Students' Perceptions Toward an International Telecollaboration Project Through an Engineering-Themed Online Simulation in a Language-Learning Setting

Abstract

This chapter investigates student perceptions toward an international collaboration that involved an online role-play simulation, Engineers Without Borders (EWB). Forty-two undergraduate students enrolled in an engineering course at a university in the United States were paired with 56 engineering students based at a university in Spain. The simulation was designed and developed not only to foster problem-solving skills, but also to provide opportunities for participants to develop communication skills, teamwork, and professionalism. The simulation also provided opportunities for EFL students to communicate in English and develop their intercultural skills through the use of a variety of electronic collaboration tools. This chapter reports on participant feedback and highlights the benefits of the computer-based nature of the telecollaboration.