Creating a conducive learning environment for all students in higher education

Abstract

The learning environment encompasses a variety of elements that could affect the personal and professional development of students. Meanwhile, students can make their own impact on the learning environment themselves by being proactive during their studies, which can benefit their own learning results. This thesis focuses on a central research question: "how to create a conducive learning environment for all students in higher education". It considers the needs, expectations, and experiences of both international and domestic students. It addresses the perspectives of various stakeholders on the optimization of the international learning environment and the medical education environment. This dissertation deals with a theoretical framework of the learning environment with three domains that are essential for the quality of a learning environment: Goal direction, Relationships, and Supporting services. With a systematic review and the development of a questionnaire, this thesis provides structure and space for future research on how students from different cultural backgrounds experience their learning environment and how this could be optimized. The major changes in the learning environment due to the COVID pandemic were examined and this research shows that the social network of students and especially that of international students is almost completely disappearing. Research among medical students in China showed that students' engagement in their learning environment has a significant impact on their study results. This requires that students themselves must also be able to influence their learning environment.