PERCEPTIONS OF ONLINE LEARNING IN AN AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY: AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ (ASIAN REGION) PERSPECTIVE – ENJOYMENT

Abstract

Several researchers have reported that cultural and
language differences can affect online interactions and
communications between students from different cultural
backgrounds. Other researchers have asserted that online
learning is a tool that can improve teaching and learning skills,
but its effectiveness depends on how the tool is used. To delve into
these aspects further, this study set out to investigate the kinds of
learning difficulties encountered by the international students
and how they actually coped with online learning. The modified
Online Learning Environment Survey (OLES) instrument was
used to collect data from the sample of 109 international students
at a university in Brisbane. A smaller group of 35 domestic
students was also included for comparison purposes. Contrary to
assumptions from previous research, the findings revealed that
there were only few differences between the international Asian
and Australian students with regards to their perceptions of
online learning. Recommendations based on the findings of this
research study were made for Australian universities where
Asian international students study online. Specifically the
recommendations highlighted the importance of upskilling of
lecturers’ ability to structure their teaching online and to apply
strong theoretical underpinnings when designing learning
activities such as discussion forums, and for the university to
establish a degree of consistency with regards to how content is
located and displayed in a learning management system like
Blackboard.