ICT tools in intercultural communication pedagogy: their impact on speaking competence and students’ strategies in negotiating meaning

Open

Ruslan Hasyim, Nurdin Noni, Sahril Nur

2026 Frontiers in Education Vol. 10 Article Cited by 1 SDG 4 Quartile

Abstract

This study examines the role of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in intercultural communication pedagogy, focusing on its impact on students’ speaking competence and their strategies for negotiating meaning in higher education. Situated in the under-researched context of Southwest Papua, Indonesia, the study addresses a critical gap in existing literature, which has predominantly framed ICT as a technical enhancer of speaking skills while giving limited attention to its mediating role in intercultural interaction, meaning negotiation, and identity expression. Adopting a qualitative case study design, data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with 25 English Education students and 3 lecturers, and document analysis within an ICT-mediated Speaking for Intercultural Communication course. The data were analyzed thematically to investigate (1) how ICT-based instruction influences students’ intercultural speaking competence and (2) how ICT tools support learners’ strategies for negotiating meaning, adapting to cultural norms, and expressing identity during intercultural speaking activities. The findings indicate that ICT-based instruction enhances students’ speaking competence by improving linguistic proficiency, reducing speaking anxiety, and increasing confidence and willingness to communicate in intercultural contexts. Furthermore, ICT tools function as mediational resources that enable learners to negotiate meaning through multimodal strategies, manage pragmatic differences across cultures, and articulate local cultural identities through digital storytelling and content creation. These practices reposition speaking activities as sites of cultural mediation rather than merely linguistic performance. Copyright © 2026 Hasyim, Noni and Nur.

Affiliations

Department of English, State University of Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia; Department of English, Faculty of Languages and Literature, State University of Makassar, Makassar, Indonesia

Research at a Glance

Premium content — register to unlock

Research at a Glance

Register to unlock

Topics & SDG Alignment

Premium content — register to unlock

Topics & SDG Alignment

Register to unlock

Collaboration

Premium content — register to unlock

Collaboration

Register to unlock

Author Profile (Selected)

Premium content — register to unlock

Author Profile (Selected)

Register to unlock

References Overview

Premium content — register to unlock

References Overview

Register to unlock

Journal & Source

Premium content — register to unlock

Journal & Source

Register to unlock

Metadata & Integrity

Premium content — register to unlock

Metadata & Integrity

Register to unlock