Conference Agenda

The aim of this study is to explore how embedding Online Intercultural Exchange (OIE) in an Intercultural Communication course enables students to experience, interpret, and apply intercultural awareness in practice, focusing on the reflective, interpretive, and meaning-making processes that form a foundational stage preceding full intercultural competence. The study seeks to understand how students engage with diverse cultural perspectives, critically examine their own assumptions, and develop a deeper understanding of intercultural interaction within an international, digitally mediated learning environment.

The study investigates OIE as an experiential digital learning environment in which students actively co-construct knowledge of culture through interaction and reflection. In line with the European Commission’s Virtual Exchanges in Higher Education and Youth initiative, which recognizes that virtual exchange complements but cannot replace physical mobility, the study foregrounds intercultural awareness rather than intercultural competence. Intercultural awareness emphasizes recognition, understanding, and critical reflection on one’s own and others’ cultural assumptions, communication styles, and behaviors, coupled with the ability to adapt perception and interaction accordingly (Byram, 1997; Deardorff, 2006; Fantini, 2009). Key dimensions include self-awareness, other-awareness, perspective-taking, behavioral adaptation, and critical reflection. Awareness forms a foundational component of competence, focusing on reflective understanding rather than demonstrated performance.

This study is guided by the key question: how does embedding OIE within an Intercultural Communication course enable students to experience, interpret, and apply intercultural awareness in practice? To explore this main question in depth, the study examines three interrelated dimensions. First, it investigates which aspects of intercultural awareness students experience, both explicitly and implicitly, as they engage with peers from diverse cultural backgrounds. Second, it examines how students apply this awareness in their interactions, adapting communication strategies and collaborating effectively across cultural contexts. Finally, the study considers the practical and pedagogical challenges associated with integrating OIE into higher education, identifying potential drawbacks and limitations that may inform future curriculum design and teaching practices. Together, these research questions enable the study to capture both the experiential and reflective dimensions of intercultural learning while situating the findings within broader discussions of inclusive, digitally-mediated internationalisation in higher education.

The study integrates intercultural communication theory, experiential and transformative learning theory, and critical intercultural pedagogy. Edward T. Hall’s phenomenological concepts of high- and low-context communication, time, and space (Hall, 1959, 1976) illuminate the tacit dimensions of culture revealed in misunderstanding, pacing, and negotiation. Kolb’s experiential learning cycle (1984) frames OIE as a process moving from concrete experience to reflective observation and conceptual reinterpretation. Transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1991) and reflective learning theory (Moon, 2004) account for dissonant experiences that challenge assumptions and foster perspective shifts. Cultural dimensions theory (Hofstede, 2001) is used critically to highlight tensions between abstract models and the complexity of lived intercultural interaction (Kramsch, 2009; Baker, 2015). Contemporary OIE scholarship emphasizes learner agency, reflective dialogue, and negotiation in international contexts (O’Dowd & Lewis, 2016; Dooly & Helm, 2018; Baker, 2021; Helm, 2023; Guth & Helm, 2022).

Data derived from a 6-week OIE project involving 105 students from Vilnius University, University of Latvia, Universidad Austral de Chile, and National Louis University (USA). Teams included students from Europe and non-European universities, reflecting inclusive internationalisation practices. The study aligns with EU policy goals promoting digital mobility, intercultural competence, and inclusion (Erasmus+ Programme Guide 2021–2027; Digital Education Action Plan 2021–2027; Virtual Exchanges in Higher Education and Youth initiative, European Commission, 2021; 2024; 2025).

This study contributes to European and international educational research by investigating the reflective, interpretive, meaning-making dimension of intercultural awareness, highlighting how structured virtual exchanges support critical reflection, learner agency, and preparation for intercultural competence.

The growing internationalization of higher education (HE), the expansion of remote work opportunities, and multicultural and multilingual teamwork underscore the need for continued research on intercultural communicative competence development in HE.

The term ‘communicative competence’ was introduced in the 1960s, and its main premise was not only grammatically and linguistically correct language acquisition, but appropriate language use in definite situations (Hymes, 1972). From the 1960s to the 1990s, the approach had been developing, and many classifications were designed. The most prominent ones are those by Canale & Swain (1980), Canale (1983), Bachman & Palmer (1982). In 1995, the first pedagogically motivated model of communicative competence was developed by Celce-Murcia, Dörnyei, & Thurrell (1995, 9-12). In the 21^st century, the theory of communicative competence continues to develop.

Culture and language are interconnected, and they influence one another. As Byram (1989) notes, learning a language involves developing cultural awareness, and using that language further enables learners to engage with members of the culture it represents. Thus, the term ‘intercultural competence’ was introduced.

According to Wang and Dai (2024), intercultural competence is associated with intercultural interaction, cross-cultural understanding, multiculturalism, cultural awareness, and intercultural communicative competence.

Mootoosamy and Aryadoust’s (2024) systematic review of 85 empirical studies shows that communicative competence has been linked to diverse concepts, but two prevailing ones are intercultural communicative competence and multimodal communicative competence.

The focus of the current research is the development of students’ intercultural communicative competence, which consists of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that enable effective intercultural communication. Illie (2019) explains that knowledge involves understanding the beliefs, values, norms, and communicative practices characteristic of other cultures. Key skills include observing, listening, analyzing, evaluating, and interpreting, and attitudes comprise ‘respect, openness, and curiosity/discovery’ (Ilie, 2019, 265).

Due to internationalization in HE, students bring diverse cultural backgrounds to the classroom. This underscores the importance of designing language‑learning materials that are adapted to learners’ cultural experiences and language proficiency levels, thereby strengthening their capacity to operate effectively in multicultural academic and professional environments where intercultural competence is essential. Furthermore, the student-centred study approach must be applied.

Lots of intercultural training approaches exist, each with its own advantages and limitations, including simulations, role‑plays, case studies, various group activities, and online tools, as well as a recently developed innovative method called the “Story Circles”, wherein students exchange their personal experiences demonstrating respect, empathy, and interest in their peers (Deardorff, 2020).

The research was conducted within the framework of the Erasmus+ project “Cultural knowledge and language competences as means to develop 21^st century skills” involving six Central and Eastern European countries: Croatia, Latvia, Slovenia, Romania, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Its aim was to develop adult learners’ 21^st century skills, language and intercultural competences, foster learners’ knowledge of the rich European cultural heritage and its values.

A blended‑learning CLIL‑based course for adults was developed and implemented (Coyle, Hood, & Marsh, 2010). It explores Europe’s intangible cultural heritage, including cultural spaces, language and oral traditions, social practices, knowledge and skills, etc. (UNESCO, 2024). The use of CLIL supports two goals: 1) it introduces the cultural context of the target countries and students increase their knowledge of other cultures, which fosters their cultural awareness, and 2) at the same time, they develop their target language skills.

The aim of the current research is to evaluate the development of students’ intercultural communicative competence during the course implementation at HEIs in five EU countries.

In previous ECERs, the project results from each stage were presented in general. In ECER 2026, the focus will be on students' intercultural communicative competence development in higher education institutions.

Digitalization or digital transition is one of the major objectives and challenges in higher education (European Education Area). The use of digital technologies for education and language learning has been extensively researched, including in the field of higher education (Beatty, 2010; Carrier et al., 2017; Cavanaugh et al., 2022; Dumitru, 2023; Gamage et al., 2022).

Technology-enhanced language learning (TELL) and Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL), which started in the 1960s (Hampel & Stickler, 2024), have had a significant impact on the methodology of teaching and learning languages, including English for Special Purposes (ESP) (Dou et al., 2023). According to Hampel and Stickler (2024), digitalization has not simply added tools; it has fundamentally transformed the nature of language learning itself. From this perspective, ESP learning has become a complex, multilayered, and dynamic process, comparable to a mosaic of diverse inputs, exposure moments, and learning contexts (Hampel, as cited in Hampel & Stickler, 2024). Today, education takes place both online and in a distance format, with the use of mobile learning (Kukulska-Hulme, as cited in Hampel & Stickler, 2024) and other digital devices, while various platforms, software, and digital tools are also used in the university lecture room. The latest technologies that have emerged are more interactive and collaborative (Kessler, 2018; Godwin-Jones, 2021) and are more focused on student-centeredness and autonomous language learning (Wujec-Kaczmarek, 2021).

In this context, the use of different forms of digital devices (a computer, a telephone, a laptop, and a tablet, etc.), as well as the application of different digital tools (tools for language acquisition, production, comprehension, and interaction; Hubbard, as cited in Hampel & Stickler, 2024), makes an ESP lecture a multimodal place and requires students to be multiliterate (Hubbard, as cited in Hampel & Stickler, 2024; Tzirides et al., as cited in Hampel & Stickler, 2024).

From a theoretical perspective, a modern ESP lecture can be viewed through the lens of Complex Dynamic Systems Theory (CDST) (Larsen-Freeman, 1997, 2017; Hampel, as cited in Hampel & Stickler, 2024), where language is approached from a broader, more holistic perspective, emphasizing its variability and dynamic interaction and placing at the center interacting elements such as learners, teachers, tools, and the environment. Complex Dynamic Systems Theory helps us understand why multimodality matters in ESP. Since CDST conceptualizes language learning as a complex, non-linear, and socially situated process shaped by multiple interacting factors, multimodal digital environments provide the semiotic, social, and cognitive resources through which learning can emerge and develop over time (Hampel, as cited in Hampel & Stickler, 2024; Larsen-Freeman, 2017).

As with all innovations, the application of digital tools raises numerous issues for academia, researchers, and students, such as the benefits and drawbacks of different forms of digital tool use in teaching and learning, the level of digital competence among students who are often considered digital natives (Rathert & Cabaroglu, 2024) and among academic staff, as well as the relevance of specific skills for effective educational practice.

The objective of the research is to explore the use and perception of digital technologies in university ESP teaching from the perspective of Complex Dynamic Systems Theory, with particular attention to multimodality, learner interaction, and the interrelation between learners and academic personnel, tools, and learning environments, both within and beyond the university lecture room. Consequently, the main research question is:

How do university students use and perceive digital devices, tools, and software for language learning and communication in higher education, both in terms of their own practices and their perceptions of academic staff use?

Assessment of speaking skills in English as a Second Language (ESL) contexts has traditionally relied on teacher-led evaluation, often positioning learners as passive recipients of grades and feedback. Such practices may limit opportunities for reflection, learner autonomy, and collaborative engagement. In response, assessment-for-learning approaches increasingly emphasize learner involvement through self-assessment and peer-to-peer assessment. However, there remains limited empirical and conceptual clarity on how these two forms of assessment can be effectively balanced within ESL speaking tests and how this balance influences learners’ reflective autonomy and collaborative learning.

This study explores the integration of peer-to-peer assessment and self-assessment in ESL speaking tests, focusing on their combined role in fostering reflective autonomy and collaborative learning among learners. The central research question guiding the study is: How does balancing peer-to-peer assessment and self-assessment in ESL speaking tests influence learners’ reflective autonomy and collaborative learning? To address this question, the study examines learners’ engagement with and perceptions of both assessment practices, as well as the learning processes that emerge when they are implemented together.

The study is theoretically grounded in three complementary perspectives. Learner autonomy theory (Holec, 1981; Little, 1991) frames self-assessment as a reflective practice that enables learners to take responsibility for monitoring and regulating their speaking performance. Social constructivist theory (Vygotsky, 1978) conceptualizes peer-to-peer assessment as a socially mediated activity through which learners co-construct understanding, negotiate meaning, and support each other’s development. In addition, formative assessment theory (Black & Wiliam, 1998) positions both peer and self-assessment as assessment-for-learning strategies that actively involve learners in evaluating and improving their performance rather than merely measuring achievement.

Drawing on these theoretical foundations, the study conceptualizes ESL speaking tests as learning-oriented assessment spaces in which reflection and collaboration are integral. By balancing self-assessment and peer-to-peer assessment, learners are encouraged to engage in individual reflection while also participating in dialogic feedback processes with peers. This dual focus is expected to enhance reflective autonomy and promote collaborative learning practices.

The study aims to contribute to research on language assessment by clarifying the pedagogical value of combining peer and self-assessment in ESL speaking tests. It also offers practical implications for educators seeking to design speaking assessments that support learner autonomy, reflection, and collaboration within formative assessment frameworks.