Developing Intercultural Competence via Mobile-based Transnational Telecollaboration or a Study-abroad Program

With the rapid emergence of multilingualism and multiculturalism in the US and globally, intercultural competence is considered a highly important skill. Educational institutions have recognized the need for the development of curricula that will enable their graduates to become competitive professionals in a linguistically, ethnically, and culturally diverse world. Therefore, this presentation will share findings from a 2-year curriculum initiative aimed at building foreign language learners’ intercultural competence. The presentation will begin with the design and implementation process of a mobile-based transnational telecollaboration project and a short-term study-abroad program in foreign language learning contexts. Then, it will discuss empirical findings regarding learners’ development of intercultural competence in three learning contexts: mobile-based telecollaboration, study abroad, and regular classes. Data drawn from the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale, a culture questionnaire, reflective writings, and focus interviews will be discussed. Finally, the presentation will discuss pedagogical implications of this curricular initiative for researchers and practitioners.