International Learning Environment Research Articles

“How to Bridge the Gap”: Empowering Early-Career Scientists to Navigate the Science-Policy Interface—Conclusions from a Summer School

The “Science and Policy - How to Bridge the Gap” summer school, which took place in July 2023 in Switzerland, aimed to educate PhD students in natural science and engineering on engaging with policymakers effectively. Over the course of five days, the program covered various aspects of the Swiss and international science-policy interface, including the Science for Policy framework, concrete examples of evidence-based policy advice from scientists, and talks on the significance of Open Science (OS) and public engagement in fostering the dialogue between science and society. Additionally, multiple workshops illustrated science communication formats for different audiences, such as policymakers, stakeholders, and the general public. Organized by five PhD students with a natural science and/or engineering background, the event brought together thirty participants and featured twenty-eight speakers, creating a highly international and stimulating learning environment. This workshop review, written by the summer school organizers, summarizes the school’s outcomes and aims to provide valuable insights for early-career scientists and engineers taking their first steps in science-informed policymaking. The roles scientists may play at the science-policy interface, the various meeting points (physical and ideological) to interact with decision-makers, tools for more effective communication with non-expert audiences, and the importance of OS and Citizen Science (CS) in integrating scientific information more widely into society are discussed. Based on the participants’ feedback, suggestions are also offered for future events on science and policy, which early-career researchers can implement in their respective universities and countries. Given the strong commitment of participants and their desire to create a community, the authors believe such workshops are essential to give early-career scientists the tools and network to actively engage in the science-policy landscape.

L2 English and L3 Japanese motivation, international posture, and success of students in an English-medium instruction (EMI) program at a Japanese University

ABSTRACT English-medium instruction (EMI) is growing in popularity worldwide, including in Japan. However, students’ language learning motivation has not been fully researched in this context. Accordingly, this mixed-method study explores the roles of L2 English and L3 Japanese motivation in an EMI programme at a Japanese university. Applying L2 motivational self system and International Posture (IP) as theoretical frameworks, quantitative data from surveys (n = 66) and qualitative data from eight semi-structured interviews with international students were collected at an EMI programme of Policy Studies in Japan. The results indicate that motivation to learn L2, especially ideal L2 self, plays a significant role in student studies. Furthermore, a strong IP, including viewing study abroad (SA) in Japan as ‘an international learning environment’ where they can ‘experience the world’, was related to their use of English. In contrast, L3 motivation decreased for most participants owing to the lack of integrativeness, scarcity of opportunities to use L3, and negative learning experiences. In other words, SA in Japan does not automatically motivate students to learn Japanese.

The structured narrative interview

In this study, Greimas’s work on narrative structure is used to improve a specific practice: the research interview. In the social sciences, narrative interviewing often consists of collecting data from which a narrative is then constructed through analysis afterwards. In the interview method presented here, the interviewer instead prompts the interviewee to construct a narrative. We introduce the method, contextualize it by comparing it to previous and contemporary interview methods, and illustrate it with a small, sociolinguistic study: students (n = 12) from a humanities faculty and a science and engineering faculty at a Dutch university were interviewed about experiences with the use of different languages than the language of instruction in an international learning environment. The method allowed for smooth data collection, due to its narratively structured questioning and consequent rich data. Moreover, using narrative structures to guide the interview also facilitated easy analysis and comparison of the stories.

Comparative Analysis of Teaching Methods: A Cross-Cultural Study of Chinese and American Educational Systems

Chinese and American educational systems represent two separate paradigms that have been influenced by many historical, cultural, and sociological elements. This paper examines the complex interactions defining their instructional strategies, cultural influences, and curriculum priorities. The study analyzes disparities, clarifies how cultural differences affect learning, and offers practical suggestions for international learning environments. It contrasts the participatory, inquiry-based paradigm used in the U.S. with China's teacher-centered approach and rote memorization. The emphasis on knowledge acquisition in Chinese curricula contrasts with that on application and critical thinking in American curricula. The results show the complex effects of these instructional strategies, with Chinese students performing well on standardized tests but having trouble with critical thinking, whereas American students have great analytical skills but struggle with test performance. The psychological and emotional health of the pupils is affected, with American students benefiting from a climate that supports self-expression while Chinese kids are subjected to intense pressure. The duties of teachers vary greatly, with American colleagues encouraging student engagement and critical thought while Chinese educators frequently serve as knowledge transmitters. This study emphasizes that there is no single model for effective teaching and offers suggestions for improving classroom instruction in China, including enhancing teaching resources, encouraging individualized learning, funding teachers' ongoing professional development, and involving parents in the educational process.

Exploring Learning Outcomes of Wikipedia-Based Assignments in an International Setting: A Case From an Undergraduate Public Administration Course in Taiwan

Wikipedia-based assignments have been adopted successfully in classrooms to improve learning outcomes. However, although this teaching method has been adopted regularly in Western higher education settings, more is needed in an international learning environment. Therefore, this research investigates how employing technology-mediated student-generated Wikipedia content can enhance learning outcomes in an international setting. This study adopted Wikipedia’s online user-generated content platform to create student-generated content in introductory Public Administration classes. We conducted quantitative and qualitative analyses to assess whether a Wikipedia writing assignment increased learning outcomes. Through pre-and post-surveys, students reported increased awareness of their English writing ability, knowledge of Wikipedia content writing, and knowledge of Wikipedia content writing. The study recommends adopting Wikipedia for introductory courses, especially relevant for courses taught in an international environment where English is the language of tuition. Nonetheless, instructors should act as active facilitators in group work, aid students in finding and shaping project topics, and narrow the project scope to ensure that it remains educational within the taught context. Furthermore, it is recommended to have a reasonable project length, design cross-group interactions, and include peer review and technical support in designing the project.

CLIL or EMI? A Case Study of Non-English in-Service Teachers Teaching Reflection in an International School

Content Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) and English Medium Instruction (EMI) have been adopted in many institutions ever since the use of English is required for businesses, education, and job opportunities. This results in the establishment and development of international schools countrywide in EFL countries especially in Thailand as an alternative educational route for those wanting to experience an international learning environment and/or simply to enhance English language ability. The aim of this case study is to investigate the context that non-English in-service teachers reflect when teaching in an international school context. Nine participants who are currently teaching in a large international school in Bangkok were recruited for a semi-structured interview on their instructional strategies for non-English subjects. Thematic analysis was used as an approach to thematize the transcript in the pedagogical reflection of CLIL and EMI. Although an international school is expected to fully adopt the EMI practice, the finding shows that most teachers’ teaching practice reflects the CLIL approach. The influence of choosing CLIL as a major approach was due to concerns in readiness relating to essential vocabulary necessary for learning content subjects and students’ native language background. Although a clear boundary of CLIL and EMI could not be clearly defined in current literature, recommendations on future research and teacher’s training are discussed.

Building Global Relationships: Open Educational Resources and Collaborative Online International Learning Courses

Using open educational resources (OERs) in collaborative online international learning (COIL) courses provides students and faculty the opportunity to share content, enhance knowledge, and develop intercultural competence across geopolitical and other boundaries. Faculty perceptions at the research site regarding benefits and challenges of using OER are consistent with positive findings of other OER research that validate its potential. This case study describes experiences of two college courses taught with different international partners. It shares the journey of co-planning, implementing, and revising assignments highlighting OER instructional materials. Technology and accessibility considerations influence the curricular decisions for each course. They demonstrate how the timely availability of relevant OER content can be particularly impactful for international learning environments like COIL. The article underscores the faculty-librarian-instructional designer collaboration throughout the project and offers suggestions for future study.

Reflections on the Design of English-Medium Instruction Courses in Nursing

In line with the Taiwan government's 2030 bilingual national policy, nursing education must emphasize the importance of enhancing English proficiency, developing international competitiveness, and fostering global literacy. English is used as the medium of instruction (EMI) in nursing education with the main goal of conveying professional knowledge and skills through effective communication and linguistic awareness. The achievement of this goal may be enhanced by the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology and software to assist teachers and students improve their linguistic awareness. EMI curricula provide to students of different nationalities opportunities to learn and appreciate multicultural perspectives, allowing them to practice respect for different cultural perspectives, cooperate in international learning environments, and build global competence.

Development and evaluation of the Measure of the International Learning Environment Status (MILES) in international higher education.

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate an instrument to assess international students' perceptions of the international learning environment called 'Measure of the International Learning Environment Status' (MILES). We based the development of the MILES on a solid theoretical framework from Moos by addressing three domains to measure the quality of the international learning environment, namely goal direction, relationships, and system change and system maintenance. We have designed and constructed the instrument in three steps. Firstly, we have collected items from relevant existing instruments and grouped them into the three domains via content analysis. Secondly, we applied a Delphi procedure involving international higher education experts from different stakeholder groups and from different cultural backgrounds to identify and reach consensus on the items comprehensively covering important elements of the international learning environment. Thirdly, we carried out an initial questionnaire evaluation. The final MILES consisted of 47 items with 13 in the first domain, 17 in the second and 17 in the third domain. The content of the domains was clearly in line with Moos theoretical framework and we interpreted the sets of items as goal direction, relationships, and supporting services, respectively. This study provides a comprehensive and systematically developed instrument for future research to better understand international students' perspectives towards the international learning environment that are supported by stakeholders from a range of cultures.

The Effects of Internationalization on Cultural Sensitivity: A Research among Higher Education Students

The internationalization of higher education has become a focal point in Hungary during the past few years. Consequently, all Hungarian higher education institutions aim to increase the number of international students. It is because one positive and multiplicative effect of internationalization is perceived to be an increase in the level of cultural sensitivity of both the international and the Hungarian students. The present paper, therefore, investigates this auspicious effect by presenting the rationale, the purposes, the contents as well as the findings of a small-scale quantitative research which aims to uncover how the cultural sensitivity of the respondents has changed after they began their tertiary studies in an international environment. The research was conducted among Hungarian and international students studying on English-taught programmes in the field of social and economic sciences at a Hungarian university, namely Széchenyi István University. Findings reveal that the cultural sensitivity of the respondents (both international and Hungarian) was indeed enhanced during their tertiary studies and this was as a result of the international learning environment. However, due to the limitations of the research, these findings remain tentative rather than conclusive.

Perceived value within an international hospitality learning environment: Antecedents and outcomes

The number of students attending British universities is rapidly increasing, among them, many are international students. These diverse students pose opportunities and concerns regarding the equitable and efficient delivery of the learning environment. This study examines the perceived value within an international learning environment (ILE) and examines antecedents and outcomes of such value in addressing the students' needs. Structure Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse 323 online survey responses, and thematic analysis and content analysis were used to examine 35 semi-structured interviews. Work-Integrated Learning, Academic Integration, and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning are established as major value practices that have significant relationships with both students' perceived value and satisfaction. The perceived value also mediates the relationship between different value practices and students' satisfaction. Moreover, the classroom environment and campus climate mediate the relationship between the perceived value and students’ satisfaction. The qualitative results provided further insights to significant relationships among different constructs. The research findings make significant theoretical contributions and have practical implications for understanding the perceived value at an ILE, which is a critical need for higher education development today.

“Honeymoon” acculturation orientation preferences of new international students: Influence of intercultural attitudes and intentions in an international learning environment

Research routinely suggests that international students often struggle in engaging with other student groups. This study, therefore, examines to what extent and how the intercultural attitudes and intentions of new international students in three Dutch educational institutions related to their acculturation orientation preferences (AOPs) during the “honeymoon” stage. Their AOPs were investigated across four social contact domains: living, schoolwork, friendships, and general interactions. Using structural equation modelling, results from 198 respondents indicate that intercultural intentions predicted their AOPs, with multicultural integration the most preferred strategy and marginalization the least preferred. Results of a simple mediation analysis show that intercultural intentions mediated the effect of intercultural attitudes for students adopting multicultural integration and separation strategies. Interview findings from 25 participants indicate that students sometimes adopted different orientations across the social contact domains. Internationally oriented higher education institutions should further support new students in their planning for intercultural interactions.

The Application of the Intelligent Learning Assistant based on Automatic Speech Recognition in the International Learning Environment

Recently, the intelligent learning assistant is applied widely in foreign countries like America, Europe and Africa. However, the accuracy of translation and AI dialogue is not satisfied among the Chinese analogous applications due to the trait of Chinese language. To solve these problems, we propose an application which can translate and recognize user’s questions. Based on Automatic Speech Recognition, we clarify the process to make it more accurate in practical use.

Collaborative online international learning between Spain and Mexico: a microlearning experience to enhance creativity in complexity

PurposeThe aim of this paper was to analyse the creative competence of students before and after a micro-learning experience carried out in a collaborative online international learning (COIL) environment between Spanish and Mexican university students in the field of education and entrepreneurship.Design/methodology/approachA single-group quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test measures was adopted. The composition of the group was natural and included a total of 57 students who participated in the COIL experience. The duration was three weeks, where students from both countries were linked together in the development of a micro-learning project. The creativity self-efficacy scale was used as a data collection instrument.FindingsThe micro-learning activities through COIL developed the creative competence of the participating students. In particular, the groups from both universities improved their scores on the creative competence in the post-test compared to the pre-test measure.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitations of this study were linked to the sample loss of some cases, as some students did not complete the post-test measure. The main implication of the study was to demonstrate that COIL experiences are suitable for developing certain skills in students, such as creative competence or co-operative work.Originality/valueCOIL experiences break down the barriers of physical space and give students an active role, allowing them to fully develop competences and offering an intercultural perspective, which encourages open-mindedness and understanding of the world.

ENHANCING LEARNING PARTICIPATION OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM USING SOCIAL MEDIA: THE CASE OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS IN THE UK UNIVERSITY

The utilisation of social media for education such as Kahoot! and Padlet to improve the classroom learning experience has become popular in recent years. This study investigates the implementation of Kahoot! and Padlet in the international students' learning environment at the UK university. The purpose of this study was to explore international students' perspective towards the implementation of Kahoot! and Padlet in the classroom learning process. In doing so, this study used a qualitative research design. Data were collected from ten international students from six different countries origin via semi-structured interviews. The results suggest that the implementation of Kahoot! and Padlet can improve the classroom learning process and create better study experience than the conventional way. Several benefits have been identified from the implementation of Kahoot! and Padlet in the international students learning environment, such as managing classroom discussion, building up an active classroom discussion, and encouraging critical thinking. However, some challenges regarding the implementation should be considered, notably those related to technical matters and the production of interesting contents. From this study, it can be concluded that using social media applications, such as Kahoot! and Padlet, can enhance students’ collaboration learning as well as support an inclusive classroom learning environment.

Understanding Motivation, Career Planning, and Socio-Cultural Adaptation Difficulties as Determinants of Higher Education Institution Choice Decision by International Students in the Post-pandemic Era

The world is facing an unprecedented health crisis with the spread of COVID-19 across different corners of the globe. This pandemic has raised more significant concerns about international students’ learning environment, personality development, and career planning, particularly in high-ranked institutes in China. Now the question concerning this dilemma is, would the COVID-19 pandemic negatively affect students’ education and the country culture where they are bound to seek information and the subject education? Therefore, this study examines the impact of innovative learning environment, career planning, and socio-cultural adaptation-related difficulties faced by international students as determinants of higher education institution choice decisions made by international students in the post-pandemic era. This quantitative study examined international students in high-ranked universities across China. The data from 260 students were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using the AMOS technique. Moreover, it has been observed that the current global health crisis has intensified social inequalities across different international higher education systems. Countries fail to maintain the scale of the innovative international learning environment. The results further indicated that international students are more considerate of innovative learning environments, cultural adoption, career planning, and personality development, specifically after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has drastically affected the global higher education system. Unusually, more than half of the participants wanted to maintain the option of overall distance education after the pandemic. However, apart from this argument, it is appropriate to demand significant changes in post-pandemic education adapted to the post-digital era and to satisfy the concerns and expectations of the students.

Transforming Perspectives Through Virtual Exchange: A US-Egypt Partnership Part 2.

Collaborative online international learning programs, such as virtual exchange, that utilize telecollaborative activities have been integrated into more classrooms within the higher education setting. These programs provide students exposure to international cultures, perspectives, and ideas is no longer considered “value added”, but a prerequisite to entering many workforces. These programmatic objectives compliment Mezirow's Transformative Learning Theory, that substantiates two major elements of transformative learning are critical reflection and dialectical discourse. This study presents the second half of a qualitative inquiry into the prominent themes that arose during a virtual exchange that was conducted in March 2021 between students in the United States (US) enrolled in a global public health course and Egyptian microbiology students. This study sought to expand upon the Transformative Learning Theory through inductive analysis procedures to offer a modernized adaptation of the theoretical framework within international learning environments. Student responses enrolled in an undergraduate global public health course were collected and analyzed by two coders using inductive/open coding to identify salient codes. These codes were then summarized into categories and subsequently defined. Resulting themes include Connectedness, Openness, Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills, Communication, Cultural Identity, Anticipation of Options for New Roles, Relationships, and Actions, and Absence of Change. Several themes have corresponding categories and subcategories. Adult learning environments such as the modern college classroom have changed with the introduction and reliance upon online learning domains, as well as the diversification of higher education student demographics, accentuating the need to inductively analyze student learning processes and outcomes. In doing so, our findings provide a modernized adaptation of the Transformative Learning Theory that allows for adult learning theorists, researchers, and scholars to integrate tenets of transformative learning more appropriately. As such, this provides an opportunity for educators to coalesce the identified mechanisms (e.g., openness, cultural background, anticipation of roles and relationships) to bolster student's willingness and ability to engage in transformative critical reflections. By capitalizing on students' innate characteristics, such as open-mindedness predispositions and cultural background, educators are able to augment transformative learning strategies through tailored assignments and course activities.

How International Students’ Acculturation Motivation Develops over Time in an International Learning Environment

This research investigates how the acculturation motivation (AM) of new international students develops over time, and which factors play a role in this development. In the context of a Dutch university, we interviewed 25 students from 17 countries thrice over eight months. The results show that initial AM levels can be categorized as high or low. These AM levels evolved into four patterns in the three interview rounds: high-low-low, high-low-high, low-high-low and low-high-high. After four months, twelve factors emerged as affecting the development of students’ AM levels. Prominent factors were prior international experience, language difficulties, and perceived student identities. After eight months, seven additional factors contributed to subsequent changes in students’ AM levels. Prominent factors were the perceived international learning environment, friendship networks, and teachers’ role in intercultural contact. These imply that universities can introduce target interventions which could improve their international students’ acculturation experiences at specific times.

Preparing Education Students for an International Future? Connecting Students’ Experience to Institutional Contexts

This article focuses on “internationalization at home” (IaH) for education students in Swedish Universities and its significance for their professional formation and future practice. We draw on research in two large institutions and explore the perceptions and experiences of internationalization of home students in education. We find that while the “intercultural” understanding of students is well developed, the international and intercultural dimensions of experiencing IaH are limited, due to several institutional and learning environment contexts. This has consequences for the social dimensions of future teaching practice. In addition, the perception of the discipline as “national” is significant in shaping the outlook of students toward international questions and their own future personal and professional mobility. We contextualize these findings using documentary analysis and staff interviews, and argue that to achieve intercultural and international learning environments of quality, social relevance, and long-term social benefit, we need to rethink how internationalization perspectives are integrated in teacher education courses.

Analysis of emotion regulation using posture, voice, and attention: A qualitative case study

The ability to detect and regulate emotions is an important aspect of emotional intelligence that can benefit individuals in their personal well-being and social interactions (Mayer, Caruso, Salovey, 2016). This study examined emotion regulation (ER) in medical students as they practiced learning how best to communicate undesired news to patients in an international technology-rich learning environment (TRLE; Lajoie et al., 2012). Gross’ (2015) process model of ER served as the theoretical model that guided the analysis of regulatory strategies, in a case study (Yin, 2011) of four medical students. A qualitative approach was used to determine how multichannels of emotion representation (vocal characteristics, motor expressions, attention tendencies) indicate instances of conscious or unconscious ER. Analyses revealed four major findings as evidences of ER: (a) dissociation between emotion channels (e.g. a calm face accompanied by a nervous voice); (b) sudden changes in emotion expression without external triggers (e.g. from smile to a rapidly serious face); (c) unexpected emotions (e.g. smiling when expected to demonstrate empathy); and, (d) use of multiple emotion channels to demonstrate emotion regulatory responses. The findings demonstrate the power of multimodal emotion analysis towards accurate detection of ER, and how it may inform the relationship between experienced and expressed emotions. Multimodal ER detection approaches, as illustrated in this study, may have important implications for assisting learners in face to face and computer-supported collaborative settings in becoming more conscious of their ER, helping them regulate undesired self and peer emotions in challenging learning situations.