A Case Study of Collaborative Online International Learning Between Finnish and Japanese University Students: Learning and Using English Beyond the Classroom

Abstract

This paper aims to examine how a pair of Japanese and Finnish university students collaborate through an original Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) project which was introduced as a completely out-of-class activity. Using a case study approach, I focus on the Japanese student’s reflection for an in-depth understanding of her experience of the COIL project over 4 months. The analysis is based on the data collected through an interview and her actual interchange of email messages and letters with her Finnish partner student. The results show (a) that the Japanese student embarked on the project with both expectations of intercultural communication and anxieties about her English proficiency, and (b) that the two students co-constructed their own communication styles as they shared personal information and developed empathy and rapport with each other. I also found (c) that the Japanese student’s obsession with formality and accuracy as well as recognition of her lack of communicative English contributed to the gradual decrease in the number of email messages. However, (d) this helped her to realize her needs and maintain, even enhance, her motivation to study English. The study also sheds light on the necessity of providing well-balanced opportunities for students to learn and use both formal and informal English in order to encourage better communication. 本稿は、授業外活動として独自に導入した「国際協働オンライン学習プロジェクト」に於ける日本とフィンランドの大学生ペアの協働の過程を探究する。ケーススタディの手法を用いて、同プロジェクトに4ヵ月間参加した日本の学生のインタビューと実際のやりとり (eメ-ルと手紙)を分析した結果、(a)日本の学生は異文化交流への期待とともに、自身の英語力に対する不安も抱きながらプロジ ェクトに参加し、(b)日本とフィンランドの学生はお互いに個人情報を共有し、心を通わせ信頼関係を築きながら自分たちのコミュニ ケーションの形式を協働的に創り上げた。また、(c)日本の学生の形式と正確さへの執着および英語力の不安により、eメールや手紙の送信回数が徐々に減る傾向が見られたが、(d)同時にそれにより自身のニーズを認識し、英語学習のモチベーションの維持ひいては 向上に結びついたと認識していることが明らかになった。さらに本研究の結果、より良いコミュニケーションを促すために、フォーマル に加えてカジュアルな英語表現の学習および使用の機会の必要性も示された。