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

Several researchers have reported that cultural andlanguage differences can affect online interactions andcommunications between students from different culturalbackgrounds. Other researchers have asserted that onlinelearning is a tool that can improve teaching and learning skills,but its effectiveness depends on how the tool is used. To delve intothese aspects further, this study set out to investigate the kinds oflearning difficulties encountered by the international studentsand how they actually coped with online learning. The modifiedOnline Learning Environment Survey (OLES) instrument wasused to collect data from the sample of 109 international studentsat a university in Brisbane. A smaller group of 35 domesticstudents was also included for comparison purposes. Contrary toassumptions from previous research, the findings revealed thatthere were only few differences between the international Asianand Australian students with regards to their perceptions ofonline learning. Recommendations based on the findings of thisresearch study were made for Australian universities whereAsian international students study online. Specifically therecommendations highlighted the importance of upskilling oflecturers’ ability to structure their teaching online and to applystrong theoretical underpinnings when designing learningactivities such as discussion forums, and for the university toestablish a degree of consistency with regards to how content islocated and displayed in a learning management system likeBlackboard