Considerable research has shown the value of Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) regarding student engagement and motivation, depth of learning, and cognitive flexibility. Student collaboration is one component of this approach, since students must communicate and work together inside and outside of class time when engaging with an IBL project. Choosing a mobile learning tool can benefit student collaboration in so far as the tool enables anytime/anywhere collaborative learning. This study looked at how 118 Emirati undergraduate students in a government-sponsored university in the United Arab Emirates chose to collaborate in an IBL semester-long assignment. Unlike some approaches that dictate the technology selection to students (Barczyk & Duncan, 2013;Prescott, Wilson & Becket, 2013), in this project course instructors gave the students autonomy to choose the best mobile learning tools for their group. The study used a mixed-methods approach to collect data on which tools students perceived as best for IBL. Participants were surveyed three times about which tool they preferred for university work: a pre-project survey, a mid-project survey, and post-project survey. Results show that students changed their preferred tool to WhatsApp over the course of the semester. A focus group with each course section provided qualitative data as to why students preferred WhatsApp. The students also delivered poster presentations as to how WhatsApp helped them complete their community-based IBL projects. This study will show how WhatsApp can be a successful mobile learning tool for student collaboration in IBL.

One of the consequences of the digital era has been the undeniable rise in the use of English in business. Studies have shown that large numbers of people in the business community now rely on English to get their work done, and at the same time, that many business transactions now take place through digital technologies in the form of computer mediated communication (CMC). In this study, we will be discussing a recent project carried out with high-proficiency learners of business English located in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with no previous business experience, which aimed to help our learners to develop the CMC skills they will need to succeed in the contemporary UAE workplace, with specific reference to email. In doing so, it went beyond what is normally included within the textbook and attempted to place our learners in a writing space more similar to that of the modern business context.

Objectives: Cultural competence is a skill that is lauded and encouraged in today's business communication programs and in industry. The problem becomes, how and when do instructors introduce students to meaningful intercultural exchanges that produce the skills and awareness students will need in the future. The instructors in this study wanted a low-cost, student-center program or assignment to introduce students to intercultural communication through actual practice. The project needed to help students become more culturally aware and culturally competent. Methods: The authors of this study paired their students for a virtual cross-cultural exchange for a period of 8 weeks. Students from the United States of America (USA) and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) spent several weeks corresponding via the text messaging application, WhatsApp, in order to learn more about the other's culture and customs. Surveys intended to measure cultural awareness and cultural competence were taken by students prior to the start of the exchange and again at its conclusion. Results: The survey results show an increase in cultural awareness and cultural competence correlated to the cultural exchange project. Conclusions: Instructors can create low-cost, interactive opportunities for students to improve cultural awareness and competence through online conversations and cultural exchanges with students of various cultures in different locales and countries.

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Objectives: The significant impact that Hallyu (the "Korean Wave") has recently been having on young female Emiratis can be seen in the recent trend of female Emirati university students joining Korean clubs to learn more about the culture. The women are first attracted to the culture by Korean pop music (K-pop) and Korean dramas (K-dramas) and then become more interested in learning about Korean culture and language. The purpose of this study is to show how a university Korean club and the Korean Cultural Center in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) provide the experiential perspectives necessary to gain intercultural competence and an appreciation for Korean culture. Methods: We surveyed 23 female Korean Club members in the UAE to understand why they are interested in Korean culture and analyzed the winning speech of the 2019 Korean speech contest to see if students had gained intercultural communication competence and an appreciation for Korean culture. Results: We found that Emirati females are initially drawn to Korean culture by Hallyu, specifically by Korean pop music and dramas. The students then become interested in learning the Korean language and other opportunities to learn more about Korea. Involvement in university Korean clubs helps students immerse themselves in Korean culture and language while living in the UAE. Conclusion:The strong interest in Korea coupled with Korean cultural experiences within the UAE is creating culturally competent students who are ready to join the workforce. Arab students capable of speaking Arabic, English, and Korean fluently with an understanding of Korean culture will benefit the on-going bilateral relations between the UAE and Korea.