Abstract
Background:
Intercultural competence is crucial for employability in a globalized workforce. Virtual exchange, which is seen as an innovative educational pedagogy, offers an alternative to physical exchange, thus effectively enhancing intercultural skills. Previous studies on virtual exchange often had mixed results, small samples, and insufficient control groups. This study enriches the literature by empirically examining virtual exchange with control groups and advancing the understanding of its effectiveness in higher education.
Methods: This research employs a controlled quasi-experimental design, which involved 192 participants from a university in Hong Kong. A total of 124 students participated in virtual exchange projects as the experimental group, while 68 students comprised the control group.
Results: The findings, which were derived from independent sample t-tests and paired sample t-tests, indicate a significant improvement in intercultural competence levels among the virtual exchange group compared with the control group. Furthermore, a significant growth in intercultural competence was observed from preproject to postproject within the experimental group. The enhancement was primarily driven by improvements in self-awareness, exploration, and world orientation.
Implications: The present study underscores the benefit of virtual exchange, which is implemented through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), as a valuable tool for fostering intercultural competence in higher education. Despite the study’s limitations, its implications suggest that educators can effectively integrate virtual exchange into curricula to promote internationalization and strengthen students’ intercultural skills.
Intercultural competence is crucial for employability in a globalized workforce. Virtual exchange, which is seen as an innovative educational pedagogy, offers an alternative to physical exchange, thus effectively enhancing intercultural skills. Previous studies on virtual exchange often had mixed results, small samples, and insufficient control groups. This study enriches the literature by empirically examining virtual exchange with control groups and advancing the understanding of its effectiveness in higher education.
Methods: This research employs a controlled quasi-experimental design, which involved 192 participants from a university in Hong Kong. A total of 124 students participated in virtual exchange projects as the experimental group, while 68 students comprised the control group.
Results: The findings, which were derived from independent sample t-tests and paired sample t-tests, indicate a significant improvement in intercultural competence levels among the virtual exchange group compared with the control group. Furthermore, a significant growth in intercultural competence was observed from preproject to postproject within the experimental group. The enhancement was primarily driven by improvements in self-awareness, exploration, and world orientation.
Implications: The present study underscores the benefit of virtual exchange, which is implemented through Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), as a valuable tool for fostering intercultural competence in higher education. Despite the study’s limitations, its implications suggest that educators can effectively integrate virtual exchange into curricula to promote internationalization and strengthen students’ intercultural skills.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Japan Journal of Research |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 12 May 2025 |
User-Defined Keywords
- Virtual exchange
- collaborative online learning
- intercultural competence
- higher education
