In this paper, one of the pedagogical practices for international education in the Web 2.0 generation called COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) is introduced. Using various SNS (Social Network Services) and other ICT (Information and Communication Technology) tools, two or more classes across oceans and continents communicate, most popularly in English, and work on a collaborative project such as a research presentation or a project together. The paper points out some of the critical aspects for this pedagogy to be effective for Japanese local students, in order to cultivate their intercultural competency and stimulate their motivation to study abroad in the near future.

This article is a report on a course primarily designed for Japanese undergraduates that aims to promote students’ motivation for intercultural communication and strengthen their critical awareness of their own language and culture. This course consisted of two parts: a series of lectures coupled with practical learning exercises. The lectures were intended to foster students’ basic knowledge of Japanese language teaching, linguistics, and skills of intercultural communication. After gaining the above-mentioned knowledge and skills through the lectures, the students participated in Japanese classes for international students to assist their language learning; they interacted with the language learners in various in-class settings, namely, conversations, pair/group work, and discussions. In sum, this course structure is designed to offer students theoretical knowledge through lectures and provide practical experience to apply their acquired knowledge in actual settings.

In this article, the authors explored the Japanese students’ learning outcomes, arising from assisting language learners of Japanese and their classroom interactions by qualitatively analyzing students’ reflections in their class-participation reports and term papers. The results show the students’ learning outcomes as the following: critical awareness of their native language and culture was raised significantly; encouraged to engage in intercultural communication in various situations; improvements were confirmed not only in the cognitive aspect, but also in the behavioral phase of intercultural competence. These results reveal that this course structure integrated theoretical knowledge and practical experience, thereby stimulating student learning outcomes. Some remaining issues, however, also emerged from the data analysis: some of the descriptions in the data illustrated that a small number of students reinforced their biases or oversimplified views. Appropriate interventions by instructors and creating opportunities for feedback among peers are required to resolve this issue.