Cross-cultural collaborative online learning through the eyes of students from different linguistic communities: a case study

Since modern schools and universities actively participating in the process of internationalization, the topic of cross-cultural collaborative distance learning and intercultural communication in electronic environment attracts much scholarly attention. This case study explores students’ views over the collaborative online intercultural (cross-cultural) learning (COIL). The study examines students’ perspectives on the value and impact of transnational projects that involve different groups of students into various learning programs. Some previous studies have demonstrated that collaborative online learning can create conditions for meaningful student-to-student communication that leads to positive learning outcomes (McInnerney & Roberts, 2009). However, there is insufficient research material based on the data collected from students themselves who evaluate their learning experiences and express their views on advantages and shortcomings of collaborative online intercultural learning. This study was developed as an exploratory case study that involved students who took part in a cross-cultural online learning module called The Power of Media . The participants of the project were students from a large comprehensive state university of the USA, a private university in Lithuania and a federal university in Russia. A six-week online module was integrated into a regular distance learning course developed on a Blackboard platform and offered by the university of U.S. to its matriculated master-level students. Twenty-five students out of 49 participants of the project joined the research study and completed a survey. Among them 10 participants were U.S. graduate students majoring in education, 9 Lithuanian undergraduate students majoring in media, and 6 Russian graduate students majoring in English. The course was carried out in English and therefore required at least upper-intermediate level of language proficiency. Upon the completion of the course, the participants completed a survey consisting of 4 close-ended and 1 open-ended questions. Then a follow-up face-to-face interview was carried out with one Russian student. The research study demonstrated that students had positive attitude toward cross-cultural online collaboration and revealed beneficial effect of such international projects on the growth of learners’ linguistic and intercultural competences. On the other hand, the results showed the factors that may negatively influence on learning experiences in COIL environment. Even though, students found helpful learning from differences in peers’ cultural and educational backgrounds, study participants indicated that their diverse and often opposite communication and learning strategies and different ways of students interaction with the content and peers at times hindered successful learning. The study results indicate that administrators and instructors who develop and teach similar cross-cultural online projects should set clear deadlines for all students, plan carefully content and activities, and actively apply synchronous communication tools.

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