Bilateral Web-Based Collaborative Learning in the Transnational Higher Education

In the process of higher education internationalization, information technology and network have been applied to increase the foreign contacts. In recent years, Web-based collaborative learning (WBCL) has aroused peoplespsila interest by its unique superiority in facilitating the interactive learning. This paper focuses on the WBCL application in transnational education context, and a bilateral WBCL model of transnational programs is proposed. To demonstrate the performance of WBCL in transnational programs, an in-depth analysis is made on the case of a Sino-Canada cooperative education program. The program has applied the Web-based educational technologies into teaching the course of stock market simulation, which involves the students and faculties in different locations of both China and Canada into a virtual transnational learning environment. Through the interactive instructional methods, Chinese students are exposed to different economic, political, and multi-cultural issues and values of their Canadian classmates. And the statistic data shows that they have achieved better outcomes in the collaborative learning environment.