Abstract
This paper examines the effects of an eTandem video chat exchange at middle school on the participating students in enhancing their intercultural communicative competence. A total of 99 Year 9 students in a public integrated elementary and junior high school in Kyoto, Japan, participated in an eTandem video chat exchange project with 50 Year 8 students in a public K-12 school in Melbourne, Australia. The data show that about 70% of the participants who could experience the exchange comfortably reported that they enjoyed it and wanted another chance to talk with their partners or even new people worldwide. However, about 10% who had to cope with the adverse conditions, such as ICT troubles and the disrespectful attitudes of the partners, had a skeptical reaction toward the eTandem video chat exchange. Analyzing the cause of disrespectful attitudes by some partners could clarify the importance of instructors from both sides agreeing on culture sharing as the goal of the eTandem project rather than language skill training. This agreement is crucial to ensure a positive and effective exchange experience. Also, preparation for intercultural communicative effectiveness is needed before joining an intercultural video chat exchange project to avoid unfavorable experiences.
https://ror.org/027mg2511 
