"No part of healthcare or human services is a closed field": Interdisciplinary care and services for people living with Dementia

COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) projects aren’t a field trip or a semester abroad. They represent global education for the now: accessible, scalable, and deeply human.

In SPARK 14, faculty and learners from 8 COIL projects share their experiences and show how COIL is one of the most quietly transformative forms of education at Humber Polytechnic.

Humber Polytechnic partners with University of Salford, UK and British University of Bahrain, Bahrain, in this COIL which focuses on international approaches to gaps and developing possible solutions for dementia care. The project introduces students to experts in dementia from their communities in Canada and the UK.

Faculty leads Roma Mehta, PhD, and Jo Anne Nugent, Ed. D.; Faculty of Social & Community Services, along with their collaborators Layal Husain, PhD, British University of Bahrain and Adam Galpin, PhD, University of Salford, share their experiences on the project.

What motivated you to engage in an international collaboration for this project? How does this align with Humber’s vision of Reimagining Learning?

Roma Mehta and Jo Anne Nugent: We have collaborated on other COIL projects before. Our continued motivation stems from the fact that it is a wonderful opportunity for our students to get a full learning experience, which is better than simply formal theoretical knowledge. This project was born from a casual conversation with an individual from Manchester, UK. From there, it took on a life of its own. COIL projects are more than simply experiences of group work. These are international, collaborative, and interdisciplinary. This combination of experiences gives our students an extra foot up, where they learn to work and collaborate with students from other cultures.

In what ways did this experience help students develop future-ready skills for the workforce?

Roma and Jo Anne: The world is constantly evolving, and skills that might have helped a few years ago may not be used as much today. Today’s global world demands agile collaboration and digital fluency; collaborating with people across oceans, problem-solving with people in your team, even though you may not know them very well, etc., are all crucial skills. Our students gained this experience in a safe setting and practice their skills.

Can you share a breakthrough moment where students from different backgrounds worked together in a way that surprised you?

Roma and Jo Anne: One breakthrough moment was when it finally clicked for the students that sharing their cultural findings would create a global comparison of this topic. I think this was very beneficial for many, as they did not realize the importance of this piece before they started the project.

What were some of the most significant cultural or logistical challenges your students faced? How did they collaborate and problem-solve to overcome them?

Roma and Jo Anne: One of the biggest challenges all the students faced was the time difference. The three countries, spanning three different time zones, made it challenging for the students to find a suitable time to collaborate. However, they problem-solved it among themselves and were able to come together through the use of technology.

The Building Brilliance (BB) vision emphasizes Deeper Partnerships. How has this project strengthened Humber’s ties with international institutions?

Roma and Jo Anne: Humber now has two more international partners. This is the first time we have worked with these two universities, and the collaboration was so successful that we foresee future collaborations as well. Besides, if the work done with these partners is shared with other universities, Humber is likely to get more opportunities and openings for international collaborations in the future.

Did you notice any shifts in students’ confidence, adaptability, or leadership skills as they navigated this cross-border experience?

Roma and Jo Anne: The students improved their research skills, digital skills, and presentation skills. Many mentioned an increase in self-confidence and learning to be more flexible and adaptable, especially regarding the time difference.

Looking ahead, how can international projects like this shape the future of interdisciplinary learning and global workforce development?

Roma and Jo Anne: Almost every career and profession involves working with various people. Particularly in our field of behavioural sciences, where we work with people, there is great potential for interdisciplinary work. No part of healthcare or human services are a closed field. No matter what the “problem” an individual client may have, there are usually multiple contributing factors. In order for the client’s needs to be met in a person-centred way, and to get the best long-term outcome, the best way to provide service is through an interdisciplinary lens. Students can gain this experience in a safe space while still learning the intricacies of interdisciplinary work.

What was your initial impression of working with Humber faculty and students? How did they approach collaboration differently?

Layal Husain: It was a pleasure to work with Humber faculty to plan and carry out this collaboration. They were incredibly professional and had such great insights into how a COIL project could work efficiently. Despite the physical distance, our meetings were well organized, and communication was clear and straightforward. They approached the collaboration with enthusiasm and productivity, and we greatly appreciated their guidance and support.

How did this partnership push your students to think beyond their usual academic and cultural perspectives?

Layal: This partnership allowed our students to examine dementia care in very different contexts. While they learn about dementia during their programme, this project allowed them to apply what they’ve learnt and grasp real-world implications, critically examine and observe how dementia care is carried out differently internationally, and what we can also gain as a local community from other cultural perspectives and approaches.

What were some unique skills or strengths that Humber students brought to the table?

Adam Galpin: I was impressed by Humber students in the online weekly meetings. They asked our invited speakers knowledgeable questions. They were also very confident and professional during their own presentations.

What surprised you the most about the way students adapted to working in virtual and cross-cultural teams?

Adam: Students often find group work difficult, so I was anticipating more friction given the additional challenges of time and distance. However, based on the group I mentored, the students seemed very able to collaborating and engaging in their group activities. The quality of the presentations was very high, and evidence, I think, of some very effective collaboration!

From your perspective, how has this collaboration contributed to Deeper Partnerships between our institutions?

Layal: This collaboration was successful, and we have already suggested that we do this again for the next academic year with Humber. We would be very happy to take part in any future collaborations and hope this is just the start of many initiatives!

Looking forward, how do you see the role of global education partnerships evolving in higher education?

Adam: I think global education partnerships will become increasingly important as global citizenship skills become a more sought-after skill set. With economic challenges and climate concerns, I am expecting more organizations to turn to these online collaborations to provide students with internationalized experiences.

Student Perspective

Students Katherine Mascarin (Humber Polytechnic) and Redha AbdulJalil Ahmed AlMutawa (British University of Bahrain) share how participating in the project added to their learning experience. 

What was your biggest “aha!” moment during this collaboration?

Katherine Mascarin: Misinformation and lack of information about dementia were across all three countries.

How did working with international peers push you out of your comfort zone—academically or personally?

Katherine: Working strictly virtually was new territory for me, as I prefer to work in person with a team.

Time zones, cultural differences, and virtual teamwork—how did you and your team make it work?

Katherine: We set up a WhatsApp chat group. I calculated the difference in time between time zones so we could set up virtual meetings that worked for everyone by offering three options of meeting times. 

What would you say to another student considering a COIL or international learning experience? 

Katherine: Plan set meeting times for weekly check-ins. Remember that people will not be able to respond immediately to group chats if they are not in the same time zone. Look up the countries you are working with and get some background information. Be ready for the unexpected when presenting and roll with it. 

What did you enjoy most about collaborating with Humber students?

Redha AbdulJalil Ahmed AlMutawa: The different ideas and styles of work that everyone could bring. It was a wonderful experience.

How did this project challenge the way you usually approach learning or problem-solving?

Redha: This project challenged the way I usually approach learning and problem-solving because of the international students that I had to work with. We were in different countries and different times, so it was difficult to set up meetings with one another; however, we managed to do so, and I’m glad about it. 

What was the most unexpected or surprising thing you learned about working with Humber students and Canada?

Redha: How similar our way of doing work has been and how friendly they were. They truly were a friendly group, and it was easy to work and collaborate with them.