Students of the Educational and Research Institute of Linguistics at the National University of Ostroh Academy have completed their participation in the international COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) project, which is a modern form of academic cooperation that brings together students and lecturers from different countries to jointly learn and work on research tasks in an online environment.
This year’s project connected participants from three countries: the United States (Western Washington University), Poland (Adam Mickiewicz University), and Ukraine (National University of Ostroh Academy and Petro Mohyla Black Sea National University). In total, more than 60 students took part in the initiative, working for six weeks in international teams on a shared research assignment – the News Media Annotation Project.
The project focused on exploring how media shape the perception of events through language. Participants analysed news texts not only as sources of information, but also as tools that construct interpretations and influence public understanding. Particular attention was given to the concept of framing, which refers to the ways in which the same event can be presented differently through word choice, emphasis, perspective, and evaluative language.
Project coordinator Oksana Mararenko noted:
«During the project, students learned the principles of annotating textual data, explored linguistic patterns in media discourse, and analysed their social impact, while also comparing different cultural approaches to news interpretation. An important component of the project was working in international teams, which contributed to the development of intercultural communication, critical thinking, and academic collaboration skills in English».
The final stage of the project involved the preparation of joint research outputs and the presentation of team findings. Participants summarised their experience, discussed analytical results, and presented their conclusions on media framing in different informational environments.
The COIL project became an important milestone in students’ international academic experience. It allowed them to collaborate with peers from other countries without travelling abroad, improve their English language skills, and gain practical experience in teamwork within a global educational environment.
