What you’ll learn
Creating a global collaboration project is not about doing everything at once or designing a perfect experience from the start. Successful global projects are built through clear intentions, consistent communication, and thoughtful guidance for students throughout the process.
This article introduces key best practices that support effective global collaboration. The video below expands on these principles, showing how they can be applied in real classroom contexts and throughout different stages of a project.
Watch this short video to see some of the tips and suggestions we give you when creating global collaborations:
Start simple and grow gradually
Global collaboration does not need to be complex to be meaningful. A short project with one or two shared activities can already create strong connections between classrooms and valuable learning opportunities for students.
Starting with a manageable project helps teachers and students focus on communication, collaboration, and learning goals, rather than logistics. As confidence grows, future projects can naturally expand in scope and depth.
Keep communication consistent
Clear and consistent communication between partner teachers is one of the foundations of a successful global project. Before starting, it is important to agree on how often you will communicate, which tools you will use, and what information needs to be shared.
Even short, regular check-ins help keep both classrooms aligned, reduce misunderstandings, and support smoother collaboration throughout the project.
Guide your students’ interactions
Students often need guidance when communicating with peers from different cultural and educational contexts. Modeling respectful online communication and setting clear expectations helps create a safe and positive learning environment.
Teachers play an important role in helping students understand that their words and actions represent not only themselves, but also their class and community. This guidance supports meaningful intercultural exchange and responsible participation.
Encourage reflection throughout the project
Reflection helps students make sense of what they are learning and recognize their own growth. Rather than waiting until the end, reflection is most effective when it happens regularly during the project.
Short reflection moments allow students to think about collaboration, challenges, and new perspectives, helping learning become more visible and intentional.
Additional Resources
This presentation expands on the key ideas from this article offering practical strategies, real classroom examples, and visual support to help you design and guide successful global collaboration projects.