Transformation through telecollaboration: A working hypothesis on the transformative potential of blended spaces for (Italian) foreign language acquisition in South Africa

Abstract

This article formulates a working hypothesis on the transformative potential of telecollaborative projects in a foreign language classroom in South Africa. It is based on a project which has been already successfully implemented in Australia. The working idea is to transfer this project into the South African context, where the use of technology may be helpful both to improve the quality of students’ learning experience and to address the transformative demand coming from the South African society. The essay both illustrates the transformational potential of digital spaces of blended foreign language acquisition and suggests how current blending strategies deployed abroad may be re-thought and re-shaped so as to better match the peculiarities of the South African context.