Peer learning in international higher education: the experience of international students in an Irish university

Abstract

Some of the main concerns in international higher education are the feeling of isolation among international students and their inability to adapt to the host environment, which may result in sub-optimal academic performance. Theoretically, peer learning can be an effective method to reduce these problems since it has the capacity to address isolation and adaptability issues among international students in a way that improves their learning experience and outcomes. Given the above, our study was designed to investigate this topic, focusing on the experience of international students. In this exploratory case study of a leading Irish university, we adopted a survey method via questionnaire to quantify and compare the experiences of a sample of international students at the said university. Five aspects of peer learning were explored, namely usage rate, current practices, outcomes, challenges, and coping strategies. We also included an open-ended section in the survey instrument for respondents to offer qualitative suggestions to the host institution. Through methodological triangulation of the quantitative and qualitative data, we discovered diverse practices, challenges, and outcomes of peer learning across different groups of international students in this university. The paper concludes with a discussion of research implications and suggestions for future studies.

‘Reconceptualising internationalisation through students’ eyes’: Findings from a biographical study of female, international doctoral students in an Irish University

“…Commensurate with existing research on postgraduate and undergraduate students, the findings corroborate themes in recent literature on institutional discourses of internationalisation (Seeber et al, 2020), international students' experiences including loneliness, language difficulties, social resources and connection to host institutions (Arthur, 2017) relationships with 'home' students and resilience (Ploner, 2017), Internationalisation at Home (IaH) and experiences of racism and discrimination (Brown and Jones, 2013). Until recently, research on international postgraduate and undergraduate student experiences in Irish universities and society was generally sparse, although recent work contributes important insights around bridging social capital and job seeking among international graduates in Ireland (Wang, 2020), peer learning and international students in Irish universities (Idris et al, 2019) and IoC (Ryan et al, 2020). The opinions of Irish university staff members with regard to factors that help and hinder international student learning (O'Reilly et al, 2013), and staff engagement with IoC in Ireland (Ryan et al, 2020) is a significant theme in recent Irish research.…”

“…Despite a historical paucity of research on international students in Ireland, recent studies investigate HE staff members' views on internationalisation of the curriculum (Ryan et al, 2020), and international students' experiences of peer learning and living in Ireland (Idris et al, 2019). Comparable to other countries, O' Reilly et al (2013) underline challenges faced by international students in Ireland which include negotiating socio-cultural differences, language and religious differences.…”

Towards a sustainable online peer learning model based on student's perspectives

“…The common topics are to investigate students’ readiness for the online learning context (Tang et al, 2021 ); students’ motivation in the online learning experience (Milovanović et al, 2020 ); the effect of COVID-19 on parental engagement and acceptance of online educational technology (Lau et al, 2021 ; Osorio-Saez et al, 2021 ); the influence of COVID-19 on students and teachers’ psychology, well-being, morale, and behaviour (Lashley et al, 2020 ; Verma et al, 2020 ; Wang & Zhao, 2020 ); and the challenges of teaching pedagogy and assessment in response to COVID-19 (Milovanović et al, 2020 ). Additionally, the notion of peer learning mainly concentrated on learners’ psychological well-being (Hanson et al, 2016 ); mapping a subject specialist pedagogy (Reid & Duke, 2015 ); the relationships between assessment and peer learning in online peer learning contexts (Altınay, 2017 ); and peer learning in the experience of international students (Idris et al, 2019 ). In doing so, the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on online peer learning in the settings of higher education is under-researched.…”

Addressing Stem Geek Culture Through Peer Learning

“…Over the past couple of decades, female participation in STEM (and Computing in particular) has declined. Higher Education is changing dramatically by developing a cross-border-education [1]. From a pedagogical point of view, academics are challenged on a daily basis to develop teaching material that will be inclusive for all cultures, ages, and gender identity.…”