International Students' Transition to Online Learning During COVID-19

This report presents a qualitative research study investigating the experiences of international students transitioning from face-to-face learning to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study analyzes data collected through telephonic interviews, focusing on themes such as the reasons for choosing to study in Australia, the advantages of online learning during the pandemic, the challenges faced by students, barriers to learning, financial impacts, and the effects on mental health. Key findings include the importance of multicultural experiences and career opportunities in Australia, the role of technology in facilitating online learning, the challenges of misunderstanding and technological issues, financial strains due to canceled scholarships, and the impact on students' mental well-being. The report concludes with recommendations for universities, such as avoiding scholarship cancellations and offering fee extensions, and includes a personal reflection on the research process. The research contributes valuable insights into the challenges and adaptations of international students in higher education during a global crisis.

Qualitative Research Methods

Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Data analysis....................................................................................................................................1
Discussion of themes ......................................................................................................................1
Tabulated codes, categories and themes.....................................................................................1
Description of themes with specific relevant codes....................................................................2
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................4
Recommendation.............................................................................................................................4
Personal reflection ..........................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

Title: Exploring the experiences of international student transitioning from face to face
learning to online learning during Covid-19 pandemic.
Introduction
As per current scenario, Covid-19 is one of the major concern for entire world as it
directly affect the human activities. This virus completely affect the educational industry as well
as students are facing various challenges at the time of online or face to face learning. In this
pandemic situation, majority of people are prefer online learning for their study. As international
students are also prefer to online learning during Covid-19 pandemic.
Data analysis
It is one of the important section of study as it consider as an important process of
collecting, transforming as well as modelling data with the aim of determining all the useful
information in order to make appropriate decision at the end of the investigation. One of the
main purpose of data analysis is to extract all the useful information that directly contributes in
taking right decision (Khalili, 2020). There are two type of methods qualitative and quantitative
method of analysing data. For undertaking this research, qualitative method will be used by
investigator to gather accurate information about experiences of international student
transitioning from face to face learning to online learning at the time of Covid-19 Pandemic. For
collecting information towards the research topic, researcher use telephonic interview with the
participants so that detailed information can be gathered effectively. In this type of methods,
researcher develop themes and interview questions asked for selected respondents in order to
analysis their view points.
Discussion of themes
Tabulated codes, categories and themes
Codes Categories Themes
Multi-cultural Benefits of studying in
Australia Reasons of studying in
Australia
Success
Home country Benefits of studying in
Australia over home countryAustralia
Technology Online learning Advantage of Online learning
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for international student
during Covid-19 pandemic
Pandemic
Pandemic COVID 19
Health
Online class Online learning Challenges faced by
international students in
Online learning at the time of
Covid-19 pandemic.
Lecturer
Misunderstood Challenges
Difficulty
Barrier Barriers of online learning
Barriers faced while learning
using online learning rather
than face to face learning.
Face to face
Knowledge
Technology Technological factors
Black board
Internet
Scholarship Fees extension Financial effects on students
due online learning.Tuition fee
Financially Financial issues
Bank
Mental pressure Impact on mental health of
students due to online
learning.
Mental health
Communication Mental health issues
Frustrated
Description of themes with specific relevant codes
Theme 1: Reasons of studying in Australia
Discussion: The interview has been conducted with foreign students in order to know
their experience and issues which they have faced due to the change of face to face learning to
online learning. The first theme which has been acquired from the interviews is the reasons due
to which international students study at Australia rather than studying at their home country. This
theme is developed by the observing few common codes which are used by all interviewees
multiple times. These codes were Multi-cultural, Success, Home country and Australia. The most
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relevant quote to this theme is “In Australia, most of the students come to study and they have
already succeeded.”
From the interview transcripts, it has been analysed that international students come to
Australia and study rather than studying at their home country because they experience a multi-
cultural experience here and also studying in Australia provides them the exposure and
opportunity to even work in Australia which ensure them a success in their career.
Theme 2: Advantage of Online learning for international student during Covid-19 pandemic
Discussion: This theme is developed by observing few codes repeated continuously
which were Technology, Pandemic and Health. From the data gained by interviewees, it has
been seen that the online learning helps the international students to continue their study even
after facing global pandemic situations.
Online learning is defined as an effective learning that is done over the internet. As per
view point of interviewee, Covid-19 is a major issue that faced by whole world as each and every
people is directly affected through this virus. In educational context, online learning is an
effective activity that help students in continuing their studies in this pandemic as it provides
huge information about specified area. Due to Covid-19 the education has totally changes
dramatically with the rise of online learning in which teaching is undertake remotely and in
digital platform. As it also increases retention of information and at the same time also take less
time.
Theme 3: Challenges faced by international students in Online learning at the time of Covid-19
pandemic.
Discussion: This particular theme was developed by observing the codes in the interviews
which are Online class, Lecturer, Misunderstood and Difficulty. The interview candidates
expressed their feelings and said that the most influential challenge faced due to online learning
was the misunderstanding between lecturer and students. The quote having significant value in
relation to this theme is that “The thing I may understand in class; I don’t understand in online
class”.
Taking online learning is not every time being effective as it sometime also challenging
for students. As per undertaken interview, most of international students are facing challenges at
the time of taking online classes as they said that is time consuming and also frustrating because
they are not understand what lecturer are actually said in class. This will put negative affect over
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their learning. In addition of time, internet and technology barrier is also a major challenge for
people who are attending the class.
Theme 4: Barriers faced while learning using online learning rather than face to face learning
Discussion: This theme is developed by using the codes Barrier, Face to face,
Knowledge, Technology, Black board and Internet. The interview participants expressed their
experience that the major barriers due to which online learning was not helping them was the
internet and lack of knowledge of internet. Online learning is an educational system which is
entirely dependent upon remote communication which is done by using internet facilities. If any
international student is unable to access appropriate internet services, then it will have a huge
strain on their education and they will not be able to gain knowledge. The significant quote for
this theme is that “The teacher for example, don’t know how use digital blackboard”.
Theme 5: Financial effects on students due online learning.
Discussion: This particular theme is related to the financial issues which international
students face while paying off their tuition fees at university. This particular theme is developed
by observing few repeated words which are developed as codes and then categories. These codes
are Scholarship, Tuition fee, Financially and Bank. The significant quote which was used in
relation to this theme is “At first, they gave us 1500-dollar worth of scholarship which was a
good thing but right now they are not giving it”.
It has been seen that not all students are facing financial issues due to online learning but
the students who were on the scholarships, they are facing high problems as their scholarships
were cancelled for the semesters due to COVID 19 pandemic. It has been also seen that
university has nothing done anything for students in order to reduce their financial strain.
Theme 6: Impact on mental health of students due to online learning.
Discussion: This theme helps in gaining knowledge that due to all learning issues, students
are frustrated which is impacting their mental health.
Conclusion
From the above analysis, it has been concluded that the international students who are
studying through online learning are facing various issue such financial and mental health issues.
It has been also concluded from the above study that technology is the reason that some students
are not prefer online learning. At the time of taking online classes, students are face problem in
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asking any kind of query with lecturer as they send email firstly and after that wait for their
revert. This is very irritating and time consuming for students while online lases.
Recommendation
The above study has helped in leading towards fee recommendations which are:
 Universities must not cancel the scholarships of their students.
 Students must give few fees extensions.
Personal reflection
I am glad to take responsibility to undertake this study that is based in exploring the
experience of international students in online learning during Covid-19 pandemic. This topic
provides vast and wider analysis on the basis of specified research area. As a researcher I have
done various activities in executing research activities which assist me in improving my personal
skills and knowledge. At the time of undertaking investigation, I face various issues that put
negative impact in gathering information from the international students. Due to Covid-19
pandemic I face problem in face to face interview so that I have conduct telephonic interview to
gather information. As it is more time consuming and sometime it is not properly audible what
respondents said. But on the other side, I also felt glad to communicate with different
international students that helped me in improving my listening skills. Overall research provides
various benefits like I have improved my communication skill, Time management skill, data
collected skill, research skill and many more. With the help of this, I have enhanced my
experience to undertake research.
For future activities, I would like to includes all the current situation that students face at
the time pandemic. This can be beneficial for my upcoming research to explore depth evaluation
towards the specified area of research. Along with this, I also develop a plan that consist
necessary activities to completing overall study in stipulated time frame.
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REFERENCES
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Khalili, H., 2020. Online interprofessional education during and post the COVID-19 pandemic: a
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Adnan, M. and Anwar, K., 2020. Online learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic: Students'
perspectives. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology. 2(1).
Gonzalez, C. and Knecht, L.D., 2020. Strategies Employed in Transitioning Multi-instructor,
Multisection Introductory General and Organic Chemistry Courses from Face-to-Face
to Online Learning. Journal of Chemical Education.
Kamarianos, I. And et. al., 2020. TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF UNIVERSITY
STUDENTS’RESPONSE IN TIMES OF PANDEMIC CRISIS (COVID-19). European
Journal of Education Studies. 7(7).
Chew, Q. H. And et. al., 2020. Narrative synthesis of psychological and coping responses
towards emerging infectious disease outbreaks in the general population: practical
considerations for the COVID-19 pandemic. Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical
Research. 61(7).
Dos Santos, L.M., 2020. How Does COVID-19 Pandemic Influence the Sense of Belonging and
Decision-Making Process of Nursing Students: The Study of Nursing Students’
Experiences. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
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DeLuca, J.S. And et. al., 2020. Telepsychotherapy with youth at clinical high risk for psychosis:
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Psychotherapy Integration, 30(2), p.304.
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