Collaborative Learning in Cultural Exchange: Exploring Its Current Trend and Feature

Abstract

This research study aims at exploring what roles different activities practiced in cultural exchanges can play in an educational setting and what future trends in cultural exchanges are. Qualitative data were collected from the Educational Resources Information Center database and were analyzed based on the theoretical framework of grounded theory and text data mining. Findings of the study showed that cultural exchanges can play the roles as catalyst of language learning, mediator of different linguistic and cultural groups, developer of learning communities, provider of authentic information, peace maker, and creator of multiple learning. On the other hand, the author envisioned and predicted the future of cross-cultural exchanges as an environment of multiple learning, a learning community with various modes of communication, participants with multiple language proficiency, and collaboration between/among students from different cultures. Hopefully, the research findings can provide language teachers who are conducting cultural exchanges with a way of thinking as to how a cross-cultural activity can be developed to satisfy students' needs and how a creative cross-cultural activity can be designed to ensure that students can gain the most benefits from it.