Crossing boundaries: the affordances of new technologies in supporting a collaborative learning environment for doctoral students learning transnationally

This paper reports findings of an 18 month research project, funded by the Higher Education Academy in the United Kingdom (UK), to develop understanding of pedagogical differences in employing emerging technologies with transnational doctoral students. The focus of the research is a Professional Doctorate course delivered by a UK based university and taught in Hong Kong (HK) by UK academic staff over 4 weekends each year, with supervisory support throughout the academic year by tutors based in the UK. The research investigated the use of different technologies to enhance the learning experience of the students through three cycles of action research. While literature is extensive in using technologies in learning and teaching in the West, and in teaching international students, there appears to be a lack of research focussing on employing emerging technologies with transnational students in Asia. A multi-layered approach to data collection through observation of software analytics, questionnaire and focus groups has resulted in the introduction of new technologies, through which a community of practice, encompassing students in HK and the UK, has emerged. This paper reports a new evidence informed framework which moves current discourse forward