understanding international students' experiences of learning with technology

8.03 Understanding International Students’

Experience of Learning with Technology

Jim Turner & Amanda Mason, Liverpool John Moores University

Tünde Varga-Atkins, University of Liverpool

Funded by ELESIG Small-grants

Session number: 8.03 (ID: 1662)Session date and time: Thursday, 15 Sep 14:00 - 14:30Room name: Hall 2F1, Level -1

• Overview of the project• Reflections on the literature• Present two key papers

Transnational students

StudentexperienceTechnology

Why Learning with Technology?

Project Rationale: “Read, read, read”

Member Institution Role

Jim Turner Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU)

Learning Technologist

Tünde Varga-Atkins

The University of Liverpool

Learning Technology Developer

Fabrizio Triffiro QAA External Advisor (TNE Expertise)

Roger Harrison The University of Manchester

Academic (Distance Learning)

Amanda Mason LJMU Academic (International)

Damian Maher LJMU Skills Support (International)

Rachel Forsyth Manchester Metropolitan University

Associate Head of CELT, Curriculum development and enhancement, assessment in HE

Natasa Lackovic Lancaster University Lecturer in the Department of Educational Research

1 2 3 4

Three articles for pre-reading:

1. O’ Mahony, Joan (2014) Enhancing Student Learning and Teacher Development in Transnational Education

2. Jung, Insung (2014) Cultural Influences on Online Learning3. Singh, Michael (2005) Transnational Learning communities

DefinitionsTransnational (TNE) <> International <> Distance Learners

Realising the scope of the problem

Western/UK Border International (Non-EU)

Branch Campus

Partnership

Flying Faculty

Distance Learning: :: :

Trans-National Education (TNE) ?Inter-National Education

1 2 3 4

The recent HEA report on TNE defined it as . . .“Award- or credit- bearing learning undertaken by students who are based in a different country from that of the awarding institution” (p.8)

• Does this description capture the diversity within this emerging area?

• Read 3-6 articles to critically explore the current definitions of notions of transnational education

Attempts at definitions and delineation

International Student

3159 Articles (Scopus)

Different Worlds

Distance Learning4794 Articles

(Scopus)47

TNE42 Articles

(Scopus)

1 27

Technology and the International Student

19901992

19941996

19982000

20022004

20062008

20102012

20142016

0%2%4%6%8%

10%12%14%16%18%20%

Percentage of Articles Referencing Technology in the top 2000 International Student Articles (scopus)

Distance Learning and the Concept of Culture

19901992

19941996

19982000

20022004

20062008

20102012

20142016

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

Percentage of Articles Referencing Culture in the top 2000 Distance Learning Articles (scopus)

Concept of Culture in Literature

Cultural Adaption (1%)

Cultural Adjustment (3%)

Acculturation (7%)

Cultural difference (4%)

Culture shock (0.2%)

Cultural diversity (2%)

Cross cultural (0.2%)

Intercultural (8%)

Multicultural (5%)

CULTURAL EXCHANGE

1 2 3 4

• Is it possible to identify approaches that utilise social aspects of technology in the design and delivery of courses that involve international students, and which attempt an enhancement of cultural exchange?

Cultural Exchange

StudentExperienceTechnology

TransnationalInternational

Distance students

Cultural Exchange

1 2 3 4

Complex and vast area; difficulty of definitions, different paradigms; backgrounds, roles and perspectives of researchers;

TNE and the student experience (with or without technology) ANDCultural exchange using technology (beyond language learning)

Gap in the literature:

Çiftçi (2016): intercultural learning through computer-based digital technologies• 26 papers identified: 23 involved online

exchanges only.• Included 46 countries: US (18), UK (1)• Majority of studies:– adopted Byram’s (1997) model of Intercultural

Communicative Competence (ICC)– involved language learners or teachers, – thus little or superficial focus on ICC: Gap identified

in this area

Two case studies of cultural exchange using technology in the classroom

Li and Zhang (2015)Educational Context

Undergraduate students from a range of disciplines registered on a course in Education Faculties, linguistically and ethnically diverse

Geographical Context

Canada (n35) and Hong Kong (n47)

Platform WebKF

Task Asynchronous discussions on multicultural issues, the use of digital technologies to enhance cultural understanding and over a period of 3 months

Outcomes Enhanced students’ cultural sensitivity and critical cultural competence

Lam (2012): What immigrant students can teach us about new media literacy

Lam, W. S. E. (2012). What immigrant students can teach us about new media literacy. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(4), 62–65. http://pdk.sagepub.com/content/94/4/62.abstract

Twitter <>Weibo

Adjustment vs digitally connected pedagogies

Thank you

References • Çiftçi, E. Y. (2016). A Review of Research on Intercultural Learning through Computer-

Based Digital Technologies. EducationalTechnology & Society, 19 (2), 313–327.• Jung, Insung (2014) Cultural Influences on Online Learning • Lam, W. S. E. (2012). What immigrant students can teach us about new media

literacy. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(4), 62–65.• Li, Jia & Zheng Zhang, Zheng (2015) An intercontinental inquiry on multicultural

education: Canadian and Hong Kong university students connected through a Web 2.0 learning environment, Intercultural Education, 26:6, 562-583

• O’ Mahony, Joan (2014) Enhancing Student Learning and Teacher Development in Transnational Education

• Singh, Michael (2005) Transnational Learning communities

Full bibliography works available on request

May 1, 2023 Slide 25

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