Examining Indonesian Students’ Intercultural Presence in, and perspectives of, an International Community of Inquiry Via Virtual Exchange

Globalization has resulted in educational and commercial groups requiring their mentors and mentees to have an international outlook and be interculturally aware. Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students are often assigned the task of ensuring students are attuned to this fact and encouraged to bring intercultural training into their classrooms. Acclimatizing students to intercultural contact with international peers is now possible in foreign language classrooms. This study examines Indonesian students’ intercultural presence through an international Virtual Exchange (VE) being integrated into their university EFL course. The study is longitudinal as it followed a classroom, and the different participants therein, over a three-year period. A post-survey was used that included qualitative and quantitative data collection through Likert scale and open-ended questions. The surveys evince a deeper understanding of the students’ perspective of, and reactions to, their intercultural presence in the VE. Results were analyzed with mean scores and standard deviations of the Likert scales calculated and thematic analysis of the answers to the open-ended questions. Despite some challenges, results show students had a positive impression of participating in an international community of inquiry through the VE and appreciated its effect on their English language and intercultural competence development.