Using Telecollaboration 2.0 to Build Intercultural Communicative Competence

Abstract

This chapter reports a Spanish-American telecollaborative project through which students created blogs, VoiceThread presentations, and video chats for intercultural exchanges over the course of one semester. The chapter outlines the methodology for the project including pedagogical objectives, task design, selection of Web 2.0 tools, and implementation. Using qualitative data collection, the study explored the extent to which Web 2.0-mediated learning could contribute to learners' intercultural communicate competence (ICC) development. The findings revealed that students exhibited the skills outlined in Byram's ICC model. Students showed positive attitudes and curiosity towards the target culture, and gained new cultural knowledge. They also demonstrated skills of discovery and interaction that helped them build critical cultural awareness. The study suggests that learners' ICC can be assessed by the implementation of a well-designed telecollaborative exchange using Web 2.0 technologies.