Abstract

The proliferation of digital intercultural collaboration studies, which has been accelerated since COVID-19, has predominantly focused on student outcomes. This has left a significant gap in understanding the parallel development of educator intercultural competence (IC) through sustained pedagogical engagement. This longitudinal study addresses this gap by employing Deardorff’s model of IC (2006, 2009) and Mezirow’s transformative learning theory (1991) to examine the development of IC among Japanese undergraduate students participating in Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) projects from 2021 to 2025. The research employs a qualitative approach, combining thematic analysis of student post-COIL reflective reports with autoethnographic methodology, to document both student learning trajectories and facilitator pedagogical development. Findings reveal the bidirectional nature of IC development, demonstrating that both students and their instructor undergo parallel transformative learning processes. Japanese students exhibited accelerated development in perspective-taking and global citizenship awareness, particularly benefiting from the asynchronous digital format, which provided extended reflection time and reduced communication anxiety in English. The autoethnographic component uniquely illuminates how sustained engagement with diverse cultural contexts challenged traditional intercultural pedagogical assumptions, revealing the recursive nature of intercultural learning where educator development directly influenced student outcomes. This research contributes novel insights into the symbiotic relationship between educator and student intercultural development, providing empirical evidence for the effectiveness of sustained autoethnographic reflection in enhancing intercultural pedagogical practice and student learning outcomes.