Experiences and challenges of international students in technology-rich learning environments

This article presents a study of international students and their use of technology in a Scandinavian institution of Higher Education. A special emphasis is placed on patterns of use of a virtual learning environment (VLE) that is available to all the study programmes at the institution. Actor-Network Theory (ANT) is used as a theoretical approach to focus on the socio-material nature of the various networks that students, teachers, course designers, and artefacts make up within the realm of the institution. Qualitative data were collected through interviews with forty informants, all of them students or staff members at the studied institution. The main findings of the study are that the following factors are essential in the educational experience of international students: the students’ level of digital literacy, their degree of understanding of academic and administrative language, and the types of technology that are used in communication. The article also suggests that technology as a socio-material assemblage may encapsulate cultural codes that can be alienating for international students and that there is a need to “open the black boxes” of technology to cater for the needs of international students

Towards Improvement of Student Learning Outcomes: An Assessment of the Professional Development Needs of Lecturers at Kenyan Universities

The aim of this study was to explore the professional development needs of lecturers at Kenyan universities. Specifically, the study investigated the challenges that lecturers and their learners face while in class. It also explored the professional development needs of the lecturers, preferred modes of delivery of the professional development programs and changes that lecturers need to effect in their practice of teaching in order to improve student learning outcomes. The study was guided by two theories: Andragogy and Situated Cognition. The sample size comprised 15 lecturers from one public university in Kenya.  Data was collected using the semi-structured interviews. Data was transcribed and analyzed using thematic coding including, four areas of professional development needs: pedagogy, subject matter, technology and research. The study found that in order to enhance student learning outcomes, lecturers need to adopt a more student-centered approach, embrace seminar way of teaching, use  practical approaches, be ICT compliant and create and teach courses which offer learners significant learning experiences. The lecturers prefer both face-to-face and online as modes of delivery for professional development programs. Keywords: Student learning outcomes, professional development needs, lecturers at Kenyan universitie

Ubiquitous Connectivity and Students’ Well-being: a Situational Analysis in a UK University

Recent research underlined as ubiquitous connectivity has changed the nature of traditional campus universities by creating technology-mediated environments where physical and virtual domains integrate and overlap. The aim of this research is to investigate how ubiquitous connectivity is impacting on university students’ daily lives and consequent wellbeing. On-campus undergraduate and postgraduate university students and staff members from the same department were involved using a qualitative survey, semi-structured interviews and a variation of the Experience Sampling Method. The data analysis followed two different steps: firstly, a socio-constructivist framework was adopted to highlight how students’ experiences with ubiquitous connectivity are socially and discursively constructed. Secondly, the results were discussed in the light of the two main well-being approaches existing in literature: hedonic and eudaimonic. The results show that the hedonic perspective seems to be prominent among students. Ubiquitous connectivity is mainly appreciated for its capability to make university day-to-day experiences easier to manage. Moreover, stress avoidance or relief seems to be one of the main goals that learners seek to obtain through ubiquitous connectivity. However, technologies also play an active role in disrupting learners’ well-being by increasing their level of stress due to difficulties in accessing resources, info overload or unorganised online materials

Comparing International and American Students’ Challenges: A Literature Review

International student numbers have increased drastically in the past few years. International students provide benefits to universities and American students such as greater revenue, and more open-mindedness. There have been myriad studies that have examined the international student experience, but most have focused solely on international students. However, a careful examination of the current literature demonstrates that the presence of international students in the United States offers a variety of benefits to American students by improving cultural awareness, students’ self-evaluated skills, and even the American economy. This literature review highlights future research that should be performed as well as strategies that can be implemented by faculty and administration to help international students who are currently studying in the United States

E-learning Solutions for a Changing Global Market. An Analysis of Two Comparative Case Studies

This paper investigates the models and acceptability of e-learning to the emerging student markets for higher education institutions (HEIs) from the more developed countries (MDCs) and seeks to evaluate the differing models of delivery from a practical and a socio-economic perspective. The research also investigates the impact of the shifts in population growth and the subsequent impact upon the levels of demand from students in less developed countries (LDCs) for HE. In addition, through case study review methods the logistical and quality factors affecting e-learning are critically evaluated, looking at the aspects of academic rigor, plagiarism and the methods of managing the originality and authenticity of student work. Similarly, the research considers the viability of situations where the education provider may never physically meet the students through the exclusive use of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), and the possible credibility issues that this may present to institutional and awarding body reputations

E-learning Solutions for a Changing Global Market. An Analysis of Two Comparative Case Studies

This paper investigates the models and acceptability of e-learning to the emerging student markets for higher education institutions (HEIs) from the more developed countries (MDCs) and seeks to evaluate the differing models of delivery from a practical and a socio-economic perspective. The research also investigates the impact of the shifts in population growth and the subsequent impact upon the levels of demand from students in less developed countries (LDCs) for HE. In addition, through case study review methods the logistical and quality factors affecting e-learning are critically evaluated, looking at the aspects of academic rigor, plagiarism and the methods of managing the originality and authenticity of student work. Similarly, the research considers the viability of situations where the education provider may never physically meet the students through the exclusive use of Virtual Learning Environments (VLEs), and the possible credibility issues that this may present to institutional and awarding body reputations

From Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) to Sustained Remote Teaching (SRT): A Comparative Semester Analysis of Exchange Students’ Experiences and Perceptions of Learning Online During Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic caused universities worldwide to close campuses, forcing millions of teachers and students to resort to Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) and learning. Though necessary, the sudden move to remote delivery marked a significant departure from the standards and norms in distance education. In Korea, the pandemic coincided with the start of the 2020 academic year. Though ERT was new and unplanned during the first semester of the year, it became Sustained Remote Teaching (SRT) in the second. Through the lens of performance improvement theory, we sought to determine if students’ experiences and perceptions with learning remotely via SRT would change over time as a result of institutional preparedness and faculty support/experience. In total, 140 (Spring) and 93 (Fall) exchange students rated their perceptions of Teaching and Learning Processes, Student Support, and Course Structure with their ERT/SRT learning experiences via an electronic survey. An independent-samples one-way ANOVA indicated several statistically significant benchmarks, though results are interpreted as minor real world improvement. Implications for ERT/SRT policy and future research in the context of specific student groups are discussed

An Analysis on Factors that Affect Academic Achievement in Globalized Environment

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the factors affecting the academic achievement of international students in degree programs in global education environment. Based on exploratory research, this study proposed four factors and examined effects of academic factors on academic satisfaction, effects of social factors on social adjustment, effects of cultural factors on cultural adaption, effects of economic factors on financial stability, and effects of four factors on academic achievement of international students. Research design, data, and methodology: This study conducted online survey to collect the data and results provide importance to increase interactivity between international students and teachers and between international students and hosting country‟s students. Results: The results of this study found what variables affect four proposed factors, while academic satisfaction significantly affects academic achievement rather than other factors. Conclusions: The results show how to improve academic related variables is key for the success of academic achievement. Results of this study provide implications which aspects should be considered to increase overall academic achievement by managing and improving the quality of higher education in global setting. This study provides managerial and policy implications for enhanced academic achievement of international students in global context.2

The Complexity of Transnational Distance Students: A Review of the Literature

Transnational education is a rapidly evolving and constantly changing field. The Internet has enabled virtually global access to distance education opportunities, however transnational distance students in particular have often been miscategorized, oversimplified, or overlooked in prior research. This literature review synthesizes research and publications over a ten-year period focusing on the emerging phenomenon of transnational distance students. Contrary to the allure of flexible, any time, any place learning often ascribed to distance education, diverse and complex situations are highlighted that paint a more nuanced picture of student circumstances and motivations, counterintuitive and underrepresented conditions that may influence students in their decisions to enrol in transnational distance education programs