Language learning beliefs and intercultural communicative competence development through a virtual exchange project: a case study

Abstract

Several studies on learners’ beliefs about language learning, the development of intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and virtual exchange (VE) have highlighted the positive effect they have on language learning success in many contexts of instruction; however, little is known about how the integration of the three develop effectiveness in language learning in rural classrooms in Colombia. By making use of virtual exchange project, this exploratory case study aimed to explore English language learners’ beliefs about language learning and their ICCs to determine whether such exchange could positively affect said ideas and competencies for Colombian rural learners of English. This exploratory case study was carried out with a group of young students of a public, rural secondary school on the north coast of Colombia. Data was collected through the BALLI pre- and post-questionnaire for the virtual exchange program and used descriptive analysis, semi-structured interviews, and e-mail exchanges were analyzed following thematic analysis before, during and after the 14-week VE program. Findings indicate that learners’ beliefs about language learning had a positive shift. Furthermore, integration of cross-cultural interaction developed most of the dimensions of ICC: Attitudes, Knowledge, Skills of Interpreting and Relating, and Skills of Discovery and Interaction; however, the fundamental Critical Cultural Awareness was not featured on the students’ performance. Virtual Exchange proved to be beneficial to language learning achievement, experience and for language learning in rural environment in Colombia.