Marden, Mariolina Pais, and Jan Herrington. "Asynchronous text-based communication in online communities of foreign language learners: Design principles for practice." Australasian Journal of Educational Technology 38.2 (2022): 83-97.

This paper explores the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in enhancing foreign language teaching and learning, specifically Italian, through an online learning environment. Employing a design-based research approach within a framework that combines authentic learning and online communities of practice, the study examines students' engagement with computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools. It details the intervention strategy and methodology, and analyzes themes from data on the use of discussion forums for fostering interaction and collaboration among learners. The findings indicate significant progression in students' use of forums and increased confidence in written communication in the target language over two iterative implementations of the online course.