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Sustaining Language Learning through Social Interaction at a Japanese
National University
Julia Tanabe
Hiroshima University, Japan112

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Abstract
The careful use of online learning can achieve a variety of goals in sustainable education, suchas providing access for students, particularly in times of crisis, as well as providing them with
opportunities to study interdependently. Also, it gives them the opportunity to develop thinking
skills and awareness to become active in working towards sustainable societies, ones where theactions of the current society do not damage the abilities of future generations to address theirown needs. In this small-scale study at a Japanese national university, the switch fromclassroom-based teaching to online study in language education is considered in relation toflipped learning. This involved videoconferencing software and the organization of “study
buddy” groups, supported by materials on a learning management system. The effect of thechange has been investigated using a mixed-methods approach with survey data from students
and data from two classroom observations by external observers. The data has been analyzed
and framed in relation to sustainable education goals, produced by Japan’s Ministry of
Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), such as cooperation,interdependence, sense of responsibility, and international awareness. The author of this study
found that the flipped learning approach was successful in building an online community andsocial interaction that provided the framework for achieving education for sustainability. In
conclusion, the author considers how hybrid courses involving both classrooms and online
technology may be the future for English language courses in Japanese universities.
Keywords: English language education, flipped learning, sustainable education, online learning,
study-buddy

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In a period of globalization and climate change, educators must increasingly adapt to
disruptions due to emergencies relating to natural events. In Japan, which is susceptible totyphoons, earthquakes and tsunami, as well as outbreaks of disease, having the capacity tomaintain courses and classes effectively during difficult times is becoming increasingly
important. This is particularly relevant to language teaching and learning, where social
interaction is given high priority, usually requiring students to study while being in physicalproximity with each other so that they can communicate. Furthermore, there is an increasingneed to focus on sustainable education to develop citizens who can contribute to slowing orreversing severe problems emerging due to unsustainable human activity. In this article,
consideration is given to how online learning can contribute to sustainable education in thefield of language learning.
With the COVID-19 crisis in 2020, most Japanese national universities effectively transformed
classroom-based education into online education. This, in effect, created a physical barrier
between teacher and student as well as between the students themselves. For teachers, thechallenge was how to utilize software, and develop online skills and ways of teaching thatdelivered language courses effectively. At the author’s university, the available avenues ofdelivery were the university’s learning management system Blackboard Learn R9.1 (Bb9) andvideoconferencing software, such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom.
The author of this paper specializes in the teaching of productive skills (speaking and writing)in English for first-year students who are required to take a set of English courses as part oftheir general education. A flipped learning approach was used that involved self-study using
Bb9 combined with an online class. During 2020, two different videoconferencing software
packages were used. The first was Microsoft Teams, which was combined with out-of-class“study buddy” groups, where students were placed in small teams and collaborated outside ofclass time to promote learner autonomy, cooperation, and partnership – goals of sustainableeducation. The second software package was Zoom, which at that time had an advantage overTeams because of its breakout room function that allowed “study buddy” interaction to takeplace in online class time.
The aim of this paper is to describe how videoconferencing tools, “study buddy” groups and alearning management system were used in online English language courses for productive
skills and to evaluate the new way of delivering classes in relation to sustainable education.
The use of the technologies described in the study is not only relevant for infection control dueto the COVID-19 pandemic, but it also contributes more broadly to sustainable education goals.
Theoretical Background
Japanese Government Promotion of Sustainable Education
The courses described in this study took place in a Japanese context, and a major source of
influence is the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The
Ministry has emphasized sustainable education, one that promotes a society in which theactions of the current generation do not damage the abilities of future generations to address
their own needs. In a world where there are severe problems such as climate change, resource
depletion, and a biodiversity crisis, the goal of sustainable education is to develop problemsolving skills in order to realize and tackle the problems in the environment. As MEXT (2016,p. 4) suggests: “Think globally, act locally.”
For MEXT (2016), all learners need to acquire the knowledge and skills required to promote

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sustainable development such as “promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence, global
citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity and culture’s contribution to sustainable
development” (2016, p. 5). Another aim is to ensure “inclusive and equitable quality educationand promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” (MEXT, 2016, p. 5).
MEXT (2016) has also emphasized the need for teachers and students to work on issues
concerned with building a sustainable society, involving themes such as diversity,interdependence, limitation, fairness, cooperation, responsibility. Cooperation, responsibility
and interdependence were significant aims of the online course discussed in this article. In
addition, students need to acquire competences necessary to solve problems in order to build asustainable society. These competences include the ability to think critically, plan for the future,
think in multidimensional and integrative ways, communicate, cooperate with others, respect
relations and connections, and participate proactively.
The Relevance of Sustainable Education to Language Courses
When considering sustainable education, MEXT (2013) stresses that it is important to promote“proactive learning, interactive learning, and in-depth learning”. This implies not only the
exploratory learning process, such as appropriate implementation of problem-solving learning,enriching opportunities for proactive learner-centered learning with experiences and activities,
but a thorough examination about which part of the learning process is most efficient and how
to implement it. In other words, the aim should be to organize cooperative learning by
integrating group activities and supporting students so that they can discuss and work together
on various topics in order to undertake activities or give presentations.
The online teaching delivery methods discussed in this article aim to contribute to theseparticular goals of sustainable education. For instance, they create more equal opportunities foreducation since students from a variety of backgrounds can access classes and materials online
regardless of their location. Further, online learning management systems provide flexible
access to content regardless of time; therefore, they are more cost-effective for universities to
distribute course content, avoiding the cost and waste of distribution through paper. Online
methods involving both learning management systems and videoconferencing can extend thelearning experiences for students who cannot attend traditional face-to-face classes by giving
them multiple study opportunities. In addition, the methods applied in online education are
generally much lower in carbon intensity, requiring less commuting, since students can takecourses from the comfort of their home, which is an additional benefit in terms of sustainability.
Previous research (Exter et al., 2009; McInnerney & Roberts, 2004; Tanabe, 2015) suggeststhat online teaching has the potential to improve the quality of learning experience by involving
a varied community of learners. McGuire & Castle (2010) have stated that another benefit of
the online method in terms of sustainable education goals is the nature of asynchronous
discourse, where there is a time lag between responses, allowing responders time to think,examples being the posting of audio recordings (speaking) and blog entries (writing) on alearning management system. In these cases, other students can listen, read, and comment.
Asynchronous discourse often involves deep learning, which involves self-reflection and selfawareness, more so than synchronous discourse, which is more strongly associated with a
traditional classroom setting. Also, students who employ deep learning may identify a greater
satisfaction in self-learning (Warburton, 2003). For these reasons, online teaching can be aneffective tool in achieving sustainable education.

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Teaching English through a Communicative Approach
Sustainable education has a strong link to language learning and teaching, particularly in
relation to international communication and learning through discourse and interaction. The
communicative approach, otherwise known as communicative language teaching (CLT)
highlights the importance of situation and context in understanding language that
communicates meaning. As Nunan (2004, p.7) states, it is about “language that can be thoughtof as a tool for communication”. Williams and Burden (1997) have researched Vygotsky’s
social constructivism, which stresses social interaction for learning, as a psychologicalunderpinning to the approach. In the case of communicative language teaching, both teacherstudent interaction and student-student interaction are considered very important. The courses
described in this article were strongly influenced by Vygotsksy’s psychology, particularly in
relation to social interaction.
Communicative language teaching (CLT) focuses on meaningful communication in the target
language. Based on Littlewood’s (1981) explanation, this approach places emphasis on
interaction in the classroom between peers and between teacher and learners while combining
functional and structural features of language. CLT makes language learning authentic andhelps learners to use language both productively and receptively in order to achievecommunicative ability.
Larsen-Freeman (1986) claims that CLT relates to authentic, communicative events; therefore,
the right circumstances are in place for communicative exchange. Also, the students get
immediate response from their peers or teacher on whether or not their communication was
successful. Moreover, small group work provides more opportunities for practicing
communication and offers learners the chance to share their ideas and opinions. This way ofcommunicative interaction enhances cooperation and negotiation of meaning among learners(Larsen-Freeman, 1986). Jacobs and Hall (2002, p. 53) mention a number of benefits with CLTsuch as “increased student talk, more varied talk, a more relaxed atmosphere, greater
motivation, more negotiation of meaning, and increased amounts of comprehensible input”.
Building a sense of community (SoC) is considered highly important in classes to minimize
student isolation (McMillan & Chavis, 1986). Also, communicative interaction, cooperation,negotiation of meaning among learners, and the need for learning through social interaction are
relevant for the English Communication classes. With a switch to online learning, it was
important to think through how these could be incorporated in the new learning environment.
If students were to build their language through interaction, videoconferencing sessions using
Teams and Zoom seemed to be the best option for the course.
The Flipped Approach
The term “flipped learning” is used by Bergmann and Sams (2012) to describe a new model of
instruction. It is “a pedagogical approach in which direct instruction moves from the grouplearning space to the individual learning space, and the resulting group space is transformed
into a dynamic, interactive learning environment where the educator guides students as they
apply concepts and engage creatively in the subject matter” (Network, 2014, p. 1). Enokida etal. (2018) state that one advantage of a flipped classroom is flexibility since it allows instructors
to spend more time on covering the materials, answer students’ questions and have group
discussions. In flipped learning, students acquire knowledge prior to class, then use thatknowledge in group activities that foster their productive and creative skills during class time
(Enokida et al. 2018). The course discussed in this study followed the flipped approach.
Students were asked to work on a learning management system, complete assignments, and116

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watch videos to help them prepare for an online class that involved discussions.
MethodCourses Involved in the Study
The focus of this study is on two courses taught to first-year students, one on developing
speaking skills and one on writing skills. For the speaking skills course, self-study materials
were placed on a learning management system (Bb9), students were organized into “study
buddy” groups that arranged their own communication outside of class, and each week students
attended an online Teams class as a whole group. The average class size consisted of 25
students. For the writing skills course, self-study materials were placed on Bb9, and each week
students attended an online Zoom class, and “study buddy” communication took place duringclasses through the use of Zoom’s breakout room function. Zoom’s breakout room featureallows the teacher to split the participants into small groups. The teacher can then join thesegroups and monitor students’ interaction, as Selwood explains (2021).
Participants
The participants were first-year Japanese university students enrolled in the productive skills
courses. They were not at university to study English as a specialism, but were members offaculties such as Education, Engineering, Science and Law; their English communication
courses were mandatory for them to graduate. The questionnaires were administered online to
280 students and 223 students responded and took part in the study.
Research Questions
The study seeks to answer the following research questions:
1. What do the students think about videoconferencing software used in online learning?
2. How do students perceive learning with online “study buddies”?
3. How effective was the online teaching delivery in developing students’ skills and attitudes
related to the goals of sustainable education?
Data Collection and Analysis
In this small-scale case study, data were collected through questionnaires and teacher reflection
notes. Questionnaires were administered twice: in the eighth and sixteenth weeks of teaching(mid-course and end-of-course). The survey contained items on a four-point Likert scale to
avoid neutral responses and also included open-ended items to complement quantitative data.
The questionnaires and students’ responses were in English. The qualitative data in the article
are quoted directly, including students’ grammatical mistakes. Triangulation was used to“increase the internal validity of the study by combining both insider, and outsider aspects ofphenomena” (Duff, 2008, p. 143); the two sets of survey results were triangulated with thenotes of two teachers who observed a class. In addition, the author has reflected on her
experiences of the classes.
Teacher-researcher bias was a potential risk; however, classroom observations helped to reduce
this. Moreover, with interpretative research, the aim is to “create an open and honest narrativethat will resonate well with readers” (Cresswell, 2003, p. 196). The researcher was teaching
the participants; however, it should not be viewed as a danger to validity; Nunan and Bailey(2009) state that the strength of a case study lies in subjectivity, which allows the researcher toelaborate on the investigated phenomenon in depth precisely due to this familiarity. Thus,
establishing an emic approach, in other words insider perspective, helps to gain a deeper

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understanding of the researched phenomenon (Dörnyei, 2007).
For Likert-scale items, data were tabulated quantitatively, using descriptive statistics. For openended questionnaire items, data were analyzed qualitatively, looking for repeated patterns andalso finding emergent themes, which were identified with codes emerging from the dataset(Mackey & Gass, 2005). Labels were assigned to data, guided by the research questions.
Findings and Discussion
RQ1: What Do the Students Think about the Videoconferencing Software used in Online
Learning?
Students’ responses indicated that the Zoom videoconferencing tool was more favored thanTeams (See: Figure 1 & Table 1) and students found it more suitable for the courses. Thispreference was explained by qualitative responses that referred to Zoom’s interactive features,
its online stability, and the lack of need to create an account to join the session, which was also
found by Selwood (2021).
Figure 1
Students’ Videoconferencing Tool Preference for the Speaking Course

Table 1
Average Feedback Scores for Teams and Zoom Sessions: Speaking and Writing Courses
4 (++) 3(+) 2(-) 1(--) (4= Very good, 3= Good, 2= Not so good, 1= Not good)Teams session rating in Term 1 (Speaking)(N= 74)
Zoom session rating in Term 2 (Speaking)(N= 74)
Zoom session rating in Term 2 (Writing)(N= 149)

Mean
3.0

SD.
0.7

3.5

0.5

3.5

0.9

The qualitative results also revealed that the majority of students perceived the online
videoconferencing positively and benefitted from several advantages of this online delivery
method. As one comment from a student illustrates, the breakout room function of Zoom was
ideal for discussions and it was useful for social networking and building a sense of community
with others: “I like the discussions in the discussion room because I made friends with otherstudents.”

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Another advantage was lexical development with an online platform for learning vocabulary(Quizlet Live), which was shared on Zoom during the online class. Students formed teams andworked together in breakout rooms to participate in a vocabulary-building game. Learning
vocabulary online while collaborating with their group members and competing with theirpeers seemed to be effective for students and they found this type of learning enjoyable, as thefollowing comments illustrate:“Online word learning is easier than learning words using a vocabulary book.”“There are a lot of functions that help me, and I was able to learn new words while
having fun.”Students also favored the use of the chat function (communicating through written messages)
in videoconferencing to share their answers in parallel with speaking to peers; less confident
students could participate actively so that “everyone has a chance to answer”. In this way, allstudents were involved in the discussions. In connection with the online speaking course,
students had positive comments about the content and topics. They particularly liked to learn
about other countries and cultures in English. Some students also enjoyed summarizing andpresenting the stories from the materials and giving presentations online. These activities were
aimed at developing students’ acceptance of cultural diversity, intercultural awareness, anddeveloping a positive attitude towards other cultures, which significantly relates to the goals ofsustainable education as the following comment from a learner illustrates: “I can know about
various countries, so I enjoyed it like traveling world.”
Some students reflected on the convenient nature of online learning because they could takethe course from the comfort of their home and this way of learning is more flexible compareda traditional classroom setting: “I can study anywhere, anytime.” However, one student
suggested that face-to-face learning supported by a learning management system would be
more suitable for English communication. This is in relation to the flipped approach in whicha learning management system with backup materials online can support students’ learning, as
the student’s feedback demonstrates: “Basically, I think that online learning is good forstudents. Online system bring us new ways to learn which we could not access ever before, but
I think the best way would be face to face classes and the online system supports that.”
RQ2: How Do Students Perceive Learning with Online “Study Buddies”?
According to the students, the online study buddies were found to be helpful in various ways.
For instance, during the writing course, students could receive more ideas from each otherthrough peer collaboration than writing by themselves. Online study buddies were also usefulfor revision and enhancing student motivation, based on the feedback:“I think it is better to learn with my Online Study Buddies because I can confirm
whether my answer is good or not and teach with each other.”Another student expressed the same idea:“Because we can help each other’s writing, I think it is better to learn with my Online
Buddies.”
These comments refer to cooperation and support, which are necessary skills outlined in thegoals for sustainable education by MEXT (2016). Students need to cooperate and work on

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problems together for a sustainable future.
Online study buddies proved to be useful for building a sense of community and valuingconnections as well as social networking. According to MEXT (2016), education forsustainability focuses on partnerships to build networks and relationships, and improve
communication between people; therefore, online study buddies were ideal, illustrated by thefollowing feedback from a student: “We can communicate and make friends with each other.”
Other students also emphasized support and the importance of being in an online community:“…because we can help each other. I think it is better to learn with my Online Buddies.”
Another learner pointed out the benefit in terms of motivation: “…because we can work hardand encourage each other and cooperating with each other.”Creating online study buddies encouraged students to self-regulate their learning. They had togather weekly and find time to study together. Peers were responsible for their own and theirstudy buddies’ learning. This is a case of interdependence, a sustainable education goal: “It isbetter to learn with buddies because I can work hard with buddies.” Education forsustainability encourages individuals and groups to reflect upon personal experiences,worldviews, and various interpretations as well as ways of engaging with the world (MEXT,
2016). Online study buddies contributed to these critical thinking skills through an interactive
learning aspect: “I think it is better to learn with our Online Buddies because we can get moreideas from them.”
In addition, the majority of students found that online study buddies were not only useful but
enjoyable as well. They expressed their preference towards learning in an online community
instead of learning on their own, for instance in a self-study class. One of the comments
illustrates this point: “I think it is better to learn with my Online Study Buddies because we canstudy happily.”
According to students, there were some negative aspects of online study buddies, related to thesize of the group and time management. Feedback from some students revealed that it waseasier to work together in pairs and they found it difficult to study together in groups of fourwith their online study buddies. Also, some students found it challenging to coordinate the time
to meet with their peers because they belonged to various departments and had different
schedules. It would have been more suitable to ask students to form their own study buddy
groups and choose peers on their own. These drawbacks were expressed in the following
comments: “It is difficult to find time with the buddies so it is better without.” Another student
stated: “I think it would be better to have a study buddy group of about two people.”
RQ3: How Effective was the Online Teaching Delivery in Developing Students’ Skills andAttitudes Related to the Goals of Sustainable Education?
Students’ responses suggest that live vocabulary learning on Zoom was ideal for enhancing
cooperation among students and drawing on interdependence as well as creating a sense of
responsibility among the group members. Online study buddies contributed to minimizing
students’ isolation by creating a sense of community among them. Support and cooperation
were also themes reported by students, thus achieving an important goal of sustainableeducation within the online learning environment. This line of thought is expressed by thefollowing feedback from a student: “Because we can work hard and encourage each other andcooperating with each other.”Through interactive learning, students could share ideas and broaden their understanding,120

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which encourages them to be responsible thinkers for a sustainable future: “I think discussing
with my class members was good. I could learn different ideas.” Another student agreed withthis point: “What I liked about this course is that we can know many ideas and views of otherstudents.” The same idea about student interaction was also expressed in a classroom
observation note: “Students were placed in breakout rooms four times during the session,
allowing them the chance to interact with each other and broaden their understanding withboth controlled tasks and freer tasks.”
In addition, online learning helped students to strengthen their cognitive and social presence tofoster the skills necessary for building international partnerships in the future. Based on thecommunity of inquiry (CoI) model (Garrison, Anderson, & Archer, 2000), cognitive presence,social presence, and teacher presence are the three important elements of effective online
learning. Cognitive presence refers to a community of learners who are able to constructmeaning through sustained communication. It develops when students cooperate in order toexplore, construct, and confirm their understanding of the content (Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007).
This is reflected in some of the comments by students: “…because I've deepened myunderstanding by checking my buddy's answers.” As another student explained: “I think it isbetter to learn with our Online Buddies because we can get more ideas from them.”
Social presence is “the ability of participants in a community of inquiry to project themselvessocially and emotionally as “real” people through the medium of communication being used”(Garrison et al., 2000, p. 94), reflected by the following student comment: “I liked to talk witheveryone and listen to their opinion. By writing and looking at essays and discussion, I could
know everyone's thinking or favorite things.” Interactions between learners contribute to thesocio-emotional connections that create social presence.
Further, teaching presence consists of planning and facilitating the discourse. Also, it cangreatly impact students’ cognitive and social performance as well as shape the community oflearners (Garrison & Arbaugh, 2007). The following excerpt from a classroom observation note
illustrates this point, related to online interactive learning: “I was also impressed by the way
you responded to the students with questions and/or comments which would expand the topic
or deepen their understanding of the topic.”
Another classroom observation notes highlighted teaching presence that fostered students’intercultural awareness when learning English. The observer stressed the importance of apositive and warm teacher attitude, good classroom management, and an interest in
encouraging thought about different cultures as well as language learning.
Conclusion and Implications
In our globalized world, sustainable development goals are stressed to build a better future andachieve sustainability. To do this, we need to work on global issues while cooperating witheach other and tackle the problems we are facing in the world. The results of this study showthat various benefits and outcomes of online teaching delivery can be linked with sustainability.
These relate to both sustainable education in times of emergency and the broad themes ofsustainable education promoted by MEXT. The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic acted as a driverfor innovation, with teachers having to quickly make decisions on how to deliver courses andclasses while being unable to operate in traditional classroom settings. The solution to the
problem was flipped learning. This involved the use of videoconferencing software as a meansof providing the traditional social interaction of the classroom in combination with a learning

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management system that allowed both self-study and the sharing of written and audio work.
In relation to sustaining education in times of emergency, by organizing students into out-ofclass study-buddy groups and through creating small-group work in videoconferencing
sessions, it was possible for students to interact. By doing so they developed connections andfriendships through working on focused tasks such as discussions and vocabulary-development
games. In some ways, videoconferencing gave students more avenues for communication thana traditional classroom. For example, students could communicate with the teacher through achat function. In a period of globalization and climate change, in which there are both theincreasing risk of pandemics and of extreme weather events, the results of the questionnaires
indicate that education can be sustained effectively through videoconferencing and learning
management systems.
In the broader context of sustainable education, three aims of the course were cooperation,
responsibility, and interdependence. The results of the data analysis show that “study buddy”
groups, working within the structured environment of a course, helped to address these aims.
From a Vygotskyan perspective, they provided many opportunities for peer learning, withstudents working together to check answers or learn content from each other, which motivatedthem to study. This was particularly evident in writing classes, in which students were expected
to write for each other. They were able to gain an understanding of how others think as well as
their interests, and this could be deepened by the teacher’s contributions in more collective
discussions. The integration of asynchronous writing tasks on a learning management system
also helped to foster a sense of responsibility and interdependence. In contrast to a more
traditional approach in which students submit work to a teacher for marking and correction,
students knew that they would read and comment on each other’s writing. Therefore, it was
important to meet deadlines in order to contribute to class activity. Consequently, students wereinvolved in both synchronous discourse in planning to write, and asynchronous discourse inwhich they shaped and deepened their ideas through writing for others. This form of deeplearning is promoted by MEXT to achieve the goals of sustainable education. The interweavingof videoconferencing with a learning management system created the environment for bothtypes of discourse.
In terms of cultural awareness, one student noted that the speaking course was like travelingaround the world. While this may relate more to course content, which involved units based on
fictional students traveling in a variety of countries, it can also be explained partly by
discussions in conjunction with the use of presentation software and links to video. The
advantage of using videoconferencing was putting presentations on screen. Although Japanese
universities have very good technology in classrooms, setting up presentations is often more
complex, involving lowering screens, closing blinds, and dimming lights. There was muchgreater immediacy to presenting online. This could be supplemented by the careful selectionof video links to YouTube on the learning management system that provided footage of settings
used in the presentations and online content.
Regarding implications for the future, a number of possibilities emerge. These relate to therange of courses universities may offer and the use of technologies for sustainable education.
The current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic has accultured many teachers and students
to the use of technologies for online learning. This acculturation is likely to be used in several
ways in the future: as a resource in times of emergency or disruption; for courses involving
students in different locations; and for new hybrid models.

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In the COVID-19 pandemic, videoconferencing software was used as a substitute for theclassroom environment. The data indicate that online courses can be delivered successfully
through good teacher management of students in conjunction with videoconferencing softwareand learning management systems. For courses that are primarily taught in classrooms thisoffers a resource for disruptions due to weather events or more individual problems.
Rescheduled classes can be taught online, especially where this involves a weekend, freeing
students and teachers from the necessity of travelling to a classroom.
Although the main form of classroom delivery for the future will be classroom-based, somecourses may be offered online through videoconferencing and learning management systems,
particularly where international students are involved. From the perspective of global
citizenship and appreciation of cultural diversity, English language courses benefit from theparticipation of students from differing backgrounds. Due to travel restrictions, some students
have been unable to travel from their home countries, but have been able to participate inclasses online. Videoconferencing technologies and learning management systems now offer
a much greater opportunity for international student exchange. Because students from various
countries can participate in joint projects, discussions, and problem solving, intercultural
discussion will contribute to the government’s idea of “Think globally, act locally” (MEXT,
2016, p. 4), and improve the quality of learning.
With the return to classrooms, an important question is how technology will be combined withsocial interaction in the future. The most likely result is a model in which some of theinnovations that emerged in the time of the pandemic become integrated into classroom-based
courses. In this article the focus has been primarily on social interaction throughvideoconferencing, but this has been supported by carefully constructed materials on a learning
management system, which is complementary software for either classroom-based learning or
learning through videoconferencing. Particularly in Japan, where ownership of smartphones isvery extensive, students all have Internet access in the classroom through these devices.
Another possibility is a hybrid model which combines on-site learning with videoconferencing
to create an inclusive intercultural classroom. In terms of sustainability, it can be extended
beyond a course to a whole study-abroad program, and so offers the possibility for a university
to broaden its connections with other institutions of tertiary education across the world.
Although, there might be challenges such as the time difference between the local students andinternational students, they can have access to and take part in education more easily. Suchinternationally joint hybrid classes can create more intercultural classrooms which contributeto international cooperation in our globalized world.
Finally, this article has had a focus on the importance of social interaction in the learning
process, particularly through peer interaction, and the development of communication skills in
English through writing and speaking. What has emerged from the data is that current
technologies can be used to augment such learning, creating an environment where skills aredeveloped through tasks and interaction that is focused on meaningful exchange, and so aid inachieving the aims of sustainable education.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Walter Davies for proofreading this article. I am deeply grateful for his
valuable feedback on the draft.

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Corresponding author: Julia Tanabe
Email: jtanabe@hiroshima-u.ac.jp125