The Development of Digital Skills in Adapting to the UK Learning Environment - A Learner Experience Study on Chinese International Postgraduate Students

This research focuses on the digital practice among Chinese international students during the transition from undergraduate study to postgraduate, and how they refine their skills to adapt to digital practice in the UK at the level of master’s study. The research questions are: What are digital practices among Chinese international students during the transition from undergraduate study to master’s study? How have Chinese international postgraduate students’ digital skills developed during master’s study? How can Chinese international students be supported in enhancing their digital skills to adapt to learning in a UK university? The research was conducted in a UK university, using mixed convergent design. The study took place during 2014-2016 academic year. Data sources include: survey with 409 postgraduate students; photographic journaling with 4 participants; mind map activities with 14 participants; semi-structured interviews with 30 participants; and observation with 4 participants. The study found that participants had challenges in digital practice upon arrival; however, they are able to refine their skills to make adjustment. Students’ agency and reflective practice with social support are important factors for development of digital skills. However, there seems to be a disconnect between students’ use of digital technologies in their own time and those determined by institutions. With students bringing their own cultural scripts (e.g., their existing patterns of using technologies) to postgraduate study and appropriating digital technologies for their own use and students’ digital practice tends to be constrained by the context in which each student in situated. Students’ digital skills and issues ought to be better understood within a context. It is hoped that more research attention can be directed towards ‘bottom up’ research, to hear the student voice and to study students’ digital practices in day-to-day situations.