Translocal Community-Based Language Learning: A Digitally Mediated Online Travel Fair for Korean Language Learners

This pilot study examines a digitally mediated Community-Based Language Learning (CBLL) project—the Online Travel Fair—implemented across multiple North American universities to connect students from geographically distant institutions. Through synchronous virtual interactions simulating real-world travel-planning scenarios, participants designed multimodal brochures, delivered promotional pitches, and engaged in extended booth conversations, thereby using Korean purposefully across informational, persuasive, and interpersonal genres. Data from survey responses and qualitative feedback indicate that interacting with peers of comparable proficiency from other universities increased learners’ confidence in speaking Korean with unfamiliar interlocutors and fostered a sense of belonging to translocal communities of practice. Students emphasized not only the affordance of practicing Korean in meaningful, low-stakes contexts but also the value of forming interpersonal connections with peers beyond their home institutions, expressing a strong interest in continued cross-campus engagement. These findings suggest that digitally mediated CBLL can mitigate logistical and geographical constraints commonly associated with traditional community-engaged learning, while preserving its core pedagogical benefits of authenticity, reciprocity, and social participation.