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Online Intercultural Exchange (OIE) is an academic field of study. It "involves instructionally mediated processes...for social interaction between internationally distributed partner classes" This activity has its roots in computer-assisted language learning (CALL) and computer-mediated communication. OIE is not restricted to language learning but happens across many educational disciplines where there is a desire to increase the international nature of learning. Such activities are also known as telecollaboration. Groups such as SOLIYA use OIE techniques in order to connect young people internationally and improve their understanding of each other's contexts.

Developments in communication technologies and the relative ease with which forms of human communication can be technically afforded internationally since the existence of the internet resulted in language teaching experimentation. Connecting individuals, classrooms or groups of students to work together on tasks online involves attempting to arrive at shared understanding through "negotiation of meaning" There is a body of research in the failures and successes of the endeavour which have informed a guide to language teacher practice. A consortium of researchers, the INTENT consortium supported by funding from the European Union promoted awareness of telecollaborative activities in Higher Education and the contribution made to internationalising the student experience, publishing a report and a position paper. The history of the evolution of this field was described by researcher Robert O'Dowd in his keynote to the European Computer-Assisted Language Learning Conference EUROCALL in 2015.

External links:

The INTENT consortium

O'Dowd keynote Eurocall 2015

Eurocall organisation website

Press coverage of SOLIYA