The eExchange Giessen-Hong Kong has ESP students who are preparing for a year-long study-cum-work stay in the German-speaking parts of Europe work with students of a German as a Foreign Language (GFL) seminar. Being aspiring teachers of GFL, the latter use the exchange to work with Internet applications for pedagogical purposes, developing teaching competences in the process. The Chinese students work with content on an open online blog which was created by the Giessen students for people who are interested in attending a German orientation course, an initiative of the German government to promote integration (Orientierungskursblog [OK-Blog]). By discussing the blog’ s content with their partners and tutors in Germany Chinese students develop their language and cultural competences and Giessen students develop competences as online tutors.
