Exploring the interplay between WhatsApp and reflective journals in telecollaborative projects

Telecollaboration has become a growing pedagogical tool in language science, as it facilitates the development of linguistic, cultural, and intercultural communicative competencies. Many telecollaborative projects have incorporated videoconferencing platforms such as Skype, Snapchat, and Zoom, among others for cross-cultural communication; however, there is now a growing interest into the affordances of mobile instant messaging platform WhatsApp for telecollaborative purposes. Notwithstanding, the data is currently limited. Furthermore, while reflection is a common aspect of telecollaboration, very limited studies have assessed the interplay between WhatsApp and the systematic completion of learning journals. This present study aims to bridge the gap by reporting on phase 3 of ClerKing – a 10-week telecollaborative project which occurred between Applied Foreign Languages students of English from Clermont Auvergne University, France and Modern Languages students of French from the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. Data was collected via pre and post-project questionnaires and learning and reflective journals and analysed through exploratory context analysis. Preliminary findings suggest that WhatsApp is ideal for telecollaboration because of its features, accessibility, and practicality. The platform primarily facilitates the development of vocabulary and grammar, and it helps students to document potential learning sequences in their learning journals, which promotes metacognition.