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

ABSTRACT

This article 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 four 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 is a lack of research focusing on employing emerging technologies with transnational students in Asia. A multilayered 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 article reports a new evidence-informed framework which contributes new knowledge and moves current discourse forward.

KEYWORDS:

• Technology
• postgraduate
• transnational
• higher education
• Asian higher education
• collaborative learning
• community of practice

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements are included for the Education Doctorate students at the Hong Kong College of Technology, Hong Kong SAR, Rachael Smith, Nottingham Trent University and students from Nottingham Trent University Heidi Johanson, Hollie-Marie Ellis and Matthew Morrison for their help in the research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1. Defined by Ryan and Tilbury (2013) as embedding learner empowerment, future-facing education, social learning, transformative capabilities, decolonisation of education and crossing boundaries.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Higher Education Academy under Grant Gen 1034.

Notes on contributors

Helen Boulton

Dr Helen Boulton is an Associate Professor at Nottingham Trent University, Course Leader for the Doctorate in Education and a National Teaching Fellow (UK). Dr Boulton is a well-published and highly respected author, having co-authored several books and many journal articles which are published internationally. Dr Boulton has been involved in the use of digital technologies in education with UK government agencies, including the Department for Education, Training and Development Agency, HEA, Advance HE and JISC. Dr Boulton is an expert in pedagogy related to higher education, secondary education and transnational education. Dr Boulton is currently a co-investigator for two European Horizon 2020 projects: No-one Left Behind, and Managing Affective-learning Through Intelligent Atoms and Smart Interactions, and co-investigator for an Erasmus + research project: Mobile Pedagogical Assistant to develop meaningful pathways to personalised learning.