCC Students on Thanksgiving Break, no Wed.–Friday classes
Week 15	Final Assessment (asynchronously on FBCG)	FBCG • Final Assessment of Collaboration	1.       Final Assessment survey completed and posted to FBCG

In case you need basic information about what the SUNY-COIL program is for the Monroe Community College and the Universidad del Caribe, you are able to consult it on the next link (in Spanish)
Programa SUNY-COIL

Francisco López Monzalvo

Departamento de Ciencias Básicas e Ingenierías
Universidad del Caribe