Intercultural learning in schools through telecollaboration? A critical case study of eTwinning between Turkey and Germany

Abstract

Digital media offer various possibilities for internet-based telecollaboration in schools and open up a space for intercultural learning. Diverse initiatives like such as the European Union-initiative eTwinning network aim to support telecollaboration projects in education. This article argues that we need to develop critical and grounded understanding of telecollaboration projects and how they are being embedded in the context of existing school cultures. The article presents an in-depth case study of a telecollaboration project between a Turkish and a German school. On the basis of observations in schools, interviews with teachers and focus groups with pupils, the article argues that there are two main challenges that limit the experience of intercultural learning in the analysed project. The first point is about the strong teacher-centred project design and the discrepancy between the perspectives of teachers and pupils. The second point is the rather simplistic and superficial understanding of culture, which reasserts national cultures instead of promoting a more open perspective, that influences the project tasks and topics.

Intercultural Education for the Twenty-First Century: A Comparative Review of Research

“…Another not-so-positive finding is reported by Lau (2015), who mentions the difficulty of disrupting children's ingrained stereotypes of migrants/refugees, and their tendency to be attracted more by the 'exotic' customs and festivals rather than deeper understandings. Students' superficial understanding of culture which remained at a traditions-sharing level is also reported by Bozdag (2018) in his study with adolescents.…”

“…Finally, when it comes to the main challenges identified by the reviewed studies, several authors have considered the influence of national culture on education, especially on policy makers' intercultural perceptions (Allan 2003;Bedeković 2017;Hernandez-Bravo et al 2017;Bozdag 2018). Other studies highlight limitations in the use of the concept 'culture' to refer only to a national identity, and its consequences on students' intercultural learning outcomes (Bozdag 2018;Hessel 2019). Studies also highlight the teachers' role within intercultural education initiatives, notably the need for educational support for cross-system transitions (Dai and Garcia 2019) and the importance of teacher education (Senyshyn 2018).…”

An Exploration of the Potential Role of Digital Technologies for Promoting Learning in Foreign Language Classrooms: Lessons for a Pandemic

“…[41] indicates that the purpose of this step is to help participants begin to acquire insights about others and sense their own ethnocentrism (pp. [4][5]. [40] explains that the ABC model focuses on "learning to view differences as special and as a means of celebrating the uniqueness of individuals" (p. 7).…”

“…Utilising collaborative digital tools is an area that is becoming more popular in schools with the investment in technology in schools and teachers having access to programmes that facilitate online collaborative learning [12]. Digital technologies offer opportunities for online exchanges in schools and open up a space for intercultural learning [5].…”

Programas eTwinning para la adquisición de competencias del siglo XXI. Buscando una categoría central

“…La tecnología multimedia digital trae consigo oportunidades de aprendizaje mediante la conectividad, favoreciendo la telecolaboración entre docentes y alumnos en diferentes partes del mundo. La telecolaboración forma parte tanto de la educación formal como de la educación no formal a través de diferentes internacionales apoyados por instituciones públicas, organizaciones no gubernamentales y empresas privadas (Bozdağ, 2018).…”