Abstract
In the UK, international students constitute an integral part of higher education and an in-depth understanding of their learning practices can be a starting point for enhancing the quality of teaching and learning and promoting pedagogies that meet their needs. The focus of this study is digital pedagogies in higher education during COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, this study aims to investigate the ability, desire, and freedom of international students to take control over learning in blended and online learning spaces. It explores student engagement and autonomous learning behaviours in academic English modules among two cohorts of students in three universities studying academic English skills: International Foundation Year and Pre-sessional English Programme.The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design through the lens of pragmatism paradigm. An online survey (n=202) explored the trends and attitudes, and qualitative methods including interviews (n=17), focus group discussions (n=6), and independent study journals (n=8) enriched data with narratives and individual responses about the participants’ perspectives and learning practices in blended learning. Survey data was analysed through a descriptive and inferential analysis followed by a thematic analysis of the qualitative data sets. Socio-cultural theory (Vygotsky, 1978) formed the theoretical framework since it emphasises social interaction, and cognitive and teacher presence in learning, which are major tenets of blended learning environments.
The findings suggest that training students to manage and monitor learning through observable language behaviours can be the first step to promoting learner autonomy. Blended learning can provide students with opportunities and spaces to exercise their capacity to cognitively control psychological factors related to language learning. The blended pedagogy can transform the physical and social settings into self-regulation and cultivate proactive learning skills that maximise student engagement. The research offers a timely and valuable contribution to the field of autonomy among international students, active blended learning, and student engagement in online communities.
| Date of Award | 11 Nov 2024 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | Liz Bennett (Main Supervisor) & Susan Sheehan (Co-Supervisor) |