Abstract
The present study investigates the effects of online intercultural exchanges (OIEs) on intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and willingness to communicate (WTC) among Korean elementary school students. Previous studies have focused on OIEs with native English speakers, without considering partners who can manage constraints such as time differences. Therefore, this study specifically examines OIEs with Japanese and Indian peers for their applicability and expandability. It aims to deepen understanding by integrating quantitative and qualitative analyses of the impact of OIEs on students’ ICC and WTC. For this study, 61 Korean EFL elementary school students completed an Intercultural Communicative Scale (ICS) survey and a WTC questionnaire before OIEs. The OIEs were then implemented over ten sessions using the regular English curriculum. After these sessions, surveys and interviews on participants’ ICC and WTC were conducted. The quantitative results indicated that OIEs had a positive effect on the students’ ICC and WTC. Qualitative analysis of participants’ ICC revealed pedagogical implications across four related topics: interaction engagement and enjoyment, respect for cultural differences, interaction confidence, and interaction attentiveness. Furthermore, post-test interviews about participants’ WTC revealed their active willingness to communicate, voluntary efforts for communication, and willingness to communicate with non-native partners. Therefore, these findings suggest that participation in OIEs, even with non-native partners, can enhance ICC and WTC among Korean elementary school students.
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