Moving Forward: International Students’ Perspectives of Online Learning Experience During the Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a paradigm shift of teaching-learning in higher education from the traditional in-person delivery to the so-called ERT (emergency remote teaching). As the world gradually returns to in-person teaching, the question facing the higher education sector is to what extent the ERT experience informs the future of teaching-learning. The purpose of this study is to explore students’, particularly international students’, ERT learning experience during the pandemic, focusing on their use of technology, learning preferences, and performance. An online survey was administered in the Management Departments of two suburban campuses of a major Canadian research university in the summer and fall terms of 2021. Almost 450 students completed the survey, including 196 domestic and 252 international students. The findings showed that international students were more accepting than domestic students of the ERT mode of delivery. However, they preferred asynchronous courses, mainly due to time zone and internet connectivity issues. They reported that the advantages of online learning included flexibility, no commute – saving time and money, a more relaxed and safer learning environment at home, and easier participation in class through the chat function. The disadvantages of online learning included feeling less motivated and engaged, more isolated, difficulties working in breakout rooms, and internet connectivity and time zone issues. This research sheds light on the trajectory of the teaching-learning mode for higher educational institutions moving forward and suggests that blended learning is a preferred approach for international students.