Problems and Prospects of Collaborative Learning in an Asian Cross-cultural Student Group at a Higher Education Institution in England

This paper reports on part of an investigation into international students’ perceptions of collaborative learning at a higher education institution in England. The research was an attempt to understand how culturally diverse instruction and academic environment influence international students’ learning processes, and to grasp the implications of this potential influence for better instructional strategies. Perceptions of 55 Asian international students from social sciences departments at a UK University, located in the East Midlands of England, were sought. 51 participants responded to the survey. 4 participants, selected purposively from the 51 who responded to the questionnaire, were also interviewed for in-depth exploration of issues coming out of the survey. Findings indicate that cultural differences and educational settings did have an effect on learning preferences and students who took part in collaborative learning felt that they had derived academic and social benefits from it. The paper concludes by identifying a number of teaching and learning strategies for understanding, monitoring and promoting collaborative learning engagement within and beyond the UK higher education system.