Telecollaboration and critical cultural connections

Abstract

By applying critical theories and pedagogies in online intercultural exchanges, teachers avoid facilitating superficial cultural dialogues between culturally diverse students as well as promoting white European cultural knowledge as superior. Educators and instructional designers should understand critical theories and pedagogies before designing and conducting intercultural exchanges. Online intercultural education, known as telecollaboration in the United States, promotes critical global citizenship skills and critical cross-cultural communication skills by connecting learning communities from different cultural backgrounds to one another. Learning objectives that combine the two critical pedagogical skills can transform traditional learning environments into collaborative global learning communities. Learners can work together to understand and address social justice issues such as misrepresentation, inequitable and disrespectful attitudes, environmental degradation, human trafficking, racism, poverty, and malnutrition.