PSYDID: Blending Psychology And Didactics Through A Collaborative Online International Learning Course

Abstract Book of the 10th International Academic Conference on Teaching, Learning and Education

Year: 2026

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PSYDID: Blending Psychology And Didactics Through A Collaborative Online International Learning Course

Ramona Bran, Aneider Iza Evriti

ABSTRACT:

Addressing the complex pedagogical demands of a digitalized and intercultural society, this paper introduces PSYDID (Blending Psychology and Didactics through COIL in EMI Courses), an innovative Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiative developed within the UNITA Universities Alliance. The project was jointly designed and implemented by the Public University of Navarra (Spain) and the West University of Timişoara (Romania) and involved over 80 third-year Education students and second-year Psychology–Cognitive Science students, all enrolled in English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) courses.
The main objectives pursued during the project were to advance students’ academic English proficiency (C1 level), critical thinking, problem-solving skills, intercultural communicative competence, and ability to work collaboratively in interdisciplinary and international contexts. In addition, the project aimed to increase the students’ awareness and ability of applying psychological knowledge to real-world educational practice.
The methodology was based on a COIL framework integrating project-based, challenge-based, and team-based learning. Over eight weeks, over 80 students from both countries worked in mixed-nationality and interdisciplinary teams using digital collaborative tools. Each team selected an educational challenge related to a psychological topic, conducted guided research, and designed didactic proposals for real-world educational contexts. Assessment was based on a collaborative written project (including a theoretical section, a pedagogical proposal, and a trilingual glossary of specialized terms), an oral presentation supported by a visual knowledge poster, and an individual reflective learning diary.
Quantitative (pre- and post-course tests) and qualitative (reflective journals) data demonstrate significant improvements. Students showed enhanced use of academic and discipline-specific English, particularly in written production and oral presentation, alongside increased confidence in English-mediated interaction. Furthermore, students exhibited measurable progress in digital collaboration, intercultural awareness, and, crucially, in their ability to successfully integrate psychological concepts into pedagogical design.
In conclusion, the PSYDID-COIL offers a sustainable and replicable model for integrating language learning, interdisciplinary content, and international collaboration within higher education. The project effectively contributes to internationalization at home, advances digital transformation, and develops transversal competences. Key project outputs, including visual knowledge posters and a trilingual (English, Romanian, Spanish) online dictionary, are freely available as Open Educational Resources (OER).

Keywords: English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI); English for Academic Purposes; Interdisciplinary learning; Pedagogical Innovation