Effective employment of information and communication technology (ICT) in foreign language teaching and learning has become imperative as a means to support second language development when traditional face-to-face instruction and interaction is not possible. Using a design-based research approach and a theoretical framework that integrates authentic learning and online communities of practice principles, this paper examines the nature and extent of students’ contributions to computer mediated communication (CMC) tools provided in an online Italian as a foreign language learning environment. This paper describes the context of the intervention strategy, the methodology used, and presents an analysis of themes emerging from the data relating to the use of multiple discussion forums to support interaction and collaboration within the online community of foreign language learners. The findings suggest that there was a substantial development in the way students used different discussion forums over the course of two consecutive iterative implementations of the online learning environment developed. The findings also show that, as time progressed, students felt increasingly more confident about communicating their ideas in writing in the target language to different groups of participants.Implications for practice or policy:The design principles and learning environment described in this study will assist foreign language educators to create their own pedagogical frameworks for language education in technology-based, authentic learning environments.The design principles that emerged from this research will assist foreign language educators to support student interaction and collaboration in online communities of learners.Foreign language students’ engagement with peers and native speakers will be enhanced by integrating the recommendations for encouraging purposeful and authentic student online interactions.

中文翻译：

---

外语学习者在线社区中基于异步文本的交流：实践的设计原则

在无法进行传统的面对面教学和互动的情况下，有效地在外语教学和学习中使用信息和通信技术 (ICT) 作为支持第二语言发展的一种手段变得势在必行。本文使用基于设计的研究方法和将真实学习和在线实践社区相结合的理论框架，研究学生对在线意大利语作为外语提供的计算机中介通信 (CMC) 工具的贡献的性质和程度学习环境。本文描述了干预策略的背景、使用的方法、并对从与使用多个讨论论坛相关的数据中出现的主题进行分析，以支持外语学习者在线社区内的互动和协作。研究结果表明，在开发的在线学习环境的两个连续迭代实施过程中，学生使用不同讨论论坛的方式有了实质性的发展。研究结果还表明，随着时间的推移，学生对用目标语言向不同的参与者群体交流他们的想法越来越有信心。对实践或政策的影响：本研究中描述的设计原则和学习环境将有助于外国语言教育者创建自己的基于技术的语言教育教学框架，